Darcy's proposal
Posted by lucie on November 30, 1997 at 21:47:33:
In response to Economic realities, written by kates on November 29, 1997 at 22:36:52
] Well, up to a point. Surely one of the biggest issues about his proposal is not that he anticipates Lizzy's love, but that in that world it is economic madness for a woman of her financially insecure circumstances to refuse him. He has been flattered and chased by many matchmaking mammas, he has no idea that he appears so arrogant and in the terms of P&P he is such a catch that indeed if it had been generally known that she had refused a match which would secure her, and her family's, comfort her general acquaintance, and indeed the world, would think her run mad. Indeed many would feel it to be her duty to accept. To refuse such an offer could only be done on the grounds that she detests him (and he has no idea of how low he stands in her esteem at that point).
I don't think it ever occured to him that any woman would refuse him so he persued it after her refusal only to be hurt and mortified.
I think also that she only became more desirable because she could not be had with money and position and he wanted her even more because she let him know what he could do with all his pretensions.
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