Pride and Prejudice Notes: 7 - 12

Ch. 7

Mrs. Bennet forces Jane to ride a horse to the Bingleys because it will rain—such blatant artifice, no shame

E shows up to check on sick sis. Irony by juxtaposition

“Mr. Darcy said very little, and Mr. Hurst nothing at all. The former was divided between admiration of the brilliancy which exercise had given to her complexion, and doubt as to the occasion’s justifying her coming so far alone. The latter was thinking only of his breakfast.” 22

Ch. 8

Bingley sisters so fake and rude about E. Ill mannered in truth “She really looked almost wild.” 23

24 “Miss Eliza Bennet,” said Miss Bingley, “despises cards. She is a great reader and has no pleasure in any thing else.”

Contrast to the response

25 “I deserve neither such praise nor such censure,” cried Elizabeth; “I am not a great reader, and I have pleasure in many things.”

And to the response

26 “All this she must possess,” added Darcy, “and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.”

27 “Eliza Bennet . . . is one of those young ladies who seek to recommend themselves to the other sex, by undervaluing their own . . . a very mean art.”

“Undoubtedly,” replied Darcy, to whom this remark was chiefly addressed, “there is meanness in all the arts which ladies sometimes condescend to employ for captivation. Whatever bears affinity to cunning is despicable.”

Ch. 9

29- Mrs. Bennet “I cannot see that London has any great advantage over the country for my part . . . The country is a vat deal pleasanter, is it not, Mr. Bingley? . . . But that gentleman seemed to think the country was nothing at all.”

30 Mrs. Bennet on Charlotte Lucas “but you must own she is very plain. Lady Lucas herself has often said so, and envied me Jane’s beauty.” Mrs. Bennet’s character: why is so embarrassing to Elizabeth? And irritating to Darcy?

Ch. 10

Miss Bingley’s character “How delighted Miss Darcy will be to receive such a letter . . . you write uncommonly fast.”

“You are mistaken. I write rather slowly.” 31

Darcy’s character “The indirect boast;--for you are really proud of your defects in writing, because you consider them as proceeding from a rapidity of thought and carelessness of execution, which if not estimable, you think at least highly interesting.” 32

35 – Darcy and Eliza are well matched in their verbal sparring—he asks her to dance and she spunkily declines

Ch. 11

37 “When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.” No one made any reply.

Darcy and Eliza converse on a level that Miss Bingley cannot participate in . . .

“And your defect is a propensity to hate every body.”

“And yours,” he replied with a smile, “is willfully to misunderstand them.”

Scene analysis

Ch. 12

E and Jane go home