Sounds like a chicken and egg argument

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Sounds like a chicken and egg argument Written by Mary Ellen (6/5/2007 11:47 a.m.) in consequence of the missive, Your characterization makes Elizabeth appear a bit shallow..., penned by Lila

Which came first? Did Elizabeth like Darcy because of his house? Or because his letter shows him to be a nicer guy than she thought?

Personally, I think that the house has a bigger impact than we might might expect from a modern girl. The fact that Darcy is wildly rich and has the beautiful 'old-money' estate to show for it demonstrates something about his family, character, and upbringing. Elizabeth can't meet his parents or his coworkers. Pemberley has to stand in for them. I don't think that Elizabeth would be interested in him if she really thought he was a jerk. The house wouldn't help. At the same time, if she had liked him and then found his house to be really showy and ugly and all the servents made faces whenever his name was mentioned, that also would change her mind.

I guess that I'm not much of a romantic. I do think Elizabeth is idealistic. She wants to respect the man she marries. But I also think that she is pragmatic. I don't think that she would make the same choice that Lydia or Fanny's mother (in MP) makes and 'leave all her friends and throw herself into the power of' a guy with more debts then sense just for 'twoo love'. Keeping your eye on your pocketbook doesn't necessarily make you a shallow person. And in the era that Jane Austen was writing it was sensible.

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To Pemberley, therefore, they were to go. Cheryl (6/2/2007 10:30 p.m.)

Lizzie's Change of Heart BarbaraB (6/3/2007 5:58 p.m.)
- Change of heart Cheryl Kay (6/3/2007 11:13 p.m.)
  - Your characterization makes Elizabeth appear a bit shallow... Lila (6/5/2007 12:50 a.m.)
    - Some questions Kathi (6/5/2007 6:33 p.m.)
      - Evidence of Lizzy's feelings for Darcy...   Lila (6/6/2007 10:33 p.m.)
        
        Why probe Darcy?   Adrian (6/7/2007 1:49 p.m.)
        
        Well, the Omniscient Narrator...   Line (6/7/2007 8:27 a.m.)
        
        Yet Elizabeth is interested in others' characters   Tracy W (6/7/2007 12:27 a.m.)
        
        "She liked him too little to care for his approbation"   Kathi (6/7/2007 12:08 a.m.)
        
        You have made me reevaluate my earlier views...   Lila (6/7/2007 10:44 p.m.)
        
        Lizzy's feelings of inferiority   Kathi (6/9/2007 1:12 a.m.)
        
        Lizzy’s point of view   Robbin (6/8/2007 8:08 a.m.)
        
        Definitely ironic, IMO   Line (6/8/2007 6:13 p.m.)
      - Had Darcy changed? Or was it Elizabeth?   JoAnn (6/6/2007 12:37 p.m.)
        
        Why not both?   Kathi (6/6/2007 8:07 p.m.)
        
        No doubt   JoAnn (6/7/2007 5:06 p.m.)
    - Sounds like a chicken and egg argument Mary Ellen (6/5/2007 11:47 a.m.)
      - Personally, I have always thought   Marie C (6/5/2007 3:49 p.m.)
        
        Doing the trick   Kathi (6/5/2007 10:05 p.m.)
        
        I agree   Marie C (6/6/2007 5:13 a.m.)
Love the syntax of that sentence Jessica T (6/3/2007 5:20 p.m.)
You're right that Mrs. Reynolds "primes" Elizabeth Line (6/3/2007 7:38 a.m.)
- She didn't say that G. was the handsomest person ;) NFM Graciela (6/3/2007 11:44 p.m.)

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