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Can you elaborate please?   Written by jeremy (5/11/2007 8:56 a.m.) in consequence of the missive, Pretty enough, maybe, but not good enough, penned by Kathi
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Can you elaborate please?

I do not recall Darcy saying anything to Lizzy, or about her within her hearing, about her inferior connections at this point in the novel.

Actually I do not really think she was ever offended by him very much at any point so far (up to chapter 18)

There has been a lot of discussion about the effect of Darcy’s remarks at the assembly ball, but is there really any evidence in the book that Lizzy was really upset by them?

She finds the remarks ridiculous and amusing at the time:

“She told the story, however, with great spirit among her friends; for she had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in any thing ridiculous.”

She sees this as Darcy being ridiculous, rather than a reflection on her.

There merely remains the line

"That is very true," replied Elizabeth, "and I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine."

Which in the context of a discussion justifying Darcy being proud seems me to be more of a bit of banter between her sisters and her close friend.

These as far as I can recall are the only two times Lizzy mentions it.

Mrs. Bennett refers to it, and Charlotte Lucas does to, but Lizzy does not. Neither does the omniscient narrator tell us that she is dwelling on the matter.

In chapter 10 we get another strong indication of her indifference to what Darcy thinks about her:

“She liked him too little to care for his approbation.”

So in conclusion I think that too much is made of Darcy criticizing Lizzy as justification for her disliking him. She disliked him because of his general manners, and arrogance not because of any sort of personal victimization!


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