Note on Elizabeth and Darcy
a) At Pemberley, Darcy's changed behaviour at first embarrasses Elizabeth. The knowledge that he was kind and fully overlooked her rudeness made her self conscious of her own low consciousness, her mother's shameless vanity, Lydia's shame-faced exhibitionism. Its outer expression was vital discomfort. His coming back dressed, confirmed his own goodness to her. Had she realised it as his own innate generosity of emotion, devotion would have issued out of her and that is the true emotional basis of gratitude that is luck. It helped her to overcome her own initial embarrassment. To her, it was the sign of his courting her; she became conscious of her own attractions for him, overcoming the knowledge of her family's insupportable behaviour. The emotional arrears inside which had a top dressing of his admiration for her were the seed of tragedy that was brought by Jane's letters. Mind is not that quick when life takes over. Body responds to the reality of the situation before mind realises what is happening. She turns round in the carriage in solicitude to look at him who lingered on the road, anxious to please her. Had it been the other way round, the tragedy could not have happened. To trace the parallel between Lydia's exuberances at Brighton with Elizabeth's change of attitude is to know the subtle truth of life.
b) In continuation of the previous message on Elizabeth and Darcy. Darcy has brought out a deeper truth of his personality in his generous response to Elizabeth. She has not reciprocated. She has responded from her social consciousness, not the truth of her being which is there in potential, first by her embarrassment, later by her consciousness of his attraction for her. Because she could not respond from a deeper truth, the tragedy struck. In their marriage, which served an evolutionary purpose for the society, he played a full part, while she merely received the benefit of his response without fully bringing her own potential to the surface.
- Login to post comments