Pride and Prejudice: Happy ending (Chapter 56-61)

2007年4月15日星期日

Happy ending (Chapter 56-61)

“Elizabeth was much too embarrassed to say a word. After a short pause, her companion added, “You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever.” Elizabeth feeling all the more than common awkwardness and anxiety of his situation, now forced herself to speak; and immediately, though not very fluently, gave him to understand, that her sentiments had undergone so material a change, since the period to which he alluded, as to make her receive with gratitude and pleasure, his present assurances.”

This proposal and Elizabeth’s acceptance mark the climax of the novel, occurring in Chapter 58. The proposal and acceptance are almost a foregone conclusion by this point. Darcy’s intervention on behalf of Lydia makes obvious his continuing devotion to Elizabeth, and the shocking appearance of Lady Catherine de Bourghin the previous chapter, with her haughty attempts to forestall the engagement, serves to suggest strongly that a second proposal from Darcy is imminent.

The clunky language with which the narrator summarizes Elizabeth’s acceptance serves a specific purpose, as it captures the one moment of joyful incoherence for this supremely well-spoken character. She accepts Darcy’s proposal “immediately,” the narrator relates, but “not very fluently.” As Elizabeth allows herself to admit that her love has supplanted her long-standing prejudice, her control of language breaks down. The reader is left to imagine, with some delight, the ever-clever Elizabeth fumbling for words to express her irrepressible happiness

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Pride and Prejudice, first published on 28 January 1813, is the most famous of Jane Austen's novels. It is one of the first romantic comedies in the history of the novel and its opening is one of the most famous lines in English literature—"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." Its manuscript was first written between 1796 and 1797, and was initially called First Impressions, but was never published under that title. Following revisions, it was first published on 28 January 1813. Like both its predecessor and Northanger Abbey, it was written at Steventon Rectory.

The Bennets are a representative family spearheading the social evolution of English society. Formed by the marriage of a gentleman farmer and the beautiful, financially well-endowed lawyer’s daughter, the family embodies within itself the forces and tendencies that are bringing the upper and moneyed middle classes of England into closer association. The foundation of the family is stable, secure positive energy. No child of the family exhibits an active meanness of ambitious physicality, either against other family members or outside society. No child of the family gives inordinate importance to money as a determining criterion for marriage. They all value personal happiness above money. After Darcy proposed to Eliza, both Jane and Mr. Bennet expressed serious concern about her marrying a man she could not love and respect, regardless of his wealth. Neither Mr. Bennet nor any of the five girls expressed the slightest interest in Collins, even though he held the entail on Longbourn. It is true that Mrs. Bennet was delighted with Jane’s prospects of marrying Bingley and frequently reminded everyone who would listen about Bingley’s great wealth. But it is equally true that she was delighted with Lydia’s marriage to Wickham, although he was a handsome officer with no property or wealth at all. Jane herself did not express any signs of interest in Bingley’s wealth.

Darcy is from one of the wealthiest aristocratic families in England. He is the sole son and heir to a huge fortune and a magnificent estate at Pemberley. Although possessing a large estate, Mr. Darcy lacked the keen discrimination to comprehend Wickham’s character and forged a sentimental attachment for his steward’s son, which almost disgraced the family through Georgiana’s elopement. Darcy is of the old order, but not its shining jewel. He is selfish, dull, and unequal to the management of Pemberley as a young man. He enjoys the company of submissive friends. He is traditional and undynamic. A clever Wickham is a danger to him and his establishment. His sister Georgiana is the chink in his armor. He is unable to choose a loyal servant as governess. The old order has started giving way. He needs a woman such as Eliza from the lower layer of aristocracy endowed with the energy of her newly acquired status to preserve his establishment. He struggles in the name of love and passion with the higher demands of the changing social situation, readily humiliates himself, apologizes to Eliza, reverses with Bingley, compromises with Wickham, and even subjects himself to the effusions of Mrs. Bennet and Mrs. Philips. He stoops to conquer. His attraction to Eliza and Caroline Bingley’s opposition are symbolic. A rich, handsome, haughty Miss Bingley is unattractive to Darcy, while a less handsome, poor, unassuming Eliza is attractive. His choice expresses the need of the time, but goes by the name of romance. There is no real romance in the entire story. Eliza’s attraction to Wickham is infatuation falling a prey to a handsome face, a common phenomenon. No man or woman in the story exhibits the elevating passion of love that ennobles personality. The critical demands of the evolving social context admit no scope for romance.

Jane succeeds in winning a husband whose character is of the same depth and intensity as her own. Charles Bingley is equally mild, unformed and guided by external standards of social propriety. He exhibits a fair amount of intelligence in his exchanges with Darcy and Eliza, but prides himself on being casual, careless and carefree. He is of the nouveau riche with lesser wealth than Darcy but good character, which make him eligible to be Darcy’s friend and possible brother-in-law. His ?00,000 inheritance over-fulfills all his aspirations in life. There is no accomplishment that remains for him but a beautiful wife and pleasant entertainment. Apart from these, Bingley is a man of few and very mild convictions, whose easiness of temper and want of proper resolution impair his worth in Eliza’s eyes. Bingley lacks Darcy’s pride or self-importance. He values Jane’s beauty and her good nature, which matches his own temperament. He feels free to pursue his interest in Jane only after his two sisters have given their approval, but his ultimate standard of reference is Darcy. He submits to Darcy’s objections about the marriage. It is Darcy’s authority that ultimately determine Bingley’s choice in life, supported by Jane’s physical appearance and pleasant temperament. Even after learning that Darcy had concealed from him the truth about Jane’s presence in London and after Darcy encourages him to revive the relationship with her, Bingley still wants Darcy’s active approval before proposing to Jane. His emotions are completely social. Contrast that with Eliza’s indifference to Lady Catherine’s active disapproval of her marriage to Darcy. It is difficult to imagine Eliza seeking anyone’s approval for what she passionately wants and believes right for her.