Pride and Prejudice 2/19

Lydia's Return home

• Chapter 9 opens with a lot of short sentences (especially the second paragraph) that clearly depicts the tensions in the house over the rushed marriage, but Lydia blatantly ignores all of it and has the nerve to boast about her elopement
• plays clear part in characterizing Lydia as a shameless girl
• "Ah! Jane, I take your place now, and you must go lower, because I am a married woman" (300)

Money vs. Manners

• there's an explicit emphasis on the importance of manners in judging one's character throughout the book, but it seems money also has a very large influence on one's character--which is more important? Or does the power of money only exist as a defining factor to people like Mrs. Bennet?
• Argument for manners:
• Despite Bingley and Darcy's massive wealth, Mrs. Bennet still prefers Wickham as her favorite--p. 358 (But can we really take Mrs. Bennet word for anything?)
• Darcy's increasing appeal as he changes his disposition towards one that expresses the more favorable manners
• Argument for money:
• Mrs. Bennet insults Darcy (354) and only addrsses him with "cold and ceremonious politeness," but her opinions of him immediately change after she learns about the engagement, repeatedly focusing on the fact that he has 10,000 a year throughout her renewed compliments (p.357)
• Elizabeth admits her beginning to like Darcy could be traced back to the first time she saw Pemberly (353)

Austen's conflicting Message:

• Believe there are indications that promotes the idea of marrying for love and not just social advantages, but Elizabeth and Jane both have happy marriages with men who greatly promote thier social standings. Are we supposed to just see this as a fairy tale ending and love is really the driving force behind everything, or should we view it as an emphasis on the importance of love, but marrying up is also good?
• Can't cast aside Lady Catherine's anger/contempt as just the actions of an evil old women if the latter is true (chapter 14)
• "Oh, Lizzy! do any thing rather than marry without affection."