“Whatever can give his sister any pleasure is sure to be done in a moment. There is nothing he would not do for her”.
This also shows that he would do anything to make his sister happy.
Mrs. Reynolds description of Darcy is completely different from what it had appeared to have been towards Elizabeth.
“I do not know is good enough for his good temper”.
The newspaper recalls this from an early age which shows that he had a polite character.
“I have never had a cross word from him in my life, and I’ve known him ever since he was four years old”.
She also praises his generous nature.
“He was always the sweetest tempered, most generous hearted boy in the world”.
This extremely amazes Elizabeth as nobody has ever praised Darcy like that and she begin to realize what Darcy is really is.
She also praises him as a land lord and this is a very important as servants wouldn’t normally praise their land lord.
“He is the best landlord and the best master that ever lived. Not like the wild young men now-a-days, who think of nothing but themselves. There is not one of his tenants or servants but will give him a good name. Some people call him proud; but I am sure I never saw anything of it. To my fancy, it is only because he doesn’t rattle away like other young men”.
The moment Elizabeth stands looking at the portrait of Darcy. Her opinions begin to take a change.
“There was certainly at this moment, in Elizabeth’s mind, a more gentle sensation towards the original, than she had ever felt in their height of acquaintance”.
“Mrs. Reynolds is very important as she must know Darcy’s character, as she dares share a house with him.
“What praise is more valuable than the praise of an intelligent servant?”
Now Elizabeth’s feelings begin to change a great deal.
“She thought of his regard with a deeper sentiment or gratitude than it had ever raised before; she remembered its warmth, and softened its impropriety or expression”.
She still has reservations remaining of Darcy which were of his pride and arrogance.
Now her feelings are completely opposite from when she first met Darcy as her remaining prejudices are removed as Darcy has taken Elizabeth’s advice and appears to behaving in a “gentleman like manner” and he appears to be friendly without his pride and arrogance.
This is shown as he asks after her embarrassing family and he is eager to be introduced to her uncle and aunt who show no contempt for her “connexions”.
Darcy now speaks with “perfect civility” and with “civil enquiries”. Elizabeth is astonished by Darcy’s altered behaviour or manners.
“And is behaviour so strikingly altered, what could it mean? That he could even speak to her was amazing! – But to speak with such civility, to enquire after her family! Never in her life had she seen his manners so little dignified, never has she spoken with such gentleness as in this unexpected meeting. What contrast did it offer to his last address at Rosing is park, when he put his letter into her hand! She knew not what to think, nor how to account for it”.
We are again reminded of the beauty of the grounds which shows the tasteful balance between nature and artifice, and it was not too grand for example:-
“They arossed it by a simple bridge, in character with the general air of the sense;”
Darcy’s change in behaviour and manners is clear on introducing her uncle and aunt to him, as he asks for the introduction. He is very welcoming and friendly towards them considering the comments he made of Elizabeth’s family in his proposal of marriage and he invites Elizabeth’s uncle to go fishing with him.
“The conversation soon turned upon fishing and she heard Mr. Darcy invite him, with greatest civility, to fish there as often as he chose, while he continued in the neighbourhood, offering him at the same time to supply him with fishing tackle, and painting out those parts of the stream where there was usually most sport”.
Elizabeth gradually sees the changes In Darcy before her eyes.
“Why is he so altered? From what can it proceed? It cannot be for me; it cannot be for my sake that his manners are this softened. My reproofs at Hunsford could not work such a change as this. It is impossible that he could still love me”.
Darcy asks Elizabeth’s permission to be introduced to his sister. Elizabeth is extremely flattered and she feels that this is huge and pleasant compliment.
“His wish of introducing his sister to her was a compliment of the highest kind”.
Darcy only introduces a person he values which shows his love and affection towards his sister and Elizabeth.
Finally, Mr and Mrs Gardiners (Elizabeth’s uncle and aunt) views on Darcy add to the fact that he has changed.
“He is perfectly well behaved, polite and unassuming”.
The social visit the next day to Pemberley completes Elizabeth’s change of heart about Darcy and although she doesn’t see it in that moment of time, when she discovers Lydia’s elopement with Wickham from Janes explanatory letter and she sees Darcy go, after she tells him the news, she finally comes face to face with her own feelings and understands them.
“”it was on the contrary, exactly calculated to make her understand her own wishes; and never had she so honestly felt that she could have loved him, as how when all love must be in vein”.
Emma, like Elizabeth, is stuck by the house and grounds and she also realises how the owner is reflected in the house so correspondingly she begin to realise her true feelings towards Mr. Knightley
Emma’s first impression of Donwell Abbey is not that it has a “respectable size and style”. George Knightley’s situation is confirmed by the Abbey and it reflects his position as a gentleman.
The situation, however does not intrude upon the landscape but it seems entirely a part of it.
“Timber is risen avenues”.
The traditional landscape has been retained by Mr. Knightley and it has not been swayed by fashion. He has taken great care to conserve trees which have been there for generations which shows his qualities of being reliable and trust worthy.
“The house is rambling and irregular with one or two handsome rooms”.
He is not too concerned with fashion as he believes that his house should be comfortable and functional.
Knighley’s appearance is mirrored and from his house and grounds his character shows him as traditional, solid and reliable and it is not subjected by the changes in fashion and affection.
In “Pride and Prejudice” Lady Catherine’s house at Rosings shows affection and snobbery where as Darcy’s house and grounds are tasteful and elegant, and it is a very English country house.
In Jane Austen’s time people were proud of being English and they were pathetic
Knightleys house is very comfortable, welcoming, and homely which reflects his generous and friendly nature.
“She viewed the respectable size and style of the building, its suitable, becoming, characteristic situation, law and sheltered”.
“The abbey, with all the old neglect and prospect, had scarcely a sight- and its abundance of timber in raws and avenues, which neither fashion nor extravagance rooted up”.
This reflects the quality of the owner in its simplest modern terms the phrase also used to describe him would be:-
“What you see is what you get”.
In old terms it would be:-
“It was just what it ought to be and looked what it was”.
Emma liked everyone else also sees the qualities of the owner reflected from the house.
“Emma felt on increasing respect for it, as the residence of the family of such the gentility, untainted in blood and understanding”.
“It was in itself a charming walk and the view which closed it extremely pretty”.
The considerable slope, at nearly the fact at which the Abbey stood, gradually acquired a steeper form beyond its grounds; and at half a mile distant was a bank of considerable abruptness and grandeur”.
“At the bottom of this bank, favourably placed and sheltered, rose the Abbey – Mill Farm, with meadows in front, and the river making a close and handsome curve around it”.
These all present a good understanding of the character of Knightley.
Here “English” is constantly repeated.
“Sweet to the eye and to the mind: English vendure, English culture, English comfort, seen under a sun bright without being appressive”.
This is quality that everyone is expected to have and Knightley is a typical English gentleman.
Emma without realising it loves Knightley as her feelings begin to expand but she takes him for granted, as she is blind to her own feelings. Like Elizabeth, their eyes are opened to Darcy and Knightley. This is the first step in change in Emma’s feelings.
Frank Churchill the man Emma thought she had strong feelings for didn’t appear to be what he was this also relates to how Wickem was.
There is final evidence which confirms she doesn’t have any feelings for him, and there is a great difference between the she is connected to.
Emma doesn’t admire Frank Churchill’s behaviour at all; he is very moody and he is very quick it blame as he takes his mood out on others and makes people feel what he is feelings so they suffer with him.
“Emma listened, and looked, and soon perceived that Frank Churchill’s state might best be defined by the expressive phrase of being out of humour. Some people were always cross when they are hot”
Now her loving feelings towards Frank Churchill are removed
“I am glad I have done being in love with him I should now like a man who is so soon discomposed by a hot morning”.
“I am serious, Miss Woodhouse, whatever you penetrating eyes may fancy - I am sick of England and would leave to-morrow if I could”.
Emma doesn’t admire Churchill’s attitude but she admires Knightleys Englishness.
Considering the fact that Emma was in love with Churchill she mocks him back.
“You are sick of prosperity and indulgence! – You are quite mistaken. Cannot you invent a few hardships for yourself, and be contended to stay?”
“But if I do, I shall be crosser still. I can never bear to think of you all there without me”.
Knightley’s character is also shown by his treatment of Emma’s father as it shows him as a kind, considerate of other people and an unselfish person which is very unlike Churchill.
Emma’s father is a hypochondriac but despite this Knightley still takes care of him which sows him as a hospitable person. His brother however, is impatient with Emma’s father which shows Knightley’s own kind behaviour.
Both heroines – Elizabeth and Emma are brought face to face with the qualities of the men they are eventually going to marry, and spend the rest of their lives with, but there is still a great difference between them. Elizabeth has a greater understanding of Darcy’s character where as Emma has a greater understanding of her admiration and love for Knightley which shows that she has always loved him. She didn’t think that in any way her friendship would develop. There is a similarity between them as both Darcy and Knightley have loved Elizabeth and Emma from the start but they didn’t realize it.
In conclusion to this Elizabeth’s visit to Pemberley and Emma’s visit to Donwell Abbey was very important to their future. If they hadn’t visited the houses and grounds to which their future husbands owned then they wouldn’t have changed their feelings. They wouldn’t have found their ideal match, who were before their eyes and they wouldn’t have realised who truly was their real love.