Elizabeth and Darcy Character Development in Pride and Prejudice

 Introduction.

Jane Austin's novel "Pride and Prejudice" which was published in 1813, portrays the lifestyle and societal values of the Regency Era. The story is set in scenic countryside called Hertfordshire located in England. It follows the story of the Bennet family and how they deal with the societal expectations of that time.

One element that makes the characters memorable and relatable is their growth and maturity as the story develops. This is especially seen in the protagonists, Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy.

Initial impression of Elizabeth and Darcy

Elizabeth is introduced to us as an intelligent, lively and astute girl, who speaks her mind and cares deeply about her family. She is the favourite child of her father who praises her saying "Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters". Elizabeth enjoys studying people's character. She takes pride in her ability to understand people and is confident in her skills. Hence, she is naturally quick to judge. 

This is a character flaw in Elizabeth. When she meets Darcy at the Meryton ball, he makes a bad impression on her by rudely refusing to dance with her saying that " she is not handsome enough to tempt me". Elizabeth overhears this and it hurts her pride so she immediately concludes that he is the proudest man she has ever met. Since she forms such a strong opinion against Darcy, she judges his actions negatively. For instance, when Elizabeth plays the piano at Rosings, Darcy simply stands before her to watch her play. Elizabeth immediately assumes that Darcy is trying to make her uncomfortable as she says "You mean to frighten me, Mr. Darcy, by coming in all this state to hear me? I will not be alarmed though your sister does play so well. There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others". 

Darcy is an educated, wealthy gentleman born into a high-class family. His reserved manner and lack of interaction with the guests at the Meryton ball make him appear proud. He only dances with the women he is already acquainted with and speaks to the people who are familiar to him. This suggests that Darcy's lack of communication is not out of pride but that he struggles to socialize easily like his friend Mr Bingely. Darcy is aware of his faults, as he admits to Elizabeth stating, "I am, ill-qualified to recommend myself to strangers" when they meet at Rosings.

Character growth

Elizabeth's and Darcy's transformation begins after Darcy's proposal at Hunsford. When Darcy proposes, he is confident that Elizabeth will accept his hand because he speaks to her in an arrogant manner and insults her family as he says "Could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your connections?". This further confirms how much Darcy values the status of the people he is acquainted with. He struggles to come to terms with his feelings for Elizabeth because of her "low connections". He feels as if by marrying Elizabeth, his dignity in society will be affected. Moreover, he assumes Elizabeth will accept his proposal because marrying him would allow her to live a better life.

Elizabeth responds by stating "You could not have made the offer of your hand in any way that would have tempted me". This humbles Darcy and he realises that an intelligent girl like Elizabeth would not marry him only for money. 

Darcy gradually changes his manners. When he encounters Elizabeth at Pemberly, Elizabeth is shocked to find his behaviour was "strikingly altered". This shows how strong Darcy's character is because he is able to acknowledge his faults and attempt to change his ways. He even makes an effort to converse with the Mr. and Mrs Gardiner, whom he had thought were "low connections" of Elizabeth's family.

Elizabeth has the same strength as she admits to herself that her "vanity was her greatest folly" when she reads Darcy's letter. This shift in Elizabeth's mindset takes time to happen. When she first reads Darcy's letter, she is conflicted and struggles to admit that he is telling the truth about Wickham. She does not blindly believe Darcy. She reads the letter multiple times and reflects on the actions of herself, Darcy and Wickham to see the truth for herself.

Conclusion

The book portrays two strong characters who are flawed in different ways. Darcy's pride makes him think less of those in a lower class, while Elizabeth's pride causes her to misjudge people. This creates a clash between Elizabeth and Darcy, which forces them to re-think their ways. Through them, Jane Austin shows how people can grown to be a better version of themselves.