Jane Austen uses dramatic irony which works considerably as the relationship between Darcy and Elizabeth continues. It is not long before we realise that although Darcy slighted Lizzie at their first meeting in time he has relised how pretty and intellectual she is and he falls deeply in love with her. However Lizzie has no idea and so treats Mr Darcy with the same distain as always. Even when she is visiting Jane after she becomes ill during a visit to Netherfield and Darcy tries desperately to compliment her Lizzie sees it only as an insult to her character and so detests Darcy even more. Sadly this just makes Darcy more determined to keep trying.
The story then ventures towards the engagement of Lizzie and Mr Collins which ends up with a very unhappy Mrs Bennet and an engaged Miss Lucas who is Lizzie’s best friend. Lizzie is horrified as she knows Charlotte is thinking only about the money but not all girls in those times were as wise as Elizabeth.
Enter Lizzie’s second chance of an engagement in the form of Mr Wickham. His entrance puts Darcy in an even worse position after he spurts out a long list of vile lies about Darcy and Lizzie instantly falls for him. However this relationship is put on hold while Elizabeth travels to stay with Mrs Collins her husband and of coarse the ominous Lady Catherine De Bourgh. After a few weeks who should turn up but Darcy and his friend Colonel Fitzwilliam. Lizzie immediately takes to him but is unsure now of Darcy. More and more often she feels him to be insulting her when he is merely desperate for her to see how much he loves her. He desperately tries to prove to her that the only reason for him being so rude to her before is not because he is shallow and proud but merely down to the fact that he is shy. She does not realise that these are his intentions and so believes him to be insulting her.
Then we come to Darcy’s awful proposal. We as the reader can see that he is not meaning to cause any insult but Lizzie thinks only that he is rude and obnoxious. Darcy then stresses his believe that it is her hurt pride that is stopping her from accepting and Elizabeth snaps hurling all her feelings straight at him with out taking breath. Darcy leaves and after hearing all the reason she would not have him he decides to explain himself in the only way he can. He writes her a letter.
Letters prove to be very important throughout the book. They display the true emotions of the people writing them and so give us a good look into the character and due to the lack of information the Jane Austen gives us they help us to get a clearer idea of the personality behind these people.
So after reading the letter from Darcy, Lizzie now knows and understands every thing about Darcy manner and can see how awfully she has treated him. She feels dreadful but feels that the damage is now done. However Jane’s Austen makes it clear to us the reader that Darcy still has very strong feelings for her.
The true irony used by Jane Austen occurs when Lizzie and her uncle and aunt take a holiday in Derbyshire and her aunt convinces her to visit Pempley (the house owned by Mr. Darcy) on the knowledge that he was in town on business. When first approaching the house Lizzie’s gets the sudden shock of what she really gave up in her refusal to Darcy “To think I would have been mistress to all this.” During the tour of the house the house keeper mentions many aspects of Darcy which we have not seen form him ourselves “He is the best landlord and the best master.” Also she points out the kindness he has towards his sister in the shape of a wonderful piano bought especially for her. This proves to Lizzie that all that she had thought of Darcy was untrue.
During the walk amongst the garden Lizzie is met with the one person who she was avoiding. Mr Darcy has returned home a day earlier then planned and instead of showing no interest into her as most readers would feel he would he immediately asks for her health and the health of her family proving his utmost apology for slighting them so very badly in his proposal. However he then dismisses himself and Lizzie is left feeling that he wants nothing more to do with her. This of course is untrue and as a reader I found my self desperately shouting in my mind at Darcy to hurry up as Lizzie prepares to leave Pempley. Darcy however does reach her in time and asks to be introduced to her family. This gives Lizzie pure delight as she can finally prove to him that not all her connections are inferior. Then while walking around the grounds Darcy tells Lizzie that the nest day his sister will be arriving and that he would love to introduce her. This is a very important moment because during this period if you did not have any parents introducing your sibling was much the same as introducing your parents. This would only be done if a man was very keen on a lady and so proves that Darcy does still have interest after all. The meeting goes well and Lizzie continues her holiday enjoying both the company of Darcy and of Georgiana. Her time is cut short however by a letter from Jane explaining that Lydia (Lizzie’s youngest sister) had eloped with Mr Wickham but had not been married. Lizzie immediately has to go home.
This is where as the reader you do not see it possible for Lizzie and Darcy’s path to cross again but they do. Darcy knowing Wickham very well ventures to London to track Wickham down. He does and agrees to pay him to marry Lydia. The reason for this? His love for Lizzie. He also convinces Bingly to move back down to Netherfield to restore the love between him and Jane.
Lizzie then receives a rather strange visitor in the manor of Lady Catherine. They have what in modern culture can only be called a mild slanging match in the gardens. Lady Catherine has heard that Darcy in engaged to Lizzie and so has come to forbid her to marry him as he is betrothed to her daughter. Lizzie is shocked but also rather pleased of the news. She informs Lady Catherine that she is not engaged and is then told that if Darcy is to propose that she is to refuse him but Lizzie informs her that she will do no such thing. Several weeks later Mr Bennet receives a letter from Mr Collins about the issue and all he can do is call Lizzie into his study and laugh about it. It is not until a few weeks later when he is asked by Darcy for his daughters hand in marriage and after having a conversation with Lizzie realises her feelings and soon after they are happily married.
Jane Austen has managed to produce a story where the reader is never sure if Darcy and Lizzie will ever be together. Using the techniques explained above Jane Austen keeps the reader on edge and not wanting to put the book down.
