How do Darcy and Elizabeth Change and Develop in Pride and Prejudice?

Authors Avatar

How do Darcy and Elizabeth Change and Develop in Pride and Prejudice?

Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy are the two key characters in Pride and Prejudice.  Mr Darcy is presented as proud and Elizabeth is presented as prejudiced by Austen.  This is not strictly true though, because Elizabeth is proud of herself and is also prejudiced but does not realise she is prejudiced until later on in the novel.  Mr Darcy is prejudiced against those of a lower rank than himself, which increases his pride.  In the novel Darcy and Elizabeth have to overcome several obstacles and their own faults before they can marry and discover what they really want.

Darcy first displays his pride when Austen introduces him at the Meryton Assembly when he says, “There is not another woman in the room, whom it would not be a punishment for me to stand up with”.  He seems to ignore all the ladies other than his companion’s sisters and doesn’t consider any of them worthy enough to dance with him.  Elizabeth overhears this and begins to form her first opinion of him.  This causes Elizabeth to think he is haughty, proud and reserved.  Elizabeth has not yet heard anything nice said about him from those that know him and has based her first impressions of him on negative comments from others and on Darcy’s comments about the Meryton Assembly.  

Darcy first encounters Elizabeth at the Meryton Assembly and describes her as “not enough to tempt me” when asked by his friend Bingley whether he would dance with her.  He does not know much else about her apart from that she is the sister of his acquaintance’s dance partner.  Darcy does not have another chance to observe Elizabeth until she stays at Netherfield to nurse her older sister Jane.  During the time before they meet again at Netherfield Darcy has had time to reflect and has noted that Elizabeth has “fine eyes” and that her figure is “light and pleasing”.  His mind has changed since the Meryton Assembly in favour of her but his manner has not changed towards Elizabeth greatly and she does not know about his change of mind.  Darcy is aware of their social differences when he says, “it must very materially lessen their chance of marrying men of any consideration in the world”.  

Join now!

Elizabeth becomes acquainted with Mr Wickham and his history involving Mr Darcy as Wickham chooses to tell it before the Netherfield Ball.  Elizabeth does not doubt Wickham’s story because it is backed up with particular details which make is seem unlikely that it is false.  Elizabeth's prejudice is highlighted even further at the Netherfield Ball, which Wickham has chosen not to attend. In spite of the fact that Mr. Darcy is quite cordial to her and even invites her to dance, she is barely civil to him and even brings up the topic of Wickham, letting him understand in ...

This is a preview of the whole essay