The funniest part of Pride and Prejudice is when Elizabeth is staying at the Collinses and she keeps going for walks and running into Darcy and tries to get rid of him by mentioning that it's her favorite place to walk and he just keeps 'accidentally' bumping into her and walking with her and she can't figure out why this is happening
You know what I realize that people underestimate with Pride & Prejudice is the strategic importance of Jane.
Because like, I recently saw Charlotte and Elizabeth contrasted as the former being pragmatic and the latter holding out for a love match, because she's younger and prettier and thinks she can afford it, and that is very much not what's happening.
The Charlotte take is correct, but the Elizabeth is all wrong. Lizzie doesn't insist on a love match. That's serendipitous and rather unexpected. She wants, exactly as Mr. Bennet says, someone she can respect. Contempt won't do. Mr. Bennet puts it in weirdly sexist terms like he's trying to avoid acknowledging what he did to himself by marrying a self-absorbed idiot, but it's still true. That's what Elizabeth is shooting for: a marriage that won't make her unhappy.
She's grown up watching how miserable her parents make one another; she's not willing to sign up for a lifetime of being bitter and lonely in her own home.
I think she is very aware, in refusing Mr. Collins, that it's reasonably unlikely that anyone she actually respects is going to want her, with her few accomplishments and her lack of property. That she is turning down security and the chance keep the house she grew up in, and all she gets in return may be spinsterhood.
But, crucially, she has absolute faith in Jane.
The bit about teaching Jane's daughters to embroider badly? That's a joke, but it's also a serious potential life plan. Jane is the best creature in the world, and a beauty; there's no chance at all she won't get married to someone worthwhile.
(Bingley mucks this up by breaking Jane's heart, but her prospects remain reasonable if their mother would lay off!)
And if Elizabeth can't replicate that feat, then there's also no doubt in her mind that Jane will let her live in her house as a dependent as long as she likes, and never let it be made shameful or awful to be that impoverished spinster aunt. It will be okay never to be married at all, because she has her sister, whom she trusts absolutely to succeed and to protect her.
And if something eventually happens to Jane's family and they can't keep her anymore, she can throw herself upon the mercy of the Gardeners, who have money and like her very much, and are likewise good people. She has a support network--not a perfect or impregnable one, but it exists. It gives her realistic options.
Spinsterhood was a very dangerous choice; there are reasons you would go to considerable lengths not to risk it.
But Elizabeth has Jane, and her pride, and an understanding of what marrying someone who will make you miserable costs.
That's part of the thesis of the book, I would say! Recurring Austen thought. How important it is not to marry someone who will make you, specifically, unhappy.
She would rather be a dependent of people she likes and trusts than of someone she doesn't, even if the latter is formally considered more secure; she would rather live in a happy, reasonable household as an extra than be the mistress of her own home, but that home is full of Mr. Collins and her mother.
This is a calculation she's making consciously! She's not counting on a better marriage coming along. She just feels the most likely bad outcome from refusing Mr. Collins is still much better than the certain outcome of accepting him. Which is being stuck with Mr. Collins forever.
Elizabeth is also being pragmatic. Austen also endorses her choice, for the person she is and the concerns she has. She's just picking different trade-offs than Charlotte.
Elizabeth's flaw is not in her own priorities; she doesn't make a reckless choice and get lucky. But in being unable to accept that Charlotte's are different, and it doesn't mean there's anything wrong with Charlotte.
Because realistically, when your marriage is your whole family and career forever, and you only get to pick the ones that offer themselves to you, when you are legally bound to the status of dependent, you're always going to be making some trade-offs.
😂 Even the unrealistically ideal dream scenario of wealthy handsome clever ethical Mr. Darcy still asks you to undergo personal growth, accommodate someone else's communication style, and eat a little crow.
I hadn’t even thought about Jane being Lizzie’s fallback as an amplification to the anger at Darcy, but yes! I’m sure that “the happiness of a most beloved sister” is indeed foremost in her concerns on that - easily the most important thing - but I bet some subconscious anxiety is aggravating Lizzie’s anger here.
@kiralamouse absolutely and @whetstonefires I love the entire thread!
@inakindofdaydream @prongsdamnyou @women-inthe-sequel @midnightelite @solstilla I should prob just tag everyone i know honestly but lolllllllll
Why is Pride and Prejudice (2005) the last thing I want to see before I die
Cause it’s bloody brilliant, although the old BBC adaptation is I think even better 😉🥰😍☺️!! If you ever watch it @petals-to-fish let me know which you prefer!! (On Netflix here but probably not in US?)
i just read a washington post article on romcoms aging poorly due to the pushiness (and oft-stalkery conduct) of the male characters therein, and it got me thinking about pride and prejudice, and specifically darcy saying, “one word from you will silence me on this subject forever.”
because, like, that’s the seldom-portrayed romantic dream in the patriarchal hellscape that is our world, isn’t it?
a dude being willing to say, “i understand if you don’t feel the same way about me, and i’ll leave you alone forever about this if my attention is unwanted.”
so simple, yet so wonderful in its basic human decency
and dudes to this day wonder why women still swoon over darcy
Note also: Elizabeth turns down Darcy’s first proposal, and in the process, accuses him of doing some stuff he did not do (and also some stuff he totally did).
The next day, he surprises her on her walk. He hands her a letter, asks that she read it, and then takes off.
When this happened to me after I had turned someone down IN REAL LIFE, the letter contained a passionate argument to the tune of “actually you’re wrong and you do like me and you should go out with me” and it was creepy af.
Darcy’s letter to Elizabeth starts with: “Be not alarmed, Madam, on receiving this letter, by the apprehension of its containing any repetition of those sentiments, or renewal of those offers, which were last night so disgusting to you”. He goes on to set the record straight about the stuff he didn’t do (as well as the stuff he did) which is *actually relevant* to Elizabeth. And he, as promised, doesn’t romance her further.
It’s totally bizarre that even now, this can be considered unusually great dude behaviour.
Darcy’s first proposal: “You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”
Darcy’s second proposal: “One word from you will silence me on this subject forever.”
His whole arc in the book is about learning to consider other people’s feelings and not just his own, but the fact that it’s expressed via who gets to talk and who is told to shut up is so, so telling. The first time around, he imposes his voice on her whether she wants it or not. The second time, he asks how she feels, and in exchange, offers her the gift of his silence.
And yeah, the fact that dudes still! have! not! learned! this! lesson! is exhausting.
How surprising is it that Pride and Prejudice was written by a woman, when many romantic comedies are produced and directed by men?
Answer: not at all
200 years later and the world is still full of guys who think they’re a Mr Darcy when they’re actually a Mr Collins.
MASSIVE yes to all this!
And if you don’t think I used this in my canon marauders fic We Can Be Heroes then you are very wrong! Because in canon there’s only one time James asks Lily out (where he’s a massive git), and then he “deflates his head” and they start going out. Anyone who tries to tell me James was a stalker-type, I’m not accepting your headcanon (although you’re entitled to your own opinion, personally I think Snape is the Stalker-type in personality and behaviours), and if you don’t think that James read P & P after Lily told him it was a story about “a snobby, posh, rich guy who thinks he’s better than everyone else and an intelligent, sassy girl with no money or connections and a dodgy family to boot. She thinks he’s a git.” and thought “Fuck me...” and decided Mr. Darcy was a good dude, well imo you’re very wrong!
YES please ❤
@unexpectedcronchiness did you know that @heirofslytherpuff is writing exactly that, based on the old BBC series and it is absolutely gorgeous???
Wherever you and Jane are known, you must be respected and valued; and you will not appear to less advantage for having a couple of—or I may say, three very silly sisters.
Finally finished the first installment to this story!! It all started with talking about Pride and Prejudice, and then (predictably) my brain said “WOLFSTAR” and it spiraled from there. It is a story set in the late 1800s early 1900s centered around Sirius and Remus (but with appearances from many of your favorite marauders era characters) I’m not sure how long it will be yet and I’m not putting pressure on myself to write it quickly so I’m not sure when the next installment will be out but I hope you enjoy it!
His collar was itchy.
That was the only thing Sirius could focus on as they stepped out of the carriage and prepared to enter the large manor before them.
“Remind me again why I allowed you to drag me out to this event?” He asked, tugging at his cuffs, wishing he could remove his coat and push the sleeves to his elbow. It’s not that he hated dressing up- on the contrary- he quite liked getting good and fancy now and then. But some days, some days it brought up too many memories.
“You allowed me to drag you to this event because you would have otherwise spent the evening moping around the house in your dressing gown with a bottle of my father’s best whiskey.”
Sirius snorted as they ascended the stairs. “Sounds far more pleasant than being trapped in dress clothes, tied to societies niceties and proper manners all evening.”
“Oh, lighten up, I heard a rumor that there was going to be a special performance tonight.” James said, lightly clapping his friend on the back. “Besides, we’re eligible young bachelors! We can’t spend all our time out on the estate.”
“Well, maybe you can’t, but I would be most content to live out my days as a recluse.”
@whatsupitswendy holy shit this is BRILLIANT!!!!
❤️
