I'm taking a big risk here, and I'm sure my opinion isn't popular, but I have to ask the question: Is part of the allure of the story between Elizabeth and Darcy the fact that she causes him to change his behavior for the better?

What I mean is, we all (and particularly women with regard to men, in my experience) like to feel that we've been able to correct someone's behavior to a certain extent, and Elizabeth definitely has that satisfaction at the end of the story:"You showed me how insufficient were all my pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased." What an ego boost!