A literature critique on Pride and Prejudice

自己写的傲慢与偏见的文学评论

ENG 2210

Dr. Hannah Berliner Fischthal

Yanling Zhu

May 5th, 2010

Pride and Prejudice in Elizabeth and Darcy

Among the four marriages depicted in Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth and Darcy’s is certainly the most dramatic and appealing. They are a true model of what an ideal couple should be like. Their matrimony is based on love. It is prudent and laid on the foundation of gratitude, respect and appreciation. Although they have both had their defects and failings, which decided that their relationship did not start off well, it is

during the course of association with each other that they managed to realize their own faults of pride and prejudice and eventually achieved a mutual understanding and

felicitous marriage. With Darcy, Elizabeth went from forming prejudice to removing it. In Darcy’s case, it was a process of from being proud to overcoming it.

Elizabeth is the daughter of a gentleman, her social status being inferior to the

peerage represented by Darcy, along with the lack of propriety shown by her family and other connections on public occasions constantly embarrasses her. These

circumstances decided the prejudicial element in her character. “They have none of them to recommend them, they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters.” (Austen 4) Looking at how Mr. Bennet described his daughter in the first chapter, we may presume her to be bright and shrewd in her judgment. It turned out quite the contrary. The first time she met Darcy, her

prejudice was formed against him at the overhearing of his comment to Bingley: “She is

自己写的傲慢与偏见的文学评论

tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men.” (Austen 9) In all fairness, Darcy is tall, good looking, well bred, and in terms of fortune and

understanding, better than Bingley who is preferred by all. Were it not for his haughty refusal to dance with her, she would not have disliked him that much: “I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine.” (Austen 14)

Once a bad impression has been established, inclination to think ill of him and

impose imagined flaws is likely. During her visit to Netherfield, Elizabeth entered into several discussions with Darcy about the versatile standard of females, the characters of humans, where she affronted him every time. To deliberate upon the reason behind her action, it really comes down to the solidification of a pre-established prejudice. When the handsome and amiable Wickham came to the scene, she was easily

convinced of his charges against Darcy. “…we should notice how quick Elizabeth is to punctuate his story with exclamations about Darcy’s abominable pride, how willing she is to hear him abused, and how she accepts the story without corroborative evidence…” As D.J. Dooley stated in her Pride, Prejudice, and Vanity in Elizabeth Bennet, Elizabeth loses some of her power of discrimination in her judgments on Darcy. She was then so disgusted by Darcy that to respond to his complaisant greeting with some courtesy

became difficult. When she found herself accepting Darcy’s invitation to dance, she was vexed and felt it a betrayal to Wickham. Her friend Charlotte tried to console her, but Elizabeth’s opinion was firm. “Heaven forbid! – That would be the greatest misfortune of all! – To find a man agreeable whom one is determined to hate! – Do not wish me such an evil.” (Austen 62) Up to this point, her prejudice against Darcy is somewhat

自己写的傲慢与偏见的文学评论

intentional and purposely determined rather than unconsciously. This prejudice peaked at the knowledge of Darcy’s role in separating her sister from Bingley, and induced her to turn down his first proposal in a manner which utterly mortified his pride.

In contrast is Elizabeth’s partiality for Wickham on their early acquaintances.

Falling in love with the fantasy she has constructed for Wickham, she could only think of his merits while disregarding his faults, which should have been obvious given her intelligence and insight. At her aunt’s house, Wickham displayed adulatory gallantry to young ladies but she readily accepted which was displayed to her. Wickham made a whole speech about how he was not afraid of confronting Darcy, yet he did not show up at the Netherfield ball where he knew an encounter was inevitable. He also claimed that he would not talk badly of Darcy for old Mr. Darcy’s sake, yet after Darcy left

Hertfordshire, he immediately spread the rumor and degraded him without the slightest reservations. Such inconsistency in his professions and conduct again escaped Elizabeth’s discernment. Even later when he turned to pursue Miss King who has suddenly become wealthy, she defended him from accusations of having only

mercenary intentions. It was until Darcy’s letter exposed her to the scrutiny of

Wickham’s account that she saw the true colors beneath that deceptively pleasant countenance.

Nevertheless, to put aside Elizabeth’s prejudice, she has high pride also. The

conversation with Darcy’s aunt who tried to interfere with her marriage is a remarkable manifestation of this character. Lady Catherine, tall and large, always speaks in an authoritative tone and is not to be challenged, which made Elizabeth’s courage to fight back at her insult most prominent: “I do not pretend to possess equal frankness with

自己写的傲慢与偏见的文学评论

your ladyship. You may ask questions, which I shall not choose to answer.” (Austen 231) As a middle-class twenty-year-old girl, the pride is particularly estimable. She is not intimidated by the greater powers, nor does she fawn upon them. Of course, sh …… 此处隐藏：5882字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……