The Love Affair Between Elizabeth and Darcy in Pride and Prejudice
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"It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began, but I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberly." the above lines occur in Pride and Prejudice written by Jane Austen in 1812-13. Reflective of Elizabeth's perception of her attraction and affections towards Mr. Darcy, the dialogue is said by her. As David Spring analyses in his essay, the Bennets belong to the class of landed gentry where as Mr. Darcy belonged to the aristocratic landowners. It would perhaps be unfair to judge Elizabeth harshly due to this statement of hers because she believed in a "marriage of true affection". when she reached Pemberly, she realized that Mr. Darcy was not the "most disagreeable man" she earlier thought him to be, she regretted the fact that she could have been the mistress of that place but soon her regret turned into normalcy when she counter opined that perhaps her favorite relatives (the Gardiners) could not have visited her frequently if that had been the case.
The Elizabeth-Darcy liaison in the novel is a perfect example of coming together of complementary personalities and forming a union built on the solid foundations of trust, respect and gratitude. Richard Simpson comments "Austen exhibits no ideal characters, no perfect virtue, no perfect vice." and this is exemplified by the protagonists here. According to Marilyn Butler, Elizabeth and Darcy are presented as polar opposites; his hauteur seems as different as possible from Elizabeth's informality. But the story cannot be shunned just as the meeting and attraction of opposites, the relationship is a complex one per se. it all began when Darcy accompanied his friend, Mr. Bingley to Netherfields and presented himself to be a "cold, proud and fastidious" man, wounded Elizabeth's pride and led her to form a strong prejudice against him. The subsequent meetings continued in the same manner till Darcy realized his ardent love for her, proposed to her and was rejected. Austen's narrative does not represent the stereotypical romances toying with the ideas of "eyes meeting, sparks flying", love at first sight or chance encounters. What she portrays is actually 'hate at first sight' points' butler, but it is essentially the same. the first proposal that Mr. Darcy makes is drab and decorated with a sense of pride and condescension, though it is not rehearsed in the front of the mirror (like Mr. Collins),nor does it unnecessarily pressurize her to give an affirmation. It is not clearly depictive of his feelings towards her and how and what about her did he love. What pride and prejudice offers in its conclusion is a 'bilateral disarmament' between the two analyses Susan Fraiman, Elizabeth gives up her prejudice and Darcy relinquishes his pride. Darcy woos away not Elizabeth's prejudice but her judgment entire. The intricacies woven in this association are understandable as they spell out the underlying theme in the novel that first impressions can be deceptive". It takes them the entire length of the novel to understand each other's disposition and realize their love for each other. As Elizabeth clearly points out the reasons for Darcy's interest held captive by her as her behavior to him being always uncivil, her impertinence and liveliness of character. Since Mr. Darcy was sick of seeing civility, officiousness and deference in all the women of his rank. He was attracted to her by the sharpness of thought, free and opinionated assertions and sensibility which she exuded in her judgments.
In this sense, she can rightfully be compared to Maria Edge in The Life and Options of Tristam Shandy written by Lawrence Sterne whereas Elizabeth on the other hand admired Darcy as a person filtered through the opinion of Mrs. Reynolds towards and her own observations of him, the analysis of his nature. More than sense and sensibility, pride and prejudice move from an initial condition of potential social fragmentation to a resolution in which the grounds of society are reconstituted as the principal characters come together in marriage, comments Alistair Duckworth. The match comes as a shock to the parents. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet as well as to Jane. The father, in concern for his 'favorite child' remarks upon the prime parameter for her to be happy, to respect her partner and engage with him in a 'marriage of true minds'. The mother who hates him at first sight (fallible impressions) immediately changes her stand when she realizes his grandeur and wealth which made her pleased that she got 'distracted' not knowing how to handle her pleasure. Jane was doubtful as well as she knew the extent of her sisters dislike towards him to which Elizabeth answered, "perhaps I did not always love him so well as I do now", a tangible explanation to quieted her mind. The major opposition to this association was Lady Catherine de Bourgh who specially came down to Longbourn to give Elizabeth a piece of her mind. She thought of Darcy as a potential groom for her own daughter and did everything she could to dissuade Elizabeth from setting her heart on him. But Elizabeth replied in her own frankness and impropriety of tone which was an important triggering point in this match. Mr. Bingley, Darcy's closest friend expressed that 'nothing to give him more delight' but it was something he talked of as impossible. This was a popular notion about the couple which was harbored by people in their close connections as well as earlier in their minds as well. There existed a sort 'gulf impassable' between them and traversing it was not an easy thing for either of them. Elizabeth's mind moved from feelings scarcely to be defined to feelings yet more acutely painful and finally to a perturbed state of mind comments Susan Morgan.
Understanding settled gradually with depth of feeling. For Mr. Darcy, it is to give up his ' masculinity complex' (a term coined by Susan Fraiman) and move from feelings clouding his mind for a while, all the realization and finally to consideration of them and acknowledgement of them as his own, true sentiments. The couple, per se, can be contrasted with Jane Bingley, as they are showcased as being mirror images of one another whose love has been romantically arranged for, can be called at first meeting and who share genuine likeness for each other but are separated due to human and natural constraints of time and space. Also Lydia and Wickham whose marriage is just one of convenience and who do not have affection but their relationship is built on passion and intense feelings of one another, a kind of immature and inefficient match. The true heroes of the story Elizabeth and Darcy whose love surpasses familial authority, societal restraint and conventions of the time emerges a typical 'fairy-tale' ending. Austen admits that her text gives partial truths both in terms of being absolute and that in character but life is bordered around the 'virtue of happiness'. the happiness which is sought by all her heroines who finally 'unite' which is sought by all her heroines who finally 'unite' which is sought by all her heroines who finally 'unite' with the prince charming after having chosen him and end decided the course of her future. To summarize, Susan Fraiman comments on this affair, "the novels wishful and aesthetically satisfying romantic conclusion fudges the ideological contradictions uncovered earlier between the individualistic perspective inherent in the bourgeois value system and the authoritarian hierarchy retained from the traditional, paternalistic society.
