Hello and a heartfelt welcome to one and all. This year, in honor of Jane Austen’s 250th birthday celebration, the Jane Austen Summer Program is dedicating blog space to summarizing and reviewing the great works written by one of the world’s most renowned authors. We have now reached the point in our journey when it is time to discuss what some might consider Austen’s most treasured piece: Pride and Prejudice. Published January 28, 1813, this novel’s quick-witted characters and highly quotable dialogue have allowed this classic to become timeless and continually lauded by modern audiences. This week, we will focus on the events that unfold during chapters 8-16.
Synopsis
When chapter eight begins, Elizabeth does not feel very welcome at Netherfield Park. She only takes heart in the way Mr. Bingley is so attentive to her and Jane’s needs. Once Jane falls asleep, Elizabeth goes downstairs and finds the party playing cards. She does not join them right away, because they are bidding too much. Instead, she picks up a book. There is a brief discussion about reading and libraries which segues into talk of Pemberley, Mr. Darcy’s estate. From there, Miss Bingley wishes to know about Darcy’s sister, Georgiana, who is said to be quite accomplished. The group discusses what it means to be accomplished—being musical, writing well, dancing, covering screens, embroidering, speaking in an eloquent way, and of course, expanding one’s mind through reading. Elizabeth, after hearing all this, does not think they can possibly know any women who satisfy all those qualifications. Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst squawk over this and proclaim they know plenty of women who are accomplished. Elizabeth soon leaves the room, and they berate her by saying she only said as much because she wished to make herself seem superior.
The next morning, Elizabeth is still concerned about Jane’s health, so she sends a letter asking her mother to come see them. Mrs. Bennet arrives with Lydia and Kitty, two of the younger Bennet sisters, in tow. She thinks Jane is just fine but conceals that fact because she wishes for her daughter to stay with Mr. Bingley longer. While discussing whether Mr. Bingley should stay forever at Netherfield Park, he admits that he acts without haste in all matters. Once he decides upon a thing, he does it. Elizabeth smiles and says that is precisely what she suspected of him. The group goes on to discuss how Elizabeth makes a study of other people and Darcy comments that she cannot often be afforded such luxuries because living in the country, she must find Society unvarying. She responds with: “But people themselves alter so much, that there is something new to be observed in them forever.”
Just before the trio of Bennets (Mrs. Bennet, Kitty, and Lydia) leave Netherfield Park, Lydia reminds Mr. Bingley that he said he’d give a ball soon and he says as soon as Jane is well, it shall be done.
The family retires later to their own pursuits. While listening to Miss Bingley compliment Mr. Darcy on the way he writes letters, Mr. Bingley says he writes his own in a slapdash manner. Elizabeth, Mr. Bingley, and Mr. Darcy begin discussing the matter at length because it almost seems that Bingley is proud of himself for being so capricious. It is argued that if a friend asked him to stay a week, even after he determined to go, he would indulge his friend.
Mr. Darcy then entreats the ladies to play some music. Elizabeth cannot be persuaded to play or sing, but Miss Bingley is eager to please. When she switches from Italian songs to a Scotch one, Mr. Darcy jokes with Elizabeth, asking if she would like to dance a reel. She teases him in reply, and it is then that he thinks of how much he has come to admire her. If her connections were better in life, he might be in trouble of falling in love with her. Miss Bingley sees all this, and she takes to jesting with Mr. Darcy on the matter. Her jibes do not dissuade him in the slightest and when Elizabeth and Mrs. Hurst come upon Miss Bingley and Mr. Darcy while out for a walk, he very cordially, offers to move their party elsewhere so all may be accommodated. Elizabeth does not share Mr. Darcy’s growing affections, so she takes this opportunity to separate herself from the others, then gambols off, rejoicing in the knowledge that very soon she and Jane will be going home because Jane is finally beginning to feel better.
Soon enough, Jane can come down and sit with the family for a bit. The others spend the evening relaxing with their various interests. Because Mr. Darcy is reading, Miss Bingley pretends to do the same before saying: “How pleasant it is to spend an evening in this way! I declare, after all, there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.”
Because Miss Bingley is bored, she stands up and decides to walk around the room. When she realizes her actions still don’t garner Mr. Darcy’s attention, she invites Elizabeth to join her. Then, of course, when Mr. Darcy looks up, Miss Bingley is inclined to insist he join their party. He declines and jokes that either they wish to share secrets, or they are attempting to flaunt their figures and if it is the latter, he’s much better situated at present because he can observe them just fine from his current vantage point. Miss Bingley asks how they should punish him for such a speech and Elizabeth suggests they laugh. Miss Bingley declares she knows not how to laugh at Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth thinks that’s preposterous. She dearly loves to laugh.
Mr. Darcy explains that he tries not to expose himself to ridicule, but he does know he has some faults. His temper has been occasionally called resentful, and he states flatly that his good opinion once lost is lost forever. Elizabeth says she cannot laugh at such a vice because it is so very reasonable. Elizabeth returns to jesting with Mr. Darcy and says his true defect is that he hates everybody and he, surprisingly, replies that her fault is that she willfully misunderstands everyone.
Later, there is some disagreement about when the Bennet sisters should leave Netherfield Park. Elizabeth is anxious to go, but their mother does not wish for Jane to come away before she has spent an entire week there. Elizabeth convinces Jane to ask to borrow Mr. Bingley’s carriage, but then he and Miss Bingley press the ladies to stay at least one more day. Mr. Darcy determines that he must bar himself from developing any further feelings for Miss Elizabeth and so he mostly ignores her. Throughout the whole of a day, he is careful not to speak more than ten words to her.
When the Bennet sisters return home, their mother is not pleased to see them because she thinks they could’ve stayed longer at Netherfield Park, but their father is happy to have them home.
It is during mealtime when he shares a letter with his girls. A gentleman he has never met has written to him and Mr. Bennet is amused by the missive. It seems Mr. Collins, the cousin to whom Longbourn has been entailed, would like to visit the family and form an acquaintance with all those residing there. He is a clergyman and thinks it appropriate to make peace. Mr. Collins is the sort of person who gives compliments to others readily, even when there is perhaps nothing that needs to be said. He admires the girls liberally and continually talks of how nice the furnishings are in the parlor and living rooms. Mrs. Bennet might be disposed of accepting and appreciating such compliments if she could not help thinking that Mr. Collins was merely admiring everything because he was thinking of how all the furnishings at Longbourn should someday belong to him.
After dinner, Mr. Bennet asks Mr. Collins about Lady Catherine de Bourgh and Mr. Collins is only too delighted to talk about her. He compliments her excessively and says her daughter is a true beauty. If not for her sickly constitution, she might be an accomplished lady. Mr. Collins congratulates himself on coming up with little niceties that he presents to Lady Catherine and her daughter. Mr. Bennet is pleased with Mr. Collins and his odd manners. He finds it amusing to listen to this discourse. After tea, it is suggested that Mr. Collins should read aloud and instead of selecting a novel, he picks up a copy of Fordyce’s Sermons. Lydia listens for only a short amount of time before interrupting so she might speak to her mother. Mr. Collins stops immediately and declares it is a pity that young ladies do not pay better attention to works that were written expressly for them. But then, he, rather smartly, asks if Mr. Bennet would care to play backgammon and they leave the ladies to their own conversations.
It is noted that Mr. Collins possesses a strange mixture of pride and obsequiousness, with equal parts self-importance and humility. He intends to marry one of the Bennet sisters, to make amends for being the person upon which the estate is entailed. When he mentions this plan to Mrs. Bennet, she tells him that Jane may likely be engaged soon, but he is welcome to marry any of her other daughters, so he fixes his eyes on Elizabeth.
The ladies, except for Mary, want to walk to Meryton and Mr. Collins agrees to accompany them. While there, they meet Mr. Denny, the soldier Lydia wanted to inquire after, and he introduces them to his friend, Mr. Wickham. The conversation moves along amiably for some time, and it is agreed that Mr. Wickham’s manners are pleasing, and his looks are attractive. Then, Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy ride into view. Mr. Bingley talks directly to Jane, inquiring after her health and when Mr. Darcy turns in her direction, he spots Mr. Wickham. Elizabeth just happens to be watching the two men and notices something peculiar pass between them. She cannot help but wonder what could’ve caused one man to turn red in the face and the other to go pale. The group journeys onward to Mr. and Mrs. Philips’ house and before they leave, Aunt Philips invites them all to return tomorrow for a game of lottery tickets and a hot supper.
The small party Is pleased when they arrive at the Philips’ house to learn that Mr. Wickham is going to be there. He, along with several other officers, was invited to attend. Mr. Collins rambles on awkwardly about the grandness of Mrs. Philips’ abode, but when Mr. Wickham enters the house, all eyes turn toward him. Elizabeth considers herself lucky when he elects to stand next to her and strikes up a conversation about the weather because she thinks there isn’t any topic he could not make interesting.
When most of the party sets to playing whist and the others take up their lottery tickets, Mr. Wickham and Elizabeth engage in conversation. She wants to ask about the cold greeting she witnessed between him and Mr. Darcy the day prior, but he saves her the trouble of asking by pouring forth a story of his own. It seems that Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham grew up together. Mr. Wickham’s father was Mr. Darcy’s father’s steward and so they spent all their youth together at Pemberley. Mr. Wickham was a favorite of Old Mr. Darcy’s, and he believes young Mr. Darcy is now and has always been exceptionally resentful of that fact. He speaks at length about Mr. Darcy’s pride, which Elizabeth has seen displayed firsthand and is able to contribute her own estimation of his character into the conversation. But Mr. Wickham continues by explaining that Old Mr. Darcy had brought up Wickham with the intention of giving him the living of the local clergyman, as soon as it should become vacant. When it was available, young Mr. Darcy defied his father’s wishes and gave the employment to someone else. So, it is because of Mr. Darcy that Mr. Wickham has been forced to join the regiment. When he mentions Mr. Darcy’s sister, Elizabeth wishes to know more about her, but Mr. Wickham keeps this description brief, also being certain to point out how young Miss Darcy is very proud—like her brother.
Upon hearing Mr. Collins mention Lady Catherine, Mr. Wickham asks what Elizabeth knows about the lady, and she confesses that she had never heard of her before Mr. Collins arrived yesterday. Mr. Wickham reports that Lady Catherine is Mr. Darcy’s aunt, and it is rumored that someday he and his cousin should wed so they might unite their two great estates. Elizabeth is pleased with this information, and as she travels home that evening she thinks only of Mr. Wickham and all he said during their conversation.
Impressions
So often, Miss Elizabeth Bennet is noted for her sharp intellect that separates her from other young ladies her age. While she is no stranger to making a good joke or laughing at a gentle jest, she is what some might call wise beyond her years. And that’s why it is of particular interest that in this section, she behaves in a manner that is contrary to all these previous descriptions.
Upon first being introduced to Mr. George Wickham, she agrees with her younger sisters that he is a very handsome man. Later, Elizabeth is positively giddy to learn that Mr. Wickham is amongst those who were invited to a small party at her aunt’s abode. She is thrilled when he comes to stand next to her and engages her in conversation. And, of course, throughout chapter sixteen, she allows herself to fall into a deep discussion with Mr. Wickham, broaching topics that might not be considered particularly proper. For while everyone is inclined to gossip every now and again, Elizabeth hangs on Mr. Wickham’s every word, absorbing all the insults and insinuations Mr. Wickham lays at Mr. Darcy’s feet, and even goes so far as to state that Mr. Darcy is not liked at all in Hertfordshire.
It is almost a relief, at this point, to see Elizabeth behave in such a manner. The reader knows she is not as young, naïve, or silly as her three younger sisters (Mary, Kitty, and Lydia) but she is not on the verge of spinsterhood yet (like her friend Charlotte Lucas). And so, it is appropriate that when Elizabeth meets a man she admires, like Mr. George Wickham, her head should be turned a bit, and she acts out of sorts. One can only imagine those butterflies that must have danced through her stomach when Mr. Wickham singled her out and chose to share his tales of woe with her especially. To show such confidence in her, after only being acquainted for a short time, would have been enough to make any young lady feel infatuated.
Extras
Let us read on, Janeites! Next week, we will enter chapters 17-24 as the whole of Hertfordshire attends the much-anticipated ball at Netherfield Park.
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