Pride and Prejudice.

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English coursework – Pride and Prejudice

TheParsonage

Rosings Park

Dear Diary,

        I am so confused and wound up in recent affairs that I can hardly think clearly.Firstly, Darcy proposed to me declaring feelings of love yet he spoke just as well about his personal pride, though after Mr Collins’ pompous and formal proposal, Darcy’s was refreshing to the ear. Collins only wanted a convenient marriage whilst Darcy declared his ardent love for me. I was, no doubt, astonished by his actions and could not believe how such a proud, arrogant and conceited man could have expected me to accept his hand in marriage. His shameful boast of what misery he had been able to inflict gave me a keener sense of my sister’s sufferings and solely for that reason, I would have rejected his offer. I could not however be insensible to the compliment of such a man’s affection but that gave me little comfort. My mind was whirling around his pride, his abominable pride and his shameless avowal of what he had done with respect to Jane and Wickham, and even during the proposal, my anger was hard to conceal. I promptly refused his offer for I am not willing to compromise my principles and self belief and I am reluctant to place marriage at the centre of my ambitions without any regard for feelings and circumstances although Darcy’s income of ten thousand pounds a year would provide a comfortable living. With my fierceful retort that the manner of his proposal was ungentlemanly, he hastily left the room. The tumult of my mind was now so painfully great that I knew not how to support myself and from actual weakness, I sat down and cried for at least half an hour. I was left in a state of total bewilderment.

        I awoke the next morning to the same meditations which had at length closed my eyes. It was impossible to think of anything else, so soon after breakfast. I resorted to indulging myself in air and exercise by proceeding to my favourite walk. The recollection of meeting Darcy there however led me to turn up the lane which took me farther away from Turnpike road. I was on the point of continuing my walk when I caught a glimpse of a gentleman within the grove which edged the park. I quickly turned away in fear that it could be Mr Darcy but he had advanced near enough to see me and on hearing my name pronounced, my fears were confirmed. With his usual haughty composure, he spoke but a few words, then handed me a letter. With a slight bow, he retreated.

        With no expectation of pleasure but with the strongest curiosity, I opened the letter and perceived an envelope containing two sheets of letter paper, written quite through, in a very close hand. It was dated at Rosings at eight o’clock in the morning. With a strong prejudice against everything he might say, I began the letter. I read with an eagerness which hardly left me power of comprehension. It answered my criticisms of his behaviour towards Jane and Wickham which I had imposed on him during the proposal. My initial reaction was to reject his account.

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        Darcy’s belief of Jane’s insensibility towards Bingley, I instantly resolved to be false. He expressed no regret for detaching Bingley from Jane which shows his pride and insolence. His style simply made me too angry to have any wish of doing him justice.

        As for his account concerning the affair between him and Wickham, I wished to discredit entirely. I immediately felt an enormous deception on his behalf. Why would Wickham, such an agreeable and polite gentleman take advantage of his friend? The account of his connection with the Pemberly family was exactly what Wickham had related himself and ...

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