Pride & Prejudice notes 49 – end

Ch. 49

Mr. Gardiner finds Lydia and the marriage arrangements are on the way, but . . . “They are not married, nor can I find there was any intention of being so.” Mr. G 202

E “And they must marry! Yet he is such a man!” reality

Mrs. Bennet is so off!! She celebrates and forgets all anger immediately “She will be married at sixteen! . . . How I long to see her! And to see dear Wickham, too! But the clothes, the wedding clothes! I will write to my sister . . .” 205

Ch. 50

Mr. Bennet’s response to Mrs. Bennet’s ecstasy “Into one house in this neighborhood, they shall never have admittance. I will not encourage the impudence of either” 207

Ch. 51

211 “Lydia was Lydia still; untamed, unabashed, wild, noisy, and fearless. She turned from sister to sister, demanding their congratulations . . .”

212 “Is not he a charming man? I am sure my sisters all must envy me. I only hope they may have half my good luck. They must all go to Brighton. That is the place to get husbands. What a pity it is, mamma, we did not all go.”

E’s response “I thank you for my share of the favour, but I do not particularly like your way of getting husbands.”

Why did Wickham take Lydia along if she was not rich? Mostly because she was so aggressively pursuing him and didn’t seem to care if they actually got married or not. He was desperate to get out of his gambling debts and why not have a pretty companion?

214- Lydia lets it slip that Darcy was at the wedding

Ch. 52

Mrs. Gardiner’s letter to E about Darcy’s involvement in patching up Lydia’s scandal. He did everything and paid for everything and Mrs. & Mr. G assumed it was because he and E were secretly engaged or on the verge of becoming engaged

E has awkward conversations with Wickham—the irony reveals what a complete and utter jerk he is

220-“I have heard, indeed, that she is uncommonly improved within this year or two. When I last saw her, she was not very promising. I am very glad you liked her. I hope she will turn out well.” Wickham on Miss Darcy—what a jerk!!!!!!!

220 “How should you have liked making sermons?” E to W

Ch. 53

Mr. Bennet on his new son-in-law “He is as fine a fellow as ever I saw. He simpers, and smirks, and makes love to us all. I am prodigiously proud of him. I defy even Sir William Lucas himself, to produce a more valuable son-in-law.” 221

Jane pretends to be oblivious to Mr. Bingley coming

Ch. 55

234: Mr. Bennet on Jane’s engagement

“I have not a doubt of your doing very well together. Your tempers are by no means unlike. You are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy, that every servant will cheat you; and so generous, that you will always exceed your income.”

Mrs. Bennet’s reply “Exceed their income! My dear Mr. Bennet what are you talking of? Why, he has four or five thousand a year, and very likely more . . . Oh, my dear Jane, I am so happy . . . I was sure you could not be so beautiful for nothing!”

Why Bingley did not return to Netherfield because of the persuasion of her indifference. E says
“He made a little mistake to be sure; but it is to the credit of his modesty.” 235

235: “The Bennets were speedily pronounced to be the luckiest family in the world, though only a few weeks before, when Lydia had first run away, they had been generally proved to be marked out for misfortune.”

Ch. 56

Lady Catherine arrives with “an air more than usually ungracious”

“That lady I suppose is your mother.” 236—no request for introduction—super rude

Rude comments about the house and actually opens doors into the rooms and closets as she walks out with E

237 E reflects “How could I ever think her like her nephew?” she is an important foil for Darcy: she is what allows both of them to see what ill-breeding can come from generations of supposedly good breeding, how family lines can be superceded by individual personalities.

E is feisty and astute with Lady C

Why does she come?

“AT once to insist upon having such a report universally contradicted”

“Your coming to Longbourn, to see me and my family,” said Elizabeth coolly, “will be rather a confirmation of it; if, indeed such a report is in existence.”

“Miss Bennet, do you know who I am? I have not been accustomed to such language as this. I am almost the nearest relation he has in the world, and am entitled to know all his dearest concerns.”

“But you are not entitled to know mine; nor will such behavior as this, ever induce me to be explicit.” 238

Irony in Lady C

“to be prevented tby a young woman of inferior birth, of no importance in the world, . . . Do you pay no regard to the wishes of his friends? To his tacit engagement with Miss de Bourgh? Are you lost to every feeling of propriety and delicacy?” Who lacks delicacy and propriety?

239 “Obstinate, headstrong girl! I am ashamed of you! Is this your gratitude for my attentions to you last spring? . . . I came here with the determined resolution of carrying my purpose; nor will I be dissuaded from it. I have not been used to submit to any person’s whims . . . I will not be interrupted. Hear me in silence.”

“In marrying your nephew, I should not consider myself as quitting that sphere. He is a gentleman; I am a gentleman’s daughter; so far we are equal.”

“True. You are a gentleman’s daughter. But who was your mother?”

240 “Allow me to say, Lady Catherine, that the arguments with which you have supported this extraordinary application, have been as frivolous as the application was ill judged. You have widely mistaken my character, if you think I can be worked on by such persuasions as these.” E lets her have it!!

241 “She is a very fine looking woman! And her calling here was prodigiously civil!” Mrs. Bennet’s comment on Lady C. = Irony

Ch. 57

Mr. Bennet mortifies E

“Mr. Darcy, who never looks at a woman but to see a blemish, and who probably never looked at you in his life! It is admirable” Irony

Mr. Collins on Lydia “You ought certainly to forgive them as a Christian, but never to admit them in your sight, or allow their names to be mentioned in your hearing.”

Ch. 58

Darcy proposes

247 – What Darcy learns from E 249