I’d like to first give a little background on my relationship with Pride and Prejudice, because I am a huge Jane Austen fan, and although it may be the basic choice, Pride and Prejudice is unapologetically and with no hesitation my favorite Austen novel. My first experience with the novel was actually the 2005 adaptation (you know the one: Keira Knightley in earthy muslins, sweeping landscape shots, gorgeous score, and a brooding Mr. Darcy in that infamous rainstorm proposal scene. LOVE IT). Yes, it’s true, I watched the movie before reading the book. I happen to hold the unpopular opinion that it doesn’t matter whether you watch the movie before reading the book, particularly if both are good. Anyway, for those of you that have read the book for the class and have not seen the 2005 adaptation, it might be interesting to go back and take a look, as it is often criticized by Austen fans for straying from the novel at important points.
Clearly, I happen to love the movie, including the ways in which it differs from the novel, and have seen it approximately 36429384 times and counting (make that 36429385 by the time we depart, because what better way is there to prepare for a trip to England?). Though it is slightly different, the differences lend themselves well to the manifestation of an on-screen period drama. I also maintain that this version, as well as the similarly well-loved 1995 miniseries, helped form public opinion and perceptions of Pride and Prejudice, and of Austen herself (i.e. they have given way to masterpieces like Bridget Jones’ Diary, The Jane Austen Book Club, and Austenland—all comedies that are enjoyed by plenty of people who have never so much as touched an Austen novel).
I think I have digressed enough to make it very clear that Pride and Prejudice has had a great influence on the way I enjoy literature. After I read it, I couldn’t get enough, and started exploring the rest of Austen’s novels and similar novels from the Regency period and beyond. I hope that everyone loves the book as much as I do—I truly believe it has something for everyone, and each time I read it, it just keeps getting better. Again, I apologize for the rambling, but hopefully it is sufficient explanation for why this blog post will probably be very passionately written.
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The scene that I’ve chosen to look at is part of a very interesting conversation that occurs between Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley, Caroline Bingley, and Elizabeth during Elizabeth’s stay at Pemberley to visit a bedridden Jane. The group sit around and talk about the qualities of a good woman; the tone of the conversation becomes tense, as the four individuals have opposing thoughts on the topic and come from very different social stations. It is Bingley’s comment, made in response to a praise of Georgiana Darcy’s accomplishments, that sets off the discussion:
“It is amazing to me,” said Bingley, “how young ladies can have patience to be so very accomplished as they all are” (Austen 38).
The reason that I love this scene is because I think the way that each character contributes to the ensuing debate reveals much about their character and how they act in scenes throughout the novel. As seen in the above quote, Bingley is overflowing with praise and prepared at all times to be completely astonished by the talents of any woman he should meet. He goes on to describe several forms of feminine decorative arts and hand crafting endeavours as being perpetually impressive to him. This optimistic, kind, and not wholly unrealistic view of the accomplishments of females is a classic representation of Bingley’s ever cordial and gracious demeanor.
The notion that all women are equally talented, let alone talented at all, is absurd to Darcy, and subsequently Caroline, who effectively reiterates every one of Darcy’s opinions in a desperate attempt at winning his attention and approval. The two vehemently disagree with Bingley’s statement—one that was given innocently and was almost certainly not intended to create a new strain of discourse among the group. Caroline rattles off a list of traits that must necessarily be found in a woman before she can think to be called accomplished:
“Oh! certainly,” cried his faithful assistant, “no one can be really esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved” (Austen 39).
Many of these traits, you will notice, could only be attained by women of Caroline’s standing, that is, women with the monetary resources to have a well-rounded education and with adequate leisure time to pursue so many different pursuits. This statement, then, is not only intended to uplift women of her own station (although it certainly does accomplish this), but is mostly meant to suggest the promotion of herself and her own talents, and probably specifically to the bachelor Darcy. This endeavour is less than successful, however, since Darcy later makes a pointed comment condemning “the meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation” (Austen 40).
Elizabeth then criticizes Darcy and Caroline for being too severe in their criteria. Although her comments are delivered fiercely and are possibly rooted in her own bitter understanding that neither Caroline nor Darcy consider her to be a well-accomplished woman, Elizabeth’s stance on this topic is by no means unreasonable. She makes the most sensible case out of anyone in the party. She does not make the claim that all women are equally talented, like Bingley, but she comes to the defense of the only minorly accomplished women that Caroline and Darcy apparently expect to be masters of many kinds of feminine occupations. Elizabeth and Darcy’s final exchange effectively ends the conversation for good:
“I am no longer surprised at your knowing only six accomplished women. I rather wonder now at your knowing any.”
“Are you so severe upon your own sex as to doubt the possibility of all this?”
“I never saw such a woman. I never saw such capacity, and taste, and application, and elegance, as you describe united” (Austen 39).
As I tried to outline in this post, each character’s contributions to their debate about what makes a woman accomplished in extremely telling of their role as character in the bigger picture of Pride and Prejudice. Their opinions also work to foreshadow their actions, particularly in each one’s romantic endeavours. Bingley’s praise of accomplished women eventually extends to focus on the canonically perfect Jane Bennet, Caroline’s value of a complete mastery of all activities (which she believes herself to have) does not actually end up being enough to secure the man she wants (contrary to what she argues in this scene), and of course, Elizabeth and Darcy’s disagreement foreshadows the conflicts that their relationship must endure before finally ending up together—which only happens after each person acknowledges their faults along the way.
Here is a clip from the 2005 movie adaptation of Pride and Prejudice if you’d like a visual and comprehensive refresher on the scene I’ve been writing about!
My edition of Pride and Prejudice is the 2003 Barnes & Nobles Classics publication.
I’m so glad to know that you love this novel so much! I’m rather partial to the 1995 BBC adaptation because it was my first introduction to the novel (and yes, I watched it before reading the novel, too!) Whenever I see a movie with Colin Firth in it, I feel a little like Mr. Darcy is the one acting 🙂 I agree that this particular “scene” in the novel offers us fascinating insight into both the character-types involved and the Regency-period attitudes towards the “accomplishments” that women were expected to possess. Combined with Austen’s critiques of marriage (the ones Maggie pointed out in her post), this passage helps us understand Austen’s attitudes towards a marriage market that treats women as objects to be priced and possessed.