I don't think it's that easy
Posted by Bob S. on December 11, 1997 at 20:31:24:
In response to Attraction is not love., written by Mark on December 11, 1997 at 18:10:06
] ] the vexed question of "did Lizzy love Darcy before Pemberley...."
] ] One suggestion, in Chapter 37
] ] "His attachment excited gratitude, his general character respect; but she could not
] ] approve him; nor could she for a moment repent her refusal, or feel the slightest inclination ever to see him again."
] ] any thoughts?
]
] I suspect that she was attracted to him before, but she didn't learn to love him until later.
] Mark
The whole paragraph, before and after the quoted lines, contains a discription of complex and conflicting emotions which Elizabeth felt concerning the affair of Darcy's proposal and subsequent letter. "...her feelings towards its writer were at times widely different." The paragraph talks of indignation at the style of his address, anger against herself for condemning and upbraiding him, compassion for his disappointed feelings, gratitude for his attachment, respect for his general character, vexation and regret for her past behaviour, and chagrin for the defects of her family. (Interestingly, the only negative against Darcy in this list is his style of address.) A lot of these emotions were completely new and unfamiliar to her and I don't think that it is unusual that she would not, at that time, want to ever see the person who so badly shook up her view herself and of her world. In other words, I think the quoted line reflects her reaction to the events that had just happened but has little to do with her long-term feelings toward Darcy. [How's that for fence-sitting in the when-did-she-first-love-him wars? :-)]
Bob S.
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