Pride and Prejudiced Essay

Exploring Elizabeth and Darcy’s Relationship

The relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy clearly relates to love and marriage, which is a major theme throughout the novel. Their relationship fits in with the traditional romance one would expect during the period Jane Austen wrote the novel. It is essential to get a grasp of the relationship between Elizabeth and Darcy in order to appreciate its importance in the novel. Their relationship can be explored by referring to specific scenes which occur in chapters three, thirty two and fifty eight.
Elizabeth and Darcy are not too keen on each other at first but as the novel proceeds their relationship develops. The first impressions Elizabeth had towards Darcy were very negative. This is clearly shown throughout chapter three, during the scene of the nether field ball.
Elizabeth’s negative attitude becomes apparent on page nine of the novel, where
‘ Elizabeth remained with no cordial feelings towards him’. (Page Nine, Pride and Prejudiced by Jane Austen).
Darcy is also quite negative towards Elizabeth and this mutual feeling as quite humorous. Darcy makes a comment towards Elizabeth by suggesting that
‘ She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me...’ (Page nine, Pride and Prejudiced by Jane Austen).
He also appears to want to make Elizabeth feel bad about her appearance by suggesting that Jane Benet is far prettier. He comments to Mr. Bingley ‘ you are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room’ (Page Nine, pride and Prejudiced by Jane Austen). The text in the novel creates the impression that their attitudes towards each other display a sense of pride and prejudiced in both Elizabeth and Darcy.
As their relationship develops, the way in which Darcy behaves towards Elizabeth compliments the context and setting in which Jane Austen wrote the novel. During those times it would have been appropriate to follow the traditional romantic culture. The scene in which takes place in the house in chapter thirty two emphasises this. The way in which Darcy keeps coming to the house for no apparent reason suggests that he is love with Elizabeth. Elizabeth’s friend, Charlotte, also seems to pick up on this. She comments to Elizabeth on page one hundred and sixty three, she says ‘... My dear Eliza he must in love with you, or he never would have called on you in this familiar way’ (Page One Hundred and Sixty Three, Pride and Prejudiced by Jane Austen). Although Charlotte thinks that Darcy is in love with Elizabeth, the impression Darcy is giving towards Elizabeth is still quite ‘hot and cold’. This is illustrated on page one hundred and sixty three. In the first instance ‘Mr. Darcy drew his chair a little towards her...’ (Page One Hundred and Sixty Three, Pride and Prejudiced by Jane Austen). In the second instance ‘The gentleman experienced some change of; he drew his chair back...’ (Page One Hundred and Sixty Three, Pride and Prejudiced by Jane Austen).
Throughout chapter fifty eight, Darcy’s proud personality seems to fade away. At the same time, Elizabeth’s prejudiced attitude also changes. Elizabeth expresses gratitude to Darcy for his kindness towards her sister. This to Elizabeth thanking Darcy and in turn leads to Darcy expressing his feelings quite bluntly towards Elizabeth. The text on page three hundred and twenty five reinforces this.
‘That the wish of giving happiness to you, might add force to the other inducements which led me on... I though only of you (Page Three Hundred and Twenty five, Pride and Prejudiced by Jane Austen). Although Elizabeth and Darcy started off equally proud and prejudiced, this appeared to strengthen their relationship rather than destroy it. The events that surrounded both Elizabeth and Darcy led to them being close together.