Fickle Public Opinion

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Fickle Public Opinion Written by Cheryl (4/28/2007 9:32 p.m.)

Mr. Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report, which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year. The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with great admiration…

Can you imagine the impact someone like Mr Darcy made upon that assembly room? Had they ever seen his like before in little Meryton, where the "inoffensive, friendly, and obliging"(ch.5) Sir William Lucas was the highest ranking person in the neighborhood? He must have been an awe-inspiring sight. But…

…he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could then save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend. (ch. 3)

How quickly turns the tide of public opinion! But was it warranted? It is human nature to think more highly of a rich and handsome stranger than perhaps he deserves, and then, when disappointed in the reality, to think more poorly of that same person than perhaps he deserves.

What do you think? Did Mr Darcy bring this ill-opinion on himself by his refusal to even talk to anyone not in his party or were the townspeople too harsh and quick to judge when they pronounced him "the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world?"

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Fickle Public Opinion Cheryl (4/28/2007 9:32 p.m.)

Darcy is the author of all… Robbin (4/29/2007 3:54 p.m.)
- Even ruder than he appears? Carolyn (4/29/2007 10:43 p.m.)
  - Oh yes! Robbin (4/29/2007 11:42 p.m.)
- Nicely Said BarbaraB (4/29/2007 5:14 p.m.)
- Putting myself in his situation. . . William D (4/29/2007 4:37 p.m.)
  - Not quiet or subdued nan duval (5/1/2007 6:33 p.m.)
  - Partially true... Eaffie (4/30/2007 2:01 p.m.)
    - Austen says that Darcy is reserved... Karen 2L (4/30/2007 2:43 p.m.)
      - Thank you for this Maisy (4/30/2007 3:10 p.m.)
        
        I agree, helpful indeed! nfm ;D Robbin (4/30/2007 3:17 p.m.)
  - IMO Darcy is not misunderstood… Robbin (4/29/2007 9:38 p.m.)
    - And third... Kathi (4/30/2007 2:20 a.m.)
      - Yes, I have to agree Kathi! nfm ;D Robbin (4/30/2007 5:53 a.m.)
  - I agree, too Denise H (4/29/2007 8:28 p.m.)
  - I definatelly agree... Maria Liourdi (4/29/2007 5:20 p.m.)
- How Elizabeth took it Cheryl (4/29/2007 4:31 p.m.)
  - Too True NFM BarbaraB (4/29/2007 5:17 p.m.)
  - I must agree with you… Robbin (4/29/2007 5:03 p.m.)
Meryton Opinion BarbaraB (4/29/2007 9:13 a.m.)
- Change of Meryton opinion ' about half the evening...' Mandy N (4/29/2007 9:48 a.m.)
I think it was...... Jen S (4/29/2007 8:56 a.m.)
- Darcy gave offence in his own circles Lisa M. (4/30/2007 11:01 a.m.)
- opposites attract Outi (4/30/2007 1:40 a.m.)
  - Darcy being anxious Ruth Anne (4/30/2007 2:10 p.m.)
- Are we perhaps to quick to judge, as readers, Susan L (4/29/2007 9:02 p.m.)
  - Darcy’s first impression Robbin (4/29/2007 11:26 p.m.)
  - We, as readers BarbaraB (4/29/2007 10:48 p.m.)
- In Darcy's defense Tiffany Lynn (4/29/2007 12:55 p.m.)
  - New to Pemberley? Cheryl (4/30/2007 4:38 p.m.)
  - Judging the locals Kathi (4/30/2007 3:53 a.m.)
  - Disagree :-) Maisy (4/29/2007 2:23 p.m.)
    - Insupportable, but why? Margaret S (4/29/2007 6:29 p.m.)
      - That's not what the narrator tells us   Kathi (4/29/2007 10:10 p.m.)
        
        "truth ... man ... fortune ... wife" No? *nfm*   Margaret S (4/30/2007 3:32 a.m.)
        
        The narrator's opinion and Darcy's behavior   Kathi (4/30/2007 3:48 a.m.)
        
        Maybe Darcy should've stayed at Netherfield. ;-)   Mandy N (4/30/2007 4:03 a.m.)
        
        Hmmm   Mrs. Van Dunk (4/30/2007 10:53 a.m.)
        
        Darcy is afraid of being hurt?   Robbin (4/30/2007 12:21 p.m.)
        
        Partly agree   Tiffany Lynn (4/30/2007 5:34 p.m.)
        
        Darcy fooling Bingley   Robbin (5/1/2007 1:33 a.m.)
        
        Sorry, I'm confused   Kathi (4/30/2007 10:32 p.m.)
        
        better explanation   Tiffany Lynn (4/30/2007 10:50 p.m.)
        
        Thanks   Kathi (5/1/2007 10:50 p.m.)
        
        Perhaps we should agree to disagree   Marilynn (4/30/2007 4:04 p.m.)
        
        As you wish. nfm :)   Robbin (4/30/2007 5:21 p.m.)
        
        What's so preposterous ?   Mandy N (4/30/2007 11:38 a.m.)
        
        Definately not the behavior of a gentleman or gentlewoman   Marilynn (4/30/2007 12:11 p.m.)
        
        We don't only have ...   Kathi (4/30/2007 11:35 p.m.)
        
        I want to pick up on Marilynn's excellent observation...   Arnie Perlstein (4/30/2007 7:07 p.m.)
        
        Just a Personal Observation   BarbaraB (5/1/2007 6:47 p.m.)
        
        ...except that Darcy is not shy.   Karen 2L (4/30/2007 9:02 p.m.)
        
        I appreciate   Felicia (4/30/2007 10:46 p.m.)
        
        And yet if JA intended to portray...   Kathi (4/30/2007 11:33 p.m.)
        
        You read the narrator differently than I do...   Arnie Perlstein (5/1/2007 12:29 a.m.)
        
        I so agree   Marilynn (5/1/2007 8:57 a.m.)
        
        The narrator's supposed bias   Kathi (5/1/2007 4:54 a.m.)
        
        Objective or subjective?   Line (5/1/2007 8:19 a.m.)
        
        Au contraire, madame...   Arnie Perlstein (5/1/2007 8:15 a.m.)
        
        OK, please now   JulieW (5/1/2007 8:19 a.m.)
        
        Oops, sorry - didn't see your post in time, Julie! (nfm)   Line (5/1/2007 8:26 a.m.)
        
        Not just the narrator.   Mandy N (5/1/2007 3:56 a.m.)
        
        One important correction to my message...   Arnie Perlstein (4/30/2007 11:19 p.m.)
        
        Reserved, shy, what's the difference....   Arnie Perlstein (4/30/2007 10:24 p.m.)
        
        Narrator :-)   Maisy (4/30/2007 12:26 p.m.)
        
        Quite so, NFM   Marilynn (4/30/2007 1:42 p.m.)
        
        New to Pemberley?   Cheryl (4/30/2007 10:56 a.m.)
        
        Pardon me.   Marilynn (4/30/2007 11:22 a.m.)
        
        Thanks, Marilynn   Cheryl (4/30/2007 12:05 p.m.)
    - This is what does it for me too BarbaraB (4/29/2007 4:09 p.m.)
    - Absolutely! Jen S (4/29/2007 2:33 p.m.)
      - This, however, indicates.... Eaffie (4/30/2007 2:16 p.m.)
  - I agree, and also.... Eaffie (4/29/2007 1:42 p.m.)
    - I sympathise with Darcy, being a misanthropist myself. Silvia O (5/2/2007 7:59 p.m.)
      - I don't think Darcy... Elizabeth Sycamore (5/3/2007 4:07 p.m.)
        
        Good point! nfm ;D Robbin (5/3/2007 5:06 p.m.)
      - No monopoly of insight.   Mandy N (5/3/2007 12:20 p.m.)
        
        Shark infested waters   Robbin (5/3/2007 10:51 p.m.)
        
        An amusing scenario but -   Mandy N (5/4/2007 6:43 a.m.)
        
        You are right...   Robbin (5/4/2007 9:28 a.m.)
        
        Despite his impression, Darcy did receive attention at MA *nfm*   Margaret S (5/4/2007 7:41 a.m.)
        
        Quite so,   Mandy N (5/4/2007 11:00 a.m.)
        
        I don't think receiving attention meant being noticed...   Adrian (5/4/2007 2:13 p.m.)
        
        Very interesting.   Silvia O (5/6/2007 6:02 p.m.)
        
        What *did* Darcy mean by receiving little/no attention?   Lia (5/4/2007 7:37 p.m.)
        
        What kind of attention did Darcy expect?   Robbin (5/5/2007 3:02 a.m.)
        
        Courtesies to Darcy...   Mandy N (5/4/2007 3:49 p.m.)
        
        Catch of the day   Margaret S (5/3/2007 10:04 p.m.)
        
        Not trying to catch him?   Tracy W (5/3/2007 5:40 p.m.)
        
        No text evidence yet even if 'plotting'....   Mandy N (5/4/2007 11:58 a.m.)
        
        Thank you, Tracy, I was going to quote that line myself.   Silvia O (5/3/2007 8:56 p.m.)
        
        Husband-hunting   Line (5/3/2007 10:31 p.m.)
        
        He was used to the attention but...   Lia (5/4/2007 7:27 p.m.)
      - But how does he know that? Kathi (5/3/2007 12:58 a.m.)
      - Except that... Line (5/2/2007 11:13 p.m.)
        
        Being from a large city myself... Cathy Allen (5/3/2007 12:14 p.m.)
    - That's interestng, but Mandy N (4/30/2007 3:00 a.m.)
      - Mrs Bennet...   Eaffie (4/30/2007 2:22 p.m.)
        
        Mrs B's interest is Bingley.   Mandy N (4/30/2007 3:42 p.m.)
        
        Ah but the chance he'd marry a local girl   Tracy W (4/30/2007 5:50 p.m.)
    - And yet... Maisy (4/29/2007 2:24 p.m.)
      - Miss Bingley   Jen S (4/29/2007 2:38 p.m.)
        
        Caroline and Darcy   Kathi (4/30/2007 5:07 a.m.)
        
        Definitely, but   Jen S (4/30/2007 10:14 a.m.)
        
        That phrase struck me this time, too.   Kathi (4/30/2007 10:37 p.m.)
        
        IMO, you are not reading too much into Darcy's comments (NFM)   Eaffie (4/30/2007 2:34 p.m.)
        
        Right   Maisy (4/29/2007 5:18 p.m.)
First impressions... Maria Liourdi (4/29/2007 8:51 a.m.)
- Yes, expectations were high Maisy (4/29/2007 9:25 a.m.)
Darcys pride Michaela (4/29/2007 8:10 a.m.)
- The first use of the word pride LauraG (4/29/2007 2:40 p.m.)
- Pride and self-esteem. Mandy N (4/29/2007 12:47 p.m.)

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