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To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying   Written by Stephanie (5/11/2010 2:45 p.m.) in consequence of the missive, Lizzy at Hunsford – Reboot (long), penned by Robbin
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That was a very clear, very good coverage of Elizabeth's feelings.

I am not sure you have the comparison of Darcy's repentance of his prejudice against Elizabeth and hers of him on solid ground, though. You post:

Lizzy’s humiliation at her failures of vanity and pride reminds me of Darcy’s mortification in finding that after disparaging Lizzy quite determinedly, to himself and his friends, (6) he did indeed find her physically and intellectually attractive.

So far, I agree. Then you say:

They both also relinquish something dear in conceding their error. To see the truth about Lizzy he had to admit his prejudiced opinion a lady of her social status was unworthy was wrong and to see Darcy clearly she had to relinquish the good man Wickham she had so much admired.

I do not think Darcy relinquished anything in admitting Elizabeth's attractions -- at least, not until they overwhelmed his own plans for a less embarrassing match. Also, he never disparaged her social status. She is the daughter of a country gentleman. He actually hangs out with the nouveau riche offspring of a tradesman -- he would have no problem with her level of society. Her lack of fortune, her connections, and her family's improprieties were all noxious to him, but not her status.

About Elizabeth's opinions of others' marriage choices adapting: others have suggested that Elizabeth's ideas of marriage are not exactly the romance-novel, swept-off-her-feet, totally-in-love ideals of today. Since Elizabeth never says, it is possible she only wants to give her hand to someone she can respect and learn to love. Then, her problem with Charlotte's marriage is that she believes Charlotte could NEVER learn to love Mr. Collins, and her blind eye to Wickham's pursuit of Miss King is because he COULD learn to love a girl of whom Elizabeth knows no harm. When she later decides he has no character and he would never be what a husband ought to be to Miss King, she is pleased with Miss King's escape from him. These attitudes would stop her from being a hypocrite, and still allow her to transform her opinions as the novel shows her to do when new information comes her way.


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