We’ve gone a bit of a different route after wrapping up our reading of Pride and Prejudice. As with our last book, we decided to watch an adaptation, but there are so many out there for P&P that we actually chose four of those adaptations to watch and write about. Over four arduous days, we watched two movies, a mini-series and a musical production based on Pride and Prejudice to bring you our thoughts on them. There will be spoilers, so if you want to watch any of these adaptations before reading, pause here. 

Pride and Prejudice (1940)

R: The first movie we watched was the 1940 production with Laurence Olivier as Mr. Darcy and Greer Garson as Elizabeth Bennet. This adaptation was just under two hours long, so there were a great many plot elements that were left out. Among other things, Bingley only had one sister – Caroline, and several events were condensed, such as some of the balls and what happened at them being rolled together. I really enjoyed Edmund Gwenn, who also played Kris Kringle in Miracle on 34th Street, as Mr. Bennet. The story was more of a straight comedy, which was enjoyable, but did take out all the subtle wittiness that makes Jane Austen’s novels so good. 

One of the humorous elements I really liked was at the end when Lady Catherine shows up to yell at Elizabeth about her supposed engagement to Mr. Darcy. When Lady Catherine leaves, we see that Darcy was waiting in the carriage and had sent his aunt in to see how Elizabeth really felt about him. The first time I saw the movie, I wasn’t a fan of this part, but it grew on me and fit the tone of the rest of the movie. One element I didn’t care for was that the story was shifted to a later time period, not for any good reason, but so they could reuse costumes from Gone with the Wind. I much prefer the simpler lines of Georgian clothing.

Overall, it’s a fun adaptation and definitely worth watching.

S: I was pleasantly surprised by this happy-go-lucky, comedic adaptation set in the 1800s. Remembering that this was produced at the beginning of World War II, some of the choices made in this version make a lot of sense. There is little drama, and what drama there is is always followed by comedy. One very intriguing thing this movie does is make the Bennet family extremely close: the viewer sees that Mr. Bennet adores his wife and children, Mrs. Bennet is full of confidence, and the Bennet girls love both their parents equally. In the end, there is hope for all of the girls to marry well, and even Lady de Burgh is likeable. (Fun fact, the screenplay was written by Aldous Huxley.)

Pride and Prejudice television mini series (1995)

R: Next, we watched the 1995 mini-series produced by the BBC and A&E with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle as Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. Coming in at about five hours, it does an impressive job of including nearly every important plot point. 

I’ve seen this mini-series so many times; it’s one of my go-to happy watches, and I cannot actually tell you anything they missed from the plot. It does such a good job of maintaining the integrity of the story that it’s difficult to tell what’s missing. There are a few, a very few, added elements like the opening scene with Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy looking down at Netherfield before actually renting it. Another addition is the famous Darcy-coming-out-of-the-pond scene, which most certainly is not in the book but is a delightfully awkward moment. I also love how they incorporated the well-known first line of the book into the dialogue by having Elizabeth say it in a sarcastic tone near the beginning of the first episode when Mrs. Bennet is informing the rest of the family of Mr. Bingley’s arrival.

The hardest part of this one for me to watch is when the Bennet family is at the Netherfield ball and each member of the family, except for Jane and Elizabeth, manages to act so inappropriately, including Mr. Bennet. It’s almost physically painful to watch each successive embarrassing moment.

S: The tone of the series is dramatic, but also has perfect comedic timing. I was struck by how bright the cinematography is; most scenes are filmed in sunshine and most of the main character’s clothing is in a bright colour palette. I very much enjoyed Mr. Bennet’s character in this adaptation.

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

R: Adaptation number three was the Keira Knightley version produced in 2005. To me, this movie does not feel like Pride and Prejudice. It was as if they just scattered some of Jane Austen’s dialogue into a completely unrelated movie. While the pacing of this version was better than the 1940 one, there ended up being huge gaps in the plot, though they weren’t obvious until near the end. We never see or hear about Aunt Gardiner’s letter explaining what Darcy did for Lydia, but Elizabeth seems to know all about it. Also, when Lady Catherine shows up in the middle of the night (which is ridiculous), all of the Bennets know who she is without introduction. The most egregious plot hole is that we don’t see any of Darcy’s growing admiration for Elizabeth before he’s suddenly declaring himself with a proposal. There is also hair down in mixed company and touching, which would have been highly inappropriate for the times. Along with this, it absolutely murders Austen’s wit by taking itself entirely too seriously.

On the positive side, Mr. Darcy is certainly handsome and I love his voice. The actual settings were well-done, crowded and not perfectly clean, actually looking like they are lived in. I did also enjoy the music and soundtrack. That said, this is probably my least favorite adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.

S: This adaptation places the story in the 1700s, makes it a more Gothic romance (the cinematography is a darker palette), and moves very quickly. There is one scene in particular that I think was very well done: When Mr. Bennet chastises Mary for playing the piano too long at one of the parties and she runs off, he immediately goes to look for her and the viewer sees him a couple of moments later giving her a hug and comforting her. (It must be noted that having Dame Judy Dench as Lady de Burgh is fun to watch!) The music for this movie is very well done.

Pride and Prejudice: A New Musical (2020)

R: Finally, we watched Pride and Prejudice: A New Musical put out by Amazon in 2020. We had no idea what to expect from this adaptation, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed it. 

Obviously, it was condensed for time and had to leave out a number of plot points, but it was humorous right from the start, narrated by Elizabeth. While they inserted a few anachronistic feminist ideas, it wasn’t as bad as I had expected. Unfortunately, the costumes seemed to be a mixed bag of different periods. 

The music was pretty, and the songs were mostly fun and catchy. I particularly enjoyed Darcy’s song ‘Bravado,’ which he sang when he realized he liked Elizabeth. It was hilarious and the actor did a phenomenal job. 

I also really enjoyed the portrayal of Caroline Bingley as bored and haughty. This really came through a unique element of the play. There are a lot of letters written in Pride and Prejudice and each character recited the content of letters they had written throughout the story. It was a novel and interesting way of conveying necessary information to the audience. I would recommend checking out this adaptation; it was just a lot of fun. 

S: The sets of this musical stage play were simple but effective and the songs are quite a bit of fun, making us laugh out loud a few times. The Bennet family’s interactions with each other is reminiscent of the 1940s version and the story itself was much less dramatic, with almost equal stage time for most of the characters. I enjoyed the side comments to the audience and the way one of the characters (Mary, I believe) let the audience know during the scene changes the location of the scene. 

R: If you only have a chance to watch one of these adaptations, I would highly recommend the mini-series. You get the whole story, with Jane Austen’s intent intact, along with wonderful acting, and beautiful costumes and scenery. I had a great time watching and discussing all of these adaptations of my favorite book!

S: Agreed! It was a lot of fun to see these adaptations so soon after finishing the book and so quickly one after the other. After finally reading Austen’s masterpiece, I am still convinced that, at least out of these four, the mini series is the adaptation that most closely follows the characters, the plot, and the world during the period in which the story is set and is also my favourite adaptation. 

After a hiatus, we aren’t sure how long of one, the next book we’ll be reading is Mansfield Park by Jane Austen. For the foreseeable future, we’ll also be going back to the once a month conversation due to increasingly busy schedules.

(This conversation will contain spoilers for the current chapters.)

S: I have decided that I am definitely not a fan of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. How arrogant and rude she is toward Elizabeth! I am glad Elizabeth is able to think clearly and hold her own. She even treats her civilly, though Lady Catherine does not believe her to do so. It all makes me wonder if Mr. Darcy has said something, or if Georgianna mentioned casually that she really liked Elizabeth. It also occurred to me as I read this chapter how similar Lady Catherine and Mrs. Bennet are: they both speak foolishly much of the time. 

R: Lady Catherine is definitely not a sympathetic character, but her visit is one of my favorite parts of the book. I think it makes Elizabeth finally confront and understand her own feelings for Mr. Darcy, and the whole scene is amusing. Personally, I believe that Lady Catherine probably got word via Mr. Collins, probably from a letter from Charlotte’s family or another Meryton friend, though I agree that Darcy and Georgiana themselves may have also mentioned Elizabeth in Lady Catherine’s presence. However she learned of it, I was surprised at her going to Longbourn personally. As Elizabeth pointed out, such a visit would be most likely seen as confirmation of the report of her engagement to Mr. Darcy.

S: I pointed out in our last discussion that Elizabeth must have talked quite a bit about how much she disliked Mr. Darcy because of her family’s reactions toward him; her father’s reaction to Mr. Collins’s letter, I think, proves just how much she had spoken ill of him. I understand Elizabeth’s feelings – she doesn’t know if Mr. Darcy loves her or simply thinks of her as a close friend. She is afraid that he mayn’t love her, and yet has not had a chance to speak with him to apologise for her previous behaviour, despite what he may feel.

R: Oh, the scene between Elizabeth and her father is so uncomfortable! I retract what I said last time about not thinking Elizabeth had spoken badly of Darcy that much. I feel bad for Elizabeth. She’s dug herself a bit of a hole and doesn’t know how to get out of it. If she tries to defend Darcy, no one will believe her because no one knows what he’s done to help her family. Indeed, as we see later, that is the exact problem she has.

S: When they were finally able to talk, I was so happy! I couldn’t help smiling as I read through their conversation. They both appear to have grown much in character from when we first met them, and seem to be much more understanding and humble.

R: It’s definitely one of the best conversations in literature. I had forgotten about Darcy asking her to burn his letter, and I loved Elizabeth’s understanding response. The reader can see how much they’ve both changed as the conversation goes on, especially when he informs her that he confessed his part in keeping Bingley from knowing Jane was in London. I love how Elizabeth shows that she’s learned some restraint with her teasing at the end before they part. ‘She remembered that he had yet to learn to be laughed at, and it was rather too early to begin.’

S: Elizabeth’s conversations with her different family members make me chuckle, Mr. Bennet’s being the most amusing, and the letters written to the extended family made me both smile and laugh out loud. It gives me great satisfaction to know that Mrs. Collins is extremely pleased that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy will be married. I never wanted their friendship to end. Even though we don’t get to see a lot of it, it did seem as though they had developed a very strong relationship.

R: I think I would have expected Elizabeth’s conversation with Jane to have gone better. I think I always thought that Elizabeth becoming more restrained would have made Jane understand that her feelings had changed about Darcy. I guess I also thought that the conversation about what Wickham had done would have changed her opinion about Darcy. Elizabeth regrets her earlier comments about Mr. Darcy when she speaks to her father, which is a good lesson for us all. If you talk badly about someone behind their back, you can’t really take that back. Gossip, slander, it’s all devastating. It can ruin the subject’s life, even if it’s not true.

I do love to see that Mr. Bennet is willing to give Darcy a chance and actually get to know him. And Elizabeth’s letter to Mrs. Gardiner is hilarious, as is Mr. Bennet’s to Mr. Collins. 

I agree about Elizabeth’s friendship with Charlotte. I’m glad that they are able to continue as friends. I’m impressed with Darcy’s restraint with all of Elizabeth’s family and neighbors. It must have been difficult for him. Even if you have made changes in behavior, it’s easy to slip into old habits.

S: It makes me sad that it appears Mr. and Mrs. Wickham never grow out of their childish ways and that their marriage ended rather sadly. 

R: A happy ending most of the way around. The Wickhams were left to the consequences of their own behavior. I was glad that the Darcys were eventually able to reconcile with Lady Catherine, and that even Caroline Bingely became, at least on the surface, more amenable.

This is my favorite of Jane Austen’s books and I’ve really enjoyed reading through it again with you!

S: I’ve enjoyed reading it for the first time and discussing it with you, and the ending makes me so happy! Really, I enjoyed the book quite a bit, and am glad to have had the opportunity to read it slowly and enjoy the story. I honestly thought it would be laborious to get through, but it didn’t move too quickly and I felt keenly the character’s highs and lows.

Coming up next, we will have one, perhaps two, posts that discuss four of the movie adaptations of Pride and Prejudice!

(This conversation will contain spoilers for the current chapters and possibly for future chapters.)

S: So much has happened in these chapters that they feel like a book unto themselves. 

What a sad thing to not be able to attend the first marriage of the family! It’s difficult to think how the Bennet girls feel, though there’s probably quite a mix of emotions.

R: It’s really interesting, too, because in Austen’s day, I believe it was fairly unusual for a younger daughter to be married before an elder, let alone the youngest of five married first.

S: Lydia’s silliness and childishness grates on me, but I suppose we’ve come to expect that from her. It makes me wonder if she will ever really feel the consequences of her actions, or if she will go through life not caring in the least. Still, one good thing came about from her staying so long at Longbourn! Elizabeth finds out that Mr. Darcy was present at the wedding.

R: Lydia continues to be thoughtless and self-centered, especially in the way she asserts her preeminence over her sisters. She seems to have no understanding of the impact of her actions on her family.

S: When we read about why Mr. Darcy was present, it is astonishing. As the reader, of course, we can understand why he did what he did since we have the view of what the Gardiners think as well as the narrative, but it’s still somewhat surprising that Elizabeth is so surprised at Mr. Darcy’s behaviour. I’m really enjoying the plethora of thoughts we see come from Elizabeth during this time.

R: I love how Mrs. Gardiner almost outright states that she and Mr. Gardiner suspected that Elizabeth and Darcy were engaged, or at least had an understanding, even to the point of inviting herself to Pemberly! It’s easy to miss because she just calls it ‘P’ at the end of her letter. ‘Pray forgive me if I have been very presuming, or at least do not punish me so far as to exclude me from P. I shall never be quite happy till I have been all around the park. A low phaeton, with a nice little pair of ponies, would be the very thing.’ 

Elizabeth’s shock is understandable, I think. Even with Mr. Darcy’s altered behavior toward the Gardiners, the news about Lydia and Wickham only strengthens his original case against marrying her. That he would put himself to so much trouble to help her sister certainly shows that his feelings for her haven’t changed. 

S: I don’t know if Mr. Wickham ever realised or even cared that Elizabeth knew the truth about his behaviour toward the Darcy family, but it makes me sad nonetheless. I can’t say that I like him or Lydia, but I do wish that they were less self-centered. 

R: When Wickham and Elizabeth have their very careful conversation, I almost feel like he’s trying to feel out how much she does know, because he’s aware that she’s spent time with Darcy and others who are close enough to the matter to know the truth about his actions. Elizabeth basically lets him know that she’s wise to him and they leave it at that. Wickham knows he won’t be able to ingratiate himself to her any longer, and Elizabeth feels there’s no need to say anything further about it.

S: It was a pretty funny, albeit uncomfortable, exchange! 

I was so excited that Mr. Bingley returned! I waited with bated breath to see if he did still really love Jane.

It surprises me that everyone in the family absolutely disregards Mr. Darcy, save for Jane and Elizabeth. It didn’t seem to me that Elizabeth talked so negatively about him often, but from everyone else’s words throughout the book I suppose she did, we just didn’t read about it.

R: I was glad to see Bingley, too! And I feel so bad for Darcy. I’m not sure it was Elizabeth talking about him, but the behavior they all saw at the Meryton ball and talk about the village. Other than with Jane, Elizabeth seems to keep her thoughts to herself the majority of the time. I certainly wouldn’t say anything I didn’t want repeated to the rest of her family!

I feel so sorry for Elizabeth. She’s angry and confused, angry with her family’s rudeness and with herself, and confused by Darcy’s presence. She knows that her family owes him everything, really, for his intervention in the situation with Lydia, but is not able to share it with them.

S: Poor Elizabeth, and really poor Mrs. Bennet! Elizabeth is embarrassed yet again over her mother’s behaviour, and her mother just cannot speak kindly to Mr. Darcy. This section reminded me of Proverbs 18:7, which says, ‘A fool’s mouth is his destruction, and his lips are the snare of his soul’. 

R: Indeed. Mrs. Bennet is a perfect example of how one shouldn’t  behave.

S: I do laugh at Elizabeth’s vexation over Mr. Darcy’s indifferent behaviour! Isn’t that just what we tend to do sometimes: worry about what someone is thinking, or why they’re acting a certain way? The entirety of Chapter 54 is so funny, but you can also hear Jane’s difficulty in trying to not get her hopes up over Mr. Bingley.

R: It’s so cute how Jane is trying not to get her hopes up, but Elizabeth knows she’s already gone on Bingley again, and he is obviously still in love with Jane. What man of leisure would show up before breakfast, before the ladies are even dressed, otherwise?

S: True! I hadn’t thought about that, and that makes it even more sweet. I am so happy that Mr. Bingley and Jane are going to be married! You can just feel the joy the entire family feels after such a difficult time with Lydia. And how quickly people’s minds change. At the end of this section we learn that the Bennet’s neighbours all thought them very unlucky, and yet only a few weeks later decided that they were very lucky. The human mind is fickle, indeed.

R: Jane and Bingley are so cute together! Mr. Bennet’s comment about their marriage always makes me laugh: ‘I have not a doubt of your doing very well together. Your tempers are by no means unlike. You are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy, that every servant will cheat you; and so generous, that you will always exceed your income.’

Jane has also learned her lesson about her blind faith in others’ goodness. She understands, finally, that Miss Bingley must have had a part in concealing her presence in London from Mr. Bingley, and that she will have to proceed with caution in renewing a relationship with her. 

S: Now we just need to see if Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner are correct in their assumptions that Mr. Darcy loves Elizabeth!

(This conversation will contain spoilers for the current chapters and possibly for future chapters.)

S: Although Elizabeth and Jane are surprised, frightened, and angry at Lydia’s and Mr. Wickham’s conduct, does it really surprise the reader? Austen has dropped hints throughout the story of Lydia’s improprieties, and there is even a scene where Elizabeth implores her father to put his foot down in not letting Lydia go to Brighton but instead deal with her tears and complaints.

When Mr. Darcy entered the scene again, my hopes rose some. He doesn’t reprimand or remind Elizabeth of her family’s shortcomings; he just stays with her and listens. Also, it occurs to me that he now knows she didn’t expose Georgianna’s and Wickham’s story to anyone. I would have liked Mr. Darcy to remain with her longer, and was saddened when he left. I know Elizabeth thinks that there’s certainly no more affection in his heart for her after this, but I have my doubts. Austen doesn’t tell us that he left angry; she simply implies that he left sadly and seriously. He’s been very contemplative throughout this interaction.

R: This chapter is almost heart-breaking. Lydia’s behavior comes to a head, and the results are just as bad as Elizabeth had predicted. I have to laugh a little at Jane, still trying to smile and give it a good spin, but Elizabeth knows that this is the end of all her hopes, if she’s begun to have any. 

When Darcy comes in, she’s devastated not only by her sister’s actions but by the fact that it has, yet again, put before Darcy all the reasons he’d had for thinking her a bad match. I love how kind he is in this moment, though. I’m sure he knows exactly how Elizabeth feels. He’d probably felt similarly when Georgiana ran off with Wickham, and he likely understands where her thoughts have gone in regard to him and his previous behavior. I hope that he’s learned his lesson enough to not let this incident color his feelings for Elizabeth.

S: Again, we see that Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner are so sweet. Without a moment’s hesitation, they end their holiday and head off to Longbourne. I am glad that Elizabeth gives at least a little information regarding Mr. Wickham’s character so that her aunt and uncle understand a bit more, but it is to her credit that she doesn’t gossip. She continues to honour the unspoken request for respect of Georgianna – it is her story to tell, when and if she chooses to tell it.

As a side note, the Gardiner’s children seem like they must be adorable! It’s obvious that they are a loving family.

I have tried to find some redeeming quality in Mrs. Bennet, but I’m afraid this part has mostly ended that quest. She is so blinded by her favouritism toward Lydia and for herself that it doesn’t even occur to her that she is partly responsible for Lydia’s conduct. (Honestly, she reminds me a little of Aunt Petunia Dursley from the Harry Potter series, the way they both dote on their children!)

I still don’t quite know what to make of Kitty and Mary. I can’t tell if Kitty is jealous or resigned, and Mary is so…pious (not in a good way). 

R: The Gardiners are amazing! Though I think they are a little too like Jane in trying to believe the best of Wickham. Since they don’t have the full background, I suppose that’s understandable. 

Mrs. Bennet really is awful. Indulging children does them no good and can lead them into worse situations. They may not like you much when you discipline them, but they will be much better for it in the long run. To me, Kitty definitely seems jealous, but it’s good for her to be removed from Lydia’s influence. It says a lot about the strength of Lydia’s personality that she was the leader of their little gang despite being the youngest. Mary is pedantic. She doesn’t seem to have an original thought, and her words of ‘wisdom’ are certainly unhelpful.

S: Lydia’s letter to Mrs. Forster is very childish. I’m surprised they were such friends! Perhaps Mrs. Forster thought her amusing and full of life, but really she’s a very selfish girl. She makes things difficult for everyone else in a way that they almost can’t refuse helping her. Frustration abounds toward her.

R: I think that Mrs. Forster is closer to Lydia’s age than her husband’s, so their being friends seems reasonable to me. Well, as reasonable as two silly young women can be. 

As Elizabeth points out, while Lydia is foolish and thoughtless, she seems to have had good intentions in running off with Wickham. She isn’t malicious.

S: Good points, all!

I would agree with Elizabeth regarding the reactions of other people toward her family – though it was kind of Lady Lucas to visit and offer assistance, sometimes it’s best to let people work out things as a family and not get involved. Then again, I suppose it depends – if you know the person helping is one who will not gossip about what’s going on, their help would be invaluable. It’s when you don’t really trust the other person, or don’t truly know their intentions, that you don’t want others around. Unfortunately, we know little about Lady Lucas, although if it had been Charlotte who had come around to offer support, I think Elizabeth would have welcomed the help and sympathy.

R: I think that was a difficulty of the times. The lifestyles of the nobility and gentry left them little to do but socialize and gossip about one another. There was also competition for marrying into the best families, and the necessity of remaining above reproach. When a family failed to do so, it was big news if they didn’t manage to quash the gossip immediately. 

S: That’s a good point; what a frustrating way to live! One would be hard pressed to find out who one’s true friends were. 

I hate to say it, but knowing that Mr. Bennet was shocked made me a little happy, simply because I think he thought his girls were just silly and stupid, but now he sees the enormity of the situation and all the ways Lydia’s choices will impact their family. I wonder if he is shocked by how inattentive he really has been as a father and husband. I hope we will see his character tempered by the end of the book.

R: Mr. Bennet certainly seems to have seen the light in regard to how he’s mismanaged his family and finances. He believes that Mr. Gardiner has paid a great deal of money to Wickham, and to Wickham’s creditors, to get him to marry Lydia, a huge debt that Mr. Bennet doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to repay.

S: I suppose I do feel rather sorry for Mr. Bennet. He had wanted to spend time enjoying his wealth in the moment, rather than planning for the future. He also took for granted that he and Mrs. Bennet would produce at least one son. As much as I don’t like his attitude toward most of his family, I can understand how disappointed he is in life and why he acts the way he does. Still, I can’t help but sigh that he goes back to his fairly selfish ways.

It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Mrs. Bennet really got on my nerves in this section – she’s so excited about Lydia’s marriage that she makes herself appear foolish. I do understand, though, her frustration when Mr. Bennet tells her he will not allow Mr. and Mrs. Wickham at Longbourn. It would be very difficult to think of never again seeing your youngest daughter in your home.

R: I think the whole idea of his continuing to pay for Lydia’s upkeep after her marriage is foreign to readers today when marriage usually means financial independence from parents, except in unusual circumstances. The fact that she’s marrying someone who obviously can’t support her plays into that, I suppose. I can’t decide how I feel about his initial refusal to allow Lydia and Wickham into his home and then relenting under the pressure of his wife and daughters. Even Elizabeth and Jane thought it would be better for them to stop at Longbourn before being banished to another regiment in the North.

S: I was having difficulty with that as well. I can understand his frustration and refusal to want to see the two, but there’s also the idea of forgiveness and Christian love that Jane and Elizabeth seem to be trying to show. If you view the world in such a way as to think that we all are guilty of something that would be cause for judgement, forgiveness is more easily granted, even if you don’t agree with the guilty party’s choice(s). Jane and Elizabeth are very kind toward their sister, as they help change their father’s mind about admitting Mr. and Mrs. Wickham to Longbourn.

Elizabeth is the only one, it appears, with a truly level head. She is seeing the future for her sister and it’s not a pretty picture, or one that screams ‘independent’, and it would appear that Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner think similarly. They are such kind people! I’m sure gossip had already spread about Lydia, to which she is immune, but the Gardiners still decide to give her a place to stay until the marriage can be formalised.

R: To bookend this group of chapters, poor Elizabeth has realized that she does care for Mr. Darcy, and that she would have been happy with him if he’d renewed his suit. But in her mind, this scandal must have put him off for good. She doesn’t believe that there’s any chance that she’ll ever see him again, though she trusts him implicitly not to spread their misfortune abroad. Of everyone in the family, Lydia’s behavior has hurt Elizabeth the most.

S: Very true! Her views toward Mr. Darcy are rapidly changing and it’s fun to see that she thinks of him more often, with what appears to be a wish of being able to talk with him. And based on what we’ve seen of Lydia’s behaviour in previous chapters, it’s possible that she will always remain blissfully unaware of what she’s done and whom she’s hurt. There’s a very melancholic sense at the end of these chapters.

(This conversation will contain spoilers for the current chapters and possibly for future chapters.)

S: I cannot tell you how annoyed I am with Mr. Bennet! I know that he doesn’t want to hear his daughter whining about not going to Brighton, but my goodness me, he is just being lazy. He doesn’t appear to really hear what Elizabeth is saying about Lydia’s behaviour, nor about Kitty’s. I wonder if he’s in denial about his life course.

R: I agree! This is probably where I dislike Mr. Bennet the most. In general, I enjoy his sarcasm and humor, except when he’s mocking his own family, but in this case he has completely failed in his duties as a father. He is meant to protect and guide his children, and in Lydia’s case in particular, he fails to do either. 

S: As a side note, I wish I could be more like Elizabeth and not fret about things I cannot change, but acknowledge I’ve done my duty and leave it alone.

R: I like that Elizabeth tried to take care of her sister by going to their father. Of course, some of it is just not wanting to expose the family to further embarrassment, but the effect would have been the same. Though I’m sure Lydia could have found ways to get into trouble even if she’d stayed at Longbourn.

S: I was a bit smug as I read the part where Elizabeth and Mr. Wickham speak again. He seems to know that something’s going on, that she knows more than she’s letting on, and will no longer allow him to manipulate her feelings and thoughts with his words. It gave me great satisfaction.

R: I wonder whether Wickham knows that Elizabeth must know something, or is just worried that she does. I do love how Elizabeth essentially confesses her own prejudice here and essentially repents of it. She knows that she was wrong about Mr. Darcy, her opinion largely influenced by Wickham’s lies, and she’s subtly informing Wickham that she knows better now, while at the same time shutting down his attempt to renew his attentions to her. 

S: I think the most difficult part for me to read was the part when Elizabeth really assesses her father’s behaviour as a husband. That was so sad! I was annoyed with him at the beginning of the book, yet thought that he might perhaps still love his wife, but according to Elizabeth’s observations, he has been angry at himself for marrying Mrs. Bennet and just doesn’t care anymore how he or the family is viewed.

R: It’s sad that Mr. Bennet’s imprudence in his choice of a wife should cause his family such difficulties. He made his bed – and regretted the making ever after. He’s the poster boy for the phrase: marry in haste, repent at leisure.

I think the Gardiners are my favorite secondary characters. Poor Elizabeth, fretting over the shortened trip and even more, worrying over running into Darcy. It’s too bad that she can’t talk to her aunt about what had happened. Aunt Gardiner probably would have had the best advice and at least as sympathetic a reaction as Jane did.

S: I had forgotten all about Elizabeth’s holiday with the Gardiners! When it is decided they will go to Pemberley, I must say I had some trepidation on Elizabeth’s part. It’s interesting to see how her feelings toward Mr. Darcy have changed. She doesn’t want to see him, but not because she despises him; rather, because she’s embarrassed of her and her family’s conduct after having received his explanatory letter. 

S: The walkabout Pemperly’s house and grounds is a soothing one; it just feels homey and peaceful. 

I can’t tell if Mrs. Gardiner thinks Elizabeth still likes Wickham, or if she’s just teasing; perhaps it’s a little of both. 

I was very surprised by the housekeeper’s estimation of Mr. Darcy; though this is not at all what others say his character is, I think it’s not too difficult to believe, based on what we’ve so far observed. 

R: This is one of my favorite chapters in the book. The accidental meeting with Mr. Darcy is so adorable, and I think we finally see his true personality. Certainly he seems to have rethought his behavior when he proposed to Elizabeth. The moment when Elizabeth introduces him to Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner is one of the best scenes in the story. For one thing, I think it shows Austen’s propensity for poking fun at the British upper classes. Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner are portrayed as more polite and genteel than Elizabeth’s own family and Darcy himself (as was), who are members of the gentility. I believe it also shows that Darcy either doesn’t think as badly of the lower classes as he seemed to, or that he’s being on his absolute best behavior in this unexpected encounter with Elizabeth.

I don’t know how true it is, but Regency novels and movies are always portraying the men of the nobility and upper classes as being inundated with women who want to snag them – an almost literal meat market. It’s possible that Darcy could have had the view that Elizabeth was a gold-digger precisely because of her ‘low’ connections. 

S: I was surprised that they met with Mr. Darcy, and surprised by Elizabeth’s reaction. She has very much tempered in the few weeks since they last met, and I think for the better. She finally seems to understand that he did love her, and might still do, though she can hardly believe it. One is always more comfortable at one’s home, and I think this is also part of what Elizabeth is observing in Mr. Darcy, but I’m convinced that he still at least likes her and wants to have a friendship with her since he wants to introduce her to his sister. I’m strongly reminded of the saying, ‘You can’t judge a book by its cover.’ 

R: We get to see that both Elizabeth and Darcy have somewhat repented of their earlier attitudes and actions. I think the clearest evidence that Darcy has changed or recovered his equanimity is his easy politeness when introduced to the Gardiners and his offer to introduce Elizabeth to his sister. The fact that Georgianna wants to meet Elizabeth shows that Darcy must have spoken of her in some capacity. 

S: Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner’s observations of the unfolding friendship/possible romance are subtle, but oh, so cute! They have certainly become some of my favourite characters in the story. I very much like the fact that they do not pepper Elizabeth with questions, nor pry into her relationship with Mr. Darcy, but quietly take note of all the things unfolding before them. Elizabeth has no impropriety to fear from her aunt and uncle in any way. They exude peace.

R: I’m glad that Elizabeth figured out a way to inform Mrs. Gardiner of the truth about Wickham without betraying Darcy’s confidence. While her intentions to not declaim him publicly are noble, I don’t think it’s wrong to disabuse her immediate family of the man’s falsehoods as appropriate.

I love how the Gardiners’ subtlety contrasts with Mrs. Bennet’s usual behavior. If Elizabeth’s mother had had the slightest idea that an extremely wealthy gentleman was interested in her daughter, she wouldn’t have stopped nagging Elizabeth about it and making inappropriate comments. 

S: I agree!

I’m excited we’ve finally met Georgianna. She seems such a sweet girl, and with Elizabeth’s tempered countenance, she is better able to judge her character. Perhaps, had Elizabeth been more tempered earlier on, she would have seen Mr. Darcy as shy, rather than smug. Mr. Darcy is in his element, it seems – so confident and relaxed; he really does seem like a different person!

R: Georgiana was always a little bit of a surprise and enigma to me. She apparently really wanted to meet Elizabeth, according to Darcy’s words in the previous chapter, but when confronted with the person herself, Georgiana is too shy to really engage. I do understand how Darcy’s behavior when he first came to Hertfordshire could be seen in a similar light. They probably both need some practice.  

S: True! Unfortunately, sometimes shyness can be misconstrued as haughtiness.

Finally, Elizabeth, and the reader, seem certain that Mr. Bingley has not forgotten Jane (such an accurate memory of when he last saw her!). I daresay that Mr. Darcy could be trying to make amends? 

By the end of Chapter 44, the reader, as seen through the eyes of Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, is convinced that Mr. Darcy is truly in love with Elizabeth. 

Something I’m enjoying about Austen’s work – she doesn’t tell you how a character acts; she shows you by their conduct so you can make your own observations and judgements.

R: I love that we get Bingley back! It’s obvious that he’s still thinking about Jane and just biding his time, impatiently, until he can ask Elizabeth about her.

I also enjoyed Elizabeth’s working through her own feelings, and realizing that Darcy must really still love her.  

S: In Chapter 45 we are greeted once more by Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley, and I still do not like them (well, more so Miss Bingley). We are reminded of just how nasty Miss Bingley’s words are. She reminds me of the woman in Proverbs 21:19: ‘It is better to dwell in the wilderness, than with a contentious and an angry woman’ (NKJV). (Come to think of it, this verse can also be applied to Mrs. Bennet.) It shows just how self-centered she is, how improperly she behaves. I cringed for Georgianna’s sake when she mentioned Mr. Wickham. Of course, Miss Bingley knows nothing of that affair, but it does point to her ignorance and foolishness. If anyone is prideful and prejudiced, it’s her. Suppose she had had a ‘meek and quiet spirit’ – perhaps it would have been her Mr. Darcy would have pursued (1 Peter 3:4). I wonder if this is part of the reason Mr. Darcy allows himself to be more civil with Elizabeth and her family – he is starting to see that all families have some members who act improperly. (Oh, the literary genius when Austen through Miss Bingley refers back to Mr. Darcy’s comment about Elizabeth’s eyes in earlier chapters!)

I love how, after Elizabeth leaves, Mr. Darcy shuts down Miss Bingley. He sees through what she is doing and isn’t going to stand for it, especially since her words are attacking both of the women he loves. His words don’t surprise me, though. He did the same thing in the earlier chapters, even when we didn’t quite know where he stood with Elizabeth. 

I suppose I do feel a bit of remorse for Miss Bingley – Austen reminds us that she really only hurt herself.

R: I can’t bring myself to feel the least bit sorry for Miss Bingley. When Darcy shuts her down, I think it’s one of the best mic drop moments in classical literature. He says of Elizabeth in response to Caroline’s comment that Darcy once thought Elizabeth was maybe a little pretty: ‘Yes,’ replied Darcy, who could contain himself no longer, ‘but THAT was only when I first saw her, for it is many months since I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance.’ If that isn’t a declaration of love, I don’t know what is! Okay, that’s a rather shallow standard, but for the purposes of the novel, it will do.

S: The final scene in this section is adorable – both Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner want to talk about Mr. Darcy’s attentions towards Elizabeth, but neither wants to bring up the subject!

R: That is a cute moment. Mrs. Gardiner is too polite to embarrass Elizabeth by bringing up a subject that obviously causes her some kind of distress; and Elizabeth is too embarrassed (maybe?) to start the conversation either.

S: I’m very much looking forward to future chapters – there seems like there could be quite a bit of excitement ahead!