Pride and Prejudice Vol 2 and 3 Summary and Analysis

Summary
Chapter 1
Jane receives another letter from Caroline Bingley, confirming that her family intends to stay in London through the
winter. Caroline also boasts about her increasing intimacy with Miss Georgiana Darcy in anticipation of an
engagement between the young woman and Bingley. In private, Jane confesses her disappointment to Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth argues that Darcy and Caroline must have dissuaded Bingley from following his heart, Jane refuses
to believe them capable of such subterfuge.
Mrs. Bennet only aggravates Jane's distress by speaking of Bingley often, while Mr. Bennet characteristically
remains distant from his daughter's affairs. Throughout this difficult period, the Bennet family receives some
comfort from Wickham's frequent visits. Soon enough, Wickham has shared his story about Darcy's deception to all
of Hertforshire. Everyone accepts that the haughty Mr. Darcy committed such wickedness.

Chapter 2
When the time comes, Mr. Collins leaves Longbourn with his usual solemnity. Soon afterwards, Mr.
Gardiner and Mrs. Gardiner (Mrs. Bennet's brother and sister-in-law) visit Longbourn. The narrator makes clear that
they are sensible, intelligent, and refined. Furthermore, Elizabeth and Jane are quite fond of them. One day,
Elizabeth tells Mrs. Gardiner about Jane's heartbreak over Bingley. Mrs. Gardiner offers to bring Jane back to
London in order to cheer her up. Elizabeth secretly hopes that Jane might run into Bingley while she is in London.
During her visit, Mrs. Gardiner also observes Elizabeth's attraction to Wickham. Mrs. Gardiner enjoys speaking with
Wickham about their mutual acquaintances, like Mr. Darcy and his father.

Chapter 3
Mrs. Gardiner speaks to Elizabeth privately on the subject of her attraction to Wickham, warning her about
becoming attached to a man with so few financial prospects. Though she makes no assurances about her attraction
one way or the other, Elizabeth does promise to be cautious. Soon after the Gardiners and Jane leave for London,
Mr. Collins returns to Hertfordshire for his wedding. Before the ceremony, Charlotte Lucas makes Elizabeth
promise to visit her at Hunsford. After the ceremony, the couple departs for their new home.
Jane writes to Elizabeth about how Caroline Bingley has treated her rudely in London. At first, Charlotte pretended
to be unaware of Jane's presence in the city. After Jane finally went to see Charlotte, Miss Bingley made Jane wait
two weeks before returning the visit.

Elizabeth writes to Mrs. Gardiner about how Mr. Wickham has transferred his affection to Miss King, who has
recently inherited 10,000 pounds. Elizabeth concludes that she must not have actually been in love with Wickham,
since she does not feel any great resentment about his engagement to another woman.

Chapter 4
Elizabeth initially dreaded her visit to the Collins home in Hunsford, but she changes her mind after spending the
dull winter months at home. Elizabeth and Wickham part ways amicably, reinforcing her belief that he is a "model
of the amiable and the pleasing." Soon thereafter, Elizabeth sets off for Hunsford along with Sir William
Lucas and Maria Lucas (Charlotte's sister).
On their way to the parsonage, the travelers stop for a night in London to visit Jane and the Gardiners. Elizabeth is
pleased to see that Jane is looking well, but learns from Mrs. Gardiner that the elder Bennet daughter does suffer
from periods of depression. Mrs. Gardiner believes that Mr. Wickham is pursuing Miss King solely for her money,
but Elizabeth defends him. Before the travelers leave the next day, the Gardiners invite Elizabeth to join them on a
tour of the country later that summer. She happily accepts.

Chapter 5
The next day, Elizabeth, Sir William, and Maria set out for Hunsford. Upon their arrival, Mr. Collins welcomes
them with his usual verbose formality. Charlotte, ‹now Mrs. Collins, appears to endure her husband's silliness quite
well and takes pleasure in managing the house. Overall, Elizabeth observes that her friend is doing well.

Soon after their arrival, Maria exclaims that Miss de Bourgh is sitting outside the Collins's house in her carriage.
Elizabeth observes the young woman through the window, noting Miss de Bourgh's sickly nature. She predicts that
Miss de Bough's ill health will certainly cause Mr. Darcy trouble after their intended marriage. After the carriage
drives away, Mr. Collins announces that the party has been honored with an invitation to dine at Rosings (the de
Bourgh estate) the following evening.

Chapter 6
For most of the next day, Mr. Collins babbles to his guests about the grandeur they will encounter at Rosings. While
Maria and Sir William are extremely nervous about meeting Lady Catherine, Elizabeth remains unimpressed by "the
mere stateliness of money and rank."
They finally go to Rosings and meet the mythical Lady Catherine, "a tall, large woman, with strongly-marked
features." Lady Catherine reminds her guests of their lower rank constantly through her manner and insinuations,
while the thin and small Miss de Bourgh is much quieter. They also meet Mrs. Jenkinson, Miss de Bourgh's
unremarkable companion, who lives with the family and spends most of her time fussing over the frail young
woman.
There is very little discussion of substance at dinner. For the most part, Mr. Collins continues to spout his
compliments about the food, which are then echoed by Sir William. After dinner, Lady Catherine decides to share
her pompous opinion on every subject that she can think of. She advises Charlotte on everything, down to the
smallest details of household management. Lady Catherine then barrages Elizabeth with impertinent questions about
her family. Elizabeth answers with composure but makes sure to voice her own opinions. Lady Catherine notices
Elizabeth's attitude and deems it impertinent. After dinner, the party sits down to play cards.

Chapter 7
A week later, Sir William Lucas leaves Hunsford and returns to Hertforshire, but Elizabeth stays on. She passes her
time pleasantly, conversing with Charlotte and taking long walks through the gardens. Elizabeth and the Collinses
dine at Rosings twice a week, and all of these dinners are similar to the first.

After two more weeks at Hunsford, Elizabeth hears the news that Mr. Darcy is planning to visit Rosings. She
actually looks forward to his visit as it will be nice to have a new face at the dinner parties and because she wants to
observe how he acts with Miss de Bourgh, whom he is expected to marry. Mr. Darcy and his cousin, Colonel
Fitzwilliam, visit Hunsford shortly after their arrival at Rosings. Elizabeth asks Mr. Darcy if he has seen Jane in
London during the past few months, hoping he might betray some secret knowledge about what happened between
Jane and the Bingleys. Darcy looks a bit confused at Elizabeth's question and simply answers that he has not seen
Jane.

Chapter 8
Since Lady Catherine is no longer in need of company, she does not invite Elizabeth and the Collinses to dinner for
a week. When she finally resumes her invitations, Colonel Fitzwilliam and Elizabeth share a very enjoyable
conversation. Lady Catherine interrupts them because she is annoyed about being excluded. Mr. Darcy seems a bit
ashamed at his aunt's impertinence and ill-breeding, which comes across in her condescending attitude towards
Elizabeth.

At Colonel Fitzwilliam's request, Elizabeth begins to play the piano. As she plays, Darcy walks away from Lady
Catherine in order to watch her. At the piano, Elizabeth and Darcy have a very lively conversation, teasing each
other playfully. However, Lady Catherine interrupts and Elizabeth immediately resumes playing. Lady Catherine
criticizes Elizabeth's musical style, deeming her in need of practice. Throughout the evening, Elizabeth watches Mr.
Darcy's reactions to Miss de Bourgh but observes no visible signs of affection.

Chapter 9
The next morning, Darcy visits Hunsford while Elizabeth is home alone. He is clearly nervous and tells her that he
expected the other women to be there. They converse for a while about several subjects, including his quick
departure from Netherfield and Charlotte's marriage to Mr. Collins. When Darcy suggests that Charlotte is close to
her family, Elizabeth corrects him, noting that they lack the income to travel frequently. Darcy advises Elizabeth to
limit her attachments to home. His suggestion shocks her and he quickly changes the subject. Mr. Darcy leaves
shortly after Charlotte and Maria return from their walk. Charlotte suggests that Darcy is in love with Elizabeth, but
she firmly denies the possibility.

Both Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam frequently call on the ladies. Elizabeth believes that the Colonel admires her,
and he also reminds her of Wickham. However, neither Elizabeth nor Charlotte understand why Darcy comes so
often. Charlotte keeps suggesting that Darcy must be partial to Elizabeth, who continues to laugh at the idea.

Chapter 10
Elizabeth frequently runs into Darcy during her walks in the park, even though she lies about her path in order to
avoid him. Whenever they meet, he always stops to say hello and also walks her all the way back to the Collins's
house. During one of their conversations, Darcy seems to imply that Elizabeth might stay at Rosings as a guest one
day. Elizabeth assumes he is alluding to a potential marriage with Colonel Fitzwilliam.

On another walk, Elizabeth runs into Colonel Fitzwilliam. He comments that as a younger son, he will have to
consider his financial needs when choosing a wife, leading Elizabeth to assume that Fitzwilliam is implicitly
apologizing for not proposing to her. Colonel Fitzwilliam also tells Elizabeth that Darcy recently saved a good
friend - probably Bingley - from an imprudent marriage. Later, Elizabeth reflects on the conversation and realizes
that the Colonel was referring to Darcy dissuading Bingley from proposing to Jane. The idea gives Elizabeth a
headache. She uses her illness as a convenient excuse to decline the dinner invitation to Rosings that night (where
she would risk seeing Darcy).

Analysis
The appearance of the Gardiners and Elizabeth's time in Hunsford serve to heighten the differences between
Elizabeth and the rest of her immediate family. In the wake of Bingley's disappearance, Austen reveals Mr. and Mrs.
Bennet's complete ineptitude as parents. Mrs. Bennet continues to aggravate Jane's broken heart by constantly
bringing up Mr. Bingley. Mr. Bennet remains aloof as usual and simply comments to Elizabeth, "Your sister is
crossed in love I find. I congratulate her. Next to being married, a girl likes to be crossed in love a little now and
then." His sarcastic and unconcerned tone reveals his general neglect and shows how little sympathy he has for a
woman's plight in a patriarchal society. Where Mrs. Bennet is overly obsessed with her daughters' marital success,
Mr. Bennet cares far too little about their futures.
Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner provide a sharp contrast to Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. When they visit Longbourn, they fulfill all
the parental functions that Mr. and Mrs. Bennet fail to perform. Unlike Jane's own mother, Mrs. Gardiner is very
sensitive to Jane's feelings and invites her to London to make her feel better. Furthermore, Mrs. Gardiner observes
Elizabeth's flirtation with Mr. Wickham and gives her niece prudent advice about their relationship.

These chapters also provide more insight into the differences and similarities between Jane and Elizabeth. Jane
refuses to think ill of Caroline Bingley or Mr. Darcy despite mounting evidence to the contrary. Elizabeth, on the
hand, maintains a cynical detachment and claims to be unaffected by prejudice. However, Jane keenly observes that
Elizabeth's tendency to judge people is a detriment to her happiness. Elizabeth has so much pride in her discerning
eye that she refuses to see any fault in her initial judgments. For example, Elizabeth insists that Mrs. Gardiner is too
judgmental of Wickham, unaware that her own affection for Wickham has prevented her from seeing his true nature.

Later, Elizabeth excuses Wickham for seeking a bride who can provide financial comfort, previously having
criticized Charlotte for a similar (and less pernicious) decision. Wickham shows himself to be truly mercenary in
transferring his affections from Elizabeth to Ms. King, who has just come into an inheritance. While Elizabeth is
hardly heartbroken to hear the news, it is distressing that Wickham did court Elizabeth even though he had no
intention of marrying her. In Austen's time, sexual attachments before marriage could ruin a woman's reputation for
life. In this way, Wickham's behavior proves him to be a dangerous man.
In this section, Austen suggests that prejudice can inhibit happiness. The clearest manifestation of Elizabeth's
blindness is her treatment of Mr. Darcy. Austen masterfully employs dramatic irony here. Since Elizabeth does not
realize that Darcy loves her, the narration does not make his feelings explicit. Nevertheless, the reader is able to
infer Darcy's intentions, a tactic that draws attention to Elizabeth's prejudice. Elizabeth actually laughs at Charlotte's
theory that Darcy favors her, even though she is puzzled about his frequent visits to Hunsford. She also cannot
understand why she keeps running into Darcy on her walks. Elizabeth cannot even recognize that she is enjoying
herself during one of her spirited conversations with Darcy.

Austen continues to reveal her complex opinions about the interplay between class and marriage. Colonel
Fitzwilliam is straightforward about his pragmatic requirements for marriage. While he clearly admires Elizabeth, he
makes it clear that he could never marry her because of his financial concerns. As a second son, Fitzwilliam has
something in common with women in this time - the laws of inheritance prohibit him from obtaining financial
freedom. Austen paints a society that is structured to encourage people to marry for money (or at the very least,
social connections), yet her novel contains a strong critique of this systematic approach to partnership. However,
Fitzwilliam and Charlotte are neither foolish nor villainous. Instead of being satirical, these characters are
sympathetic. Therefore, Austen continues to acknowledge class distinction, even though she finds it to be less
important than individual behavior.

Meanwhile, Lady Catherine is an extremely arrogant, egotistical, and obnoxious woman, despite her fine breeding
and wealth. During dinner, Lady Catherine constantly reminds her guests of their inferior rank. She only allows
others to speak if they are praising her (like Mr. Collins and Sir William Lucas). After dinner, Lady Catherine shares
her "opinion on every subject in so decisive a manner as proved that she was not used to have her judgment
controverted." Her advice sounds more like a series of commands, and her impertinent questioning of Elizabeth
reveals her utter lack of respect for the Bennet family.

Austen draws an unexpected parallel between Lady Catherine and Mrs. Bennet. Each woman views the world from
an equally limited perspective. Lady Catherine does make a good point in criticizing Mr. and Mrs. Bennet because
they have not educated their daughters. Mrs. Bennet herself is not educated enough to instruct her daughters and has
never hired a governess to address the deficit. While Mr. Bennet might value education more highly than his wife
does, his neglect seems to extend to this area as well. However, Lady Catherine lacks education in certain proprieties
herself. Darcy is embarrassed by his aunt's behavior in the same way Elizabeth was embarrassed by her mother at
the Netherfield ball. While Austen acknowledges that class, education, and breeding are all important, it is a person's
character is what truly defines him or her. Ultimately, this belief is what brings Darcy and Elizabeth together.
Finally, readers should note Austen's use of the epistolary form in these chapters. Elizabeth and Jane correspond
through letters, which keeps the reader informed of both girls' activities while they are apart (in their own words).
Jane shares details about her life in London and expresses her continued optimism about Caroline Bingley.
Epistolary novels were popular in Austen's day. She pays homage to this form in her earliest novel, Northanger
Abbey. In addition, Austen cited Frances Burney's Evelina or the History of a Young Lady's Entrance into the
World, an epistolary novel written by a woman, as one of her greatest literary influences.

Chapter 11
Because of her headache, Elizabeth stays behind at Hunsford while Maria and Mr. and Mrs. Collins go to dine at
Rosings. When the doorbell rings, Elizabeth thinks that it might be Colonel Fitzwilliam, but is surprised to discover
Darcy there instead.
After inquiring about Elizabeth's health, Mr. Darcy nervously paces around the room for a few minutes. Suddenly,
he declares his love for her. He starts by eloquently expressing his admiration. He then refers to the inferiority of
Elizabeth's social connections and explains that her family's rather unattractive behavior dissuaded him from
proposing sooner. Elizabeth is offended and harshly declines his proposal, much to Darcy's surprise. Elizabeth
explains her reasons for turning him down. First, she cites the arrogant manner of his proposal. Second, she explains
her distaste over the way he worked to separate Bingley from Jane. Finally, she claims that she could never marry a
man who could treat Wickham so badly.
Angry and resentful, Darcy suggests that Elizabeth might have overlooked his faults had he not offered his honest
opinion about her family. She simply retorts that the manner of his proposal has no influence on her other than to
"spare me the concern of refusing you, had you acted in a more gentlemanlike manner." After this, Darcy quickly
leaves the room. Once he is gone, Elizabeth collapses and cries. Though Elizabeth is somewhat flattered by his
proposal, she quickly remembers that Darcy's "abominable pride" has injured both Jane and Wickham, allowing her
to release any regret in rejecting him.

Chapter 12
The next morning, Elizabeth decides to go for a walk, avoiding her usual route. Nevertheless, Mr. Darcy finds her.
He quickly hands her a letter and leaves. Naturally, Elizabeth is curious to know its contents, and reads Darcy's letter
right away. In it, he provides explanations for the many charges she leveled at him the night before.

First, Darcy explains his reasons for persuading Bingley not to marry Jane. Darcy admits that the Bennet family's
low connections and impropriety convinced him that Jane was a poor match for his friend. However, he adds that his
main reason for dissuading Bingley was that Jane did not seem to show much preference for Bingley. Her attitude
was always somewhat aloof, albeit pleasant, which is ultimately why Bingley started to believe Darcy's claims. He
adds that his sole regret is his decision to conceal Jane's presence in London from Bingley, since Darcy does not
usually approve of such subterfuge.

Then, Darcy denies Wickham's account. Darcy's father had indeed been very fond of Wickham and ensured that the
boy received an excellent education. Before his death, Darcy's father asked Darcy to promote Wickham's
professional advancement and provide him an income, stipulating that young Wickham become a clergyman (which
was Wickham's professed aspiration). Wickham, however, had no actual desire to become a clergyman and after the
elder Darcy's death, asked Mr. Darcy to give him the money to study law. Darcy gave Wickham 3,000 pounds,
provided Wickham give up all claims to any further assistance. Wickham quickly abandoned his studies and
squandered the money. Broke, he promised Mr. Darcy that he would become a clergyman in exchange for more
money. When Darcy refused, Wickham was furious. Soon thereafter, Wickham deceived Georgiana Darcy into
eloping with him, even though she was only fifteen. Luckily, Darcy caught wind of the plan and stopped his sister
from following through. He is certain that Wickham was motivated both by Georgiana's fortune and his desire to
punish Darcy.

Chapter 13
Elizabeth reads the letter several times "with a strong prejudice against everything [Darcy] might say." At first, she
does not accept that Darcy actually thought Jane impartial to Bingley, nor does she want to believe Darcy's
allegations against Wickham. She resolves not to think about it anymore and puts the letter away. She cannot help
herself, though, and soon examines it again. After long deliberation, Elizabeth starts to see the potential truth in
Darcy's account. She realizes that Wickham told a very personal story to a practical stranger (Elizabeth) with very
little solicitation, and later spread that story to the whole town. Then, remembering his mercenary pursuit of Miss
King, Elizabeth begins to realize that she might have misjudged Wickham.
Once Elizabeth realizes how badly she has misjudged Darcy, she becomes ashamed of having been "blind, partial,
prejudiced, [and] absurd." Moreover, she acknowledges that her error is the result of a weakness in her powers of
discernment. Ultimately, she accepts that vanity has been the cause of her prejudice. Elizabeth rereads the first page
of the letter, in which Darcy details his influence over Bingley. She realizes that he could indeed have doubted
Jane's attachment, since Jane was always so coy with expressing her affections (as even Charlotte pointed out).
Finally, Elizabeth acknowledges that Darcy's criticism of her mother and younger sisters is just. After wandering
through the park for two hours, Elizabeth returns to the parsonage only to discover that both Mr. Darcy and Colonel
Fitzwilliam had stopped by to say goodbye, but have since left. Elizabeth is glad to have missed them.

Chapter 14
Lady Catherine invites Elizabeth, Maria and the Collinses to dinner. She is bored now that her nephews have left.
There, Elizabeth cannot help thinking how she might have attended this dinner as Lady Catherine's future niece and
amuses herself by imagining Lady Catherine's indignant reaction. Lady Catherine attempts to persuade Elizabeth
and Maria to stay on for another fortnight, but Elizabeth insists that her father wants her to come home.
Over the next few days, Elizabeth spends a great deal of time reflecting on Darcy's letter and her past conduct. She
does not regret turning Darcy down, but she does feel bad about misjudging him. She also ponders the fact
that Lydia and Kitty's ridiculous behavior is a result of her father's aloofness and mother's silliness, and that her two
younger sisters may never change. Finally, Elizabeth realizes that her family's indecorum might have cost Jane a
happy marriage.

Chapter 15
Elizabeth and Maria leave the parsonage on Saturday morning, after lengthy parting civilities from Mr. Collins.
Before returning to Hertfordshire, they stop in London to spend a few days with the Gardiners. Jane returns home
with them. Though Elizabeth is anxious to tell Jane what has happened with Darcy, she decides to wait. She wants to
keep the secret from Maria and give herself time to decide how much to reveal to her sister.

Chapter 16
Kitty and Lydia greet their sisters upon their return to Hertfordshire. Elizabeth is happy to hear that the regiment will
soon be leaving Meryton, although Kitty and Lydia are upset. Lydia hopes that Mr. Bennet will allow them all to
visit Brighton that summer, since the officers will be there. During lunch, Lydia tells Jane and Elizabeth that Miss
King has left the area, meaning Wickham is available again.
On the carriage ride back home from lunch, Lydia overwhelms her sisters with stories of all the balls and dances she
and Kitty have attended with the officers in Meryton. When the Bennets return to Longbourn, they have dinner with
the Lucases. After dinner, Lydia urges everyone to walk with her to Meryton, but Elizabeth stays home because she
wants to avoid seeing Wickham.

Chapter 17
The next morning, Elizabeth tells Jane about Darcy's proposal and about the part of his letter regarding Wickham.
She does not mention Darcy's comments about Bingley, fearing they might hurt Jane.

Jane is more shocked about Wickham than she is about the proposal. Even she cannot find any way to justify
Wickham's behavior. The sisters discuss whether or not to tell the town about Wickham's true character. They
ultimately decide it would be best to keep the matter quiet, since Wickham is leaving soon and the truth would
slander Georgiana Darcy's name. After observing Jane at leisure, Elizabeth sees that her sister is unhappy and still
very much in love with Bingley.

Chapter 18
Kitty, Lydia, and Mrs. Bennet are still disappointed that the regiment is leaving Meryton. However, Lydia receives
an invitation from Mrs. Forster, the wife of the regiment's Colonel, to accompany her to Brighton. Elizabeth entreats
her father to prevent Lydia from going, explaining that such an experience will only increase her frivolousness. Mr.
Bennet does not listen, insisting that Colonel Forster will look after Lydia, and anyway she is too poor for the
officers to seduce.
Over the next few months, Elizabeth sees Wickham frequently. He attempts to charm her again, but his friendliness
annoys her. At a party on the last day of the regiment's stay in Meryton, Elizabeth insinuates to Wickham that she
knows the truth about his past. He avoids addressing her comments, but tellingly ignores her for the rest of the day.
After the party, Lydia returns to Meryton with Mrs. Forster, as they plan to leave for Brighton early the next
morning.

Chapter 19
The narrator offers some background on Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Mrs. Bennet's beauty initially captivated her future
husband, but her foolishness soon dissolved any of his emotional affection for her. Mr. Bennet now derives
enjoyment solely from books and spending time in the country. Elizabeth has always recognized her father's
shortcomings as a husband, but is now especially aware of how her parents' loveless marriage has impacted their
children. She faults her father for not having used his education to at least preserve his daughters' respectability.

The following weeks at Longbourn are particularly unpleasant, especially because Mrs. Bennet and Kitty complain
incessantly about their desire to go to Brighton. Elizabeth consoles herself by looking forward to her upcoming trip
to the Lakes with her aunt and uncle. The environment at home soon stabilizes, and Elizabeth hopes that Kitty's
behavior will improve with distance from Lydia. When it comes time for Elizabeth to leave for her trip with the
Gardiners, Mr. Gardiner has work commitments that force him to delay. Therefore, they cannot travel all the way to
the Lakes. Though she is disappointed, Elizabeth is glad for any excuse to travel.
As they are traveling to their destination, the party passes near Pemberley (the Darcy estate). Mr. and Mrs.
Gardiner want to visit, but Elizabeth is terrified of running into Darcy. Fortunately, Mrs. Reynolds (the Pemberley
housekeeper) informs them that the Darcy family is not expected until the following day.

Analysis
Darcy's proposal takes place roughly at the mid-point of Pride and Prejudice. Many critics have observed that the
novel is split around this incident. For the first half of the novel, Austen focuses on developing a complicated series
of relationships and progressing the plot. The pace of the second half slows down considerably and Austen focuses
more on Elizabeth's reflection and personal analysis. This interpretation of the novel indicates that the primary arc
of Pride and Prejudice follows Elizabeth's increasing self-awareness.
Darcy's proposal comes as a complete shock to Elizabeth, illustrating how much her prejudice has clouded her
judgement. Though Austen has been giving her readers hints of Darcy's affection, the protagonist herself has no
idea. Overall, the proposal scene is a prime example of the way Austen uses dialogue to reveal character. Elizabeth's
lively, straightforward personality and her disregard for considerations of rank are manifest in her reaction to
Darcy's proposal. Of course, her harsh rejection also reveals her pride. Meanwhile, Elizabeth's lack of civility is
largely based on mistaken assumptions, causing her to interpret Darcy's comments about her family to be much
more caustic than he intends.

Darcy's own pride and prejudice also come to the fore in this scene. Despite the fact that Elizabeth has never shown
him any partiality or affection, she can tell that he has "no doubt of a favorable answer." This is likely because
Darcy's immense pride makes it impossible for him to see why Elizabeth might decline the chance to marry into a
higher social class. Darcy's resentful reaction to Elizabeth's refusal confirms her suspicion. Furthermore, he makes
his strong class prejudices clear in his long speech about the inferiority of her connections. Even worse is the
insensitive and tactless manner in which Darcy voices his criticisms. He does not at all consider that his harsh
judgement will hurt Elizabeth on a personal level.

When Elizabeth comments, "had you acted in a more gentlemanlike manner," Darcy suddenly realizes his folly (as
we learn later on in the novel.) Despite his seemingly open mind, Darcy delivers the kind of address more fit for
Lady Catherine because he assumes the universal superiority of high rank. Elizabeth's harsh rejection of Darcy's
proposal is a turning point in the novel. Their argument is so heated that it appears to be the end of their relationship.
At least, it is unlikely that this couple will end up together unless they themselves can change.

First and foremost, Elizabeth must recognize that she holds a similar prejudice to that which she has criticized in
Darcy; she realizes this when she finally accepts the truth about Wickham. Austen has offered the reader many clues
as to Wickham's true character: his tactless gossip about Darcy, his seduction of the wealthy Miss King, Mrs.
Gardiner's warnings - all of which now become apparent to Elizabeth. The force of this realization makes Elizabeth
see herself differently, too. Despite her disapproval of Darcy, Elizabeth never believed him to be in any way
dishonorable. However, Elizabeth quickly accepted the idea of Darcy as a villain after only a mere suggestion from
Wickham, a man she was romantically interested in.

Understanding Darcy's interference in the relationship between Jane and Bingley is a much more complicated matter
for Elizabeth. The truth is that Jane is suffering for the very behavior Charlotte Lucas warned her about: she was not
open enough with her feelings for Bingley. Two prejudices blinded Elizabeth to the truth of Jane and Bingley's
separation. First, her partiality to Jane prohibited her from accepting that her sister was at fault. Secondly,
Elizabeth's proud insistence that a woman should not condescend to attract a man to marriage has proven to be
untrue in Jane's case. While Austen clearly approves of Elizabeth's approach to marriage, she here posits that it is a
bit naive when taken to the extreme. A woman must use her charms to secure a man's affections - as Charlotte Lucas
has - lest she otherwise lose her chance to marry well (as Jane may have).

Elizabeth's prejudice is so strong that she has to read Mr. Darcy's letter many times before she can accept that he is
telling the truth. However, the fact that Elizabeth changes her perspective so quickly suggests Austen's optimism
about a person's ability to improve and adapt. Now that all of Elizabeth's illusions about Darcy's bad character have
been dispelled, it seems possible that she may yet fall in love with him. Austen therefore gives her reader hope that
both Bennet girls might be united with their proper mates in time. Elizabeth's behavior during her her final
encounters with Wickham reveals her maturity. She no longer allows her vanity to cloud her judgement. "She had
even learned to detect, in the very gentleness which had first delighted her, an affectation and a sameness to disgust
and weary."

Meanwhile, many of the tangential characters in Pride and Prejudice prove to be foils for the protagonists because
they do not undergo any kind of significant change. For instance, Kitty and Lydia have continued to revel in their
frivolity during Jane and Elizabeth's absence. When the sisters all meet for lunch, Jane and Elizabeth have to pay the
bill because Lydia and Kitty have spent all their money on whimsical purchases. On the ride home, Lydia speaks
excitedly about her adventures in Meryton. She boasts about hers and Kitty's improper conduct, which includes
dressing one of the officers up as a woman. Neither Kitty nor Lydia has received a decent education and as a result,
they have no sense of propriety. Meanwhile, the parental negligence of the Bennets becomes increasingly more clear
when they allow Lydia to go to Brighton. Mrs. Bennet supports the trip and wishes should could join. Mr. Bennet
simply does not care. Mr. Bennet's negligence is perhaps worse than Mrs. Bennet's, since he recognizes Lydia's
faults but is unwilling to do anything to change her.
Finally, many critics have questioned the disappearance of the regiment. England was embroiled in a serious war
with France at the time when Austen wrote the novel (1813), but Austen chose to exclude any mention of wartime.
In fact, the plot of Pride and Prejudice proceeds as though the conflict has no effect on England at all. Similarly, the
regiment's presence in Meryton and then in Brighton (as opposed to being overseas) is difficult to justify, especially
because the soldiers seem to have a great deal of time for leisure. It remains unclear whether Austen deliberately
meant to ignore the war (perhaps to stress the female experience over the male-driven act of war) or if she simply
did not feel equipped to write about it.

Vol 3

Summary

Chapter 1
Elizabeth is captivated by Pemberley's beauty and daydreams about being its mistress. She almost feels regretful
about rejecting Darcy. The Pemberley housekeeper (Mrs. Reynolds) gives Elizabeth and the Gardiners a tour of the
house, all the while praising Mr. Darcy and Georgiana. She describes Darcy as sweet, generous, and good-natured,
remarking that she has "never heard a cross word from him." Elizabeth is surprised to hear this assessment because
she still thinks of Darcy as grumpy and ill-tempered. She is further impressed to learn how well Darcy treats his
sister. Overall, Elizabeth's regard for Darcy increases as a result of Mrs. Reynolds's unequivocal praise.
While the party is outside in the gardens, Darcy unexpectedly arrives. Both he and Elizabeth are ill at ease, but she is
impressed by the genteel civility of his inquiries. He soon enough takes his leave, and Elizabeth is mortified that he
might think she came to Pemberley to see him. Though extremely distracted, Elizabeth attempts to make
conversation with her aunt and uncle as they walk through the garden. After a long while, Darcy reappears, and both
parties are better prepared for the encounter. Darcy asks to be introduced to the Gardiners. Elizabeth is impressed by
his politeness because she assumed he would be turned off by their lower class. Darcy even invites Mr. Gardiner to
fish at Pemberley.
As the party strolls along, Elizabeth and Darcy walk together. She informs him that she did not expect him to be
there, and he explains that he arrived early to prepare for some impending guests. He shares his hope to introduce
Elizabeth to Georgiana when she arrives the next day. Elizabeth is completely surprised, but accepts. Elizabeth and
Darcy continue to speak awkwardly until the Gardiners catch up with them, at which point Darcy sees them off with
great politeness. The Gardiners are very pleased by and surprised at Darcy's civility, having heard of his
disagreeable nature from so many people (including Elizabeth). However, they also believe the story they heard
about Darcy's ill treatment of Wickham. Elizabeth then insinuates that Darcy was not at fault in that affair.

Chapter 2
The next morning, Darcy brings Georgiana to the inn where Elizabeth is staying. Elizabeth is surprised to see them,
since the girl has only just arrived. She anxious to make a good impression on Mr. Darcy's sister and is relieved to
discover that Georgiana is equally nervous. Elizabeth notes that Miss Darcy is shy, attractive, and graceful. Soon,
Bingley arrives as well. Almost immediately, Elizabeth's anger towards Bingley disappears because of his naturally
pleasant personality. Throughout the morning, the Gardiners become completely convinced that Darcy is in love
with Elizabeth.

Meanwhile, Elizabeth is happy to observe no sign of significant affection between Mr. Bingley and Georgiana. At
one point, Bingley speaks to Elizabeth privately and inquires about Jane, insinuating that he regrets not having seen
her for so long. Furthermore, Elizabeth is amazed at Darcy's civility toward the Gardiners. Elizabeth had expected
that Darcy would disrespect them for the same reasons he dislikes Elizabeth's own immediate family and cannot
imagine why his manners have changed. Before the visitors leave, Darcy invites Elizabeth and the Gardiners to
dinner at Pemberley. They accept. The Gardiners are now fully convinced that Darcy is in love with Elizabeth and
realize that he is a much better man than they thought. Their new opinion is further validated when they discover
that most of the townspeople hold Wickham in low esteem.
That night, Elizabeth stays awake trying to discern her feelings for Darcy. She admits that she is grateful to him for
seemingly continuing to love her even after the rudeness of her rejection. She is extremely impressed by his change
of character, but is still not sure whether or not she loves him. Mrs. Gardiner decides that she and Elizabeth should
visit Georgiana the following morning in return for her great politeness in coming to see them immediately after her
arrival.

Chapter 3
Georgiana receives Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner civilly at Pemberley, although she is very shy. Mrs. Hurst and Miss
Bingley also say very little, so most of the conversation takes place between Mrs. Gardiner, Elizabeth, and one of
Darcy's acquaintances, Mrs. Annesley. Throughout the visit, Elizabeth both hopes and fears that Darcy will join
them. Darcy does eventually join them, and Bingley's sisters carefully scrutinize his actions during that time.
Caroline notices that Darcy is attempting to facilitate conversation between Elizabeth and Georgiana, so she asks
Elizabeth a pointed question about the militia. Elizabeth answers with composure, noting how both of the Darcys are
pained by the allusion to Wickham.
After Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner leave, Caroline criticizes Elizabeth to Georgiana. However, Miss Darcy has
already developed a good opinion of Elizabeth, largely on her brother's commendations. Caroline then repeats her
criticisms to Darcy, but he calls Elizabeth one of the most handsome women he has ever met and then walks away.

Chapter 4
Elizabeth receives two letters from Jane at the same time. The first is short and panicked, the second more
composed, but they together deliver terrible news: Lydia has run off from Brighton and eloped with Wickham.
Though the Forsters expected the couple to elope to Scotland (where minors could marry without parental
permission), the family now worries that Wickham actually has no intention of marrying Lydia at all. Jane begs
Elizabeth and the Gardiners to return home immediately, in part so Mr. Gardiner can help Mr. Bennet search for
Lydia in London.
After reading the letter, Elizabeth rushes out the door, only to find Mr. Darcy waiting there. Noting her flurried state,
Darcy convinces her that they should send a servant for the Gardiners and then helps her calm down. She confesses
the situation to Darcy, who becomes extremely distressed and regretful, wondering if he might have prevented it by
telling everyone the truth about Wickham. As Elizabeth listens to Darcy speak, she realizes that this new disgrace on
her family will make it impossible for him to ever renew his proposal. In this moment, Elizabeth realizes that she
loves him. After a few minutes, Darcy takes his leave, promising to keep the crisis a secret. Elizabeth watches him
go with regret, doubting that they will ever meet again on such friendly terms.

Elizabeth is certain that Wickham does not plan to marry Lydia. Knowing Lydia's gullibility, Elizabeth assumes that
Wickham must have misled her. The Gardiners return to the inn and, upon hearing the news, agree to leave
immediately.

Chapter 5
On the journey back to Longbourn, Mr. Gardiner attempts to convince Elizabeth that Wickham must intend to marry
Lydia, but Elizabeth is not convinced. She reproaches herself for not revealing the truth about Wickham's true
character to her family. They arrive at Longbourn the next day, and Jane is very happy to see Elizabeth. There has
been no news of Lydia since Jane's letters, and Mr. Bennet is currently searching for Lydia in London.
Though Kitty and Mary do not seem extremely upset by the situation, Mrs. Bennet is devastated and will not leave
her room. She blames Colonel Forster and his wife for their neglect, thinking Lydia is not the type of girl to do such
a thing. Mrs. Bennet is also worried that Mr. Bennet will challenge Wickham to a duel and die. To reassure her, Mr.
Gardiner promises to help Mr. Bennet in London.
When Elizabeth and Jane are alone, they discuss the situation in more detail. Jane shows Elizabeth the note which
Lydia left for Mrs. Forster. It reveals their sister's thoughtless and frivolous action but also proves that Lydia left
Brighton with every intention of marrying Wickham.

Chapter 6
The next morning, Mr. Gardiner sets off for London. Mrs. Gardiner decides to stay at Longbourn for a few more
days in order to help Elizabeth and Jane. In Meryton, Wickham's reputation has changed quickly and everyone now
considers him "the wickedest young man in the world."

A letter from Mr. Gardiner arrives a few days later, explaining that he and Mr. Bennet plan to inquire at every major
hotel about the couple. Mr. Gardiner also plans to request that Colonel Forster ask his colleagues in the militia if
they know anything. Elizabeth opens a letter to her father from Mr. Collins, offering his condolences for the
unfortunate situation and also criticizing the Bennets's lack of parental attention. Collins also implies his relief that
Elizabeth turned down his proposal, since her acceptance would have tied him to this now disgraced family.
Mr. Gardiner's next letter announces that Colonel Forster has unable to collect any information about where
Wickham and Lydia might be staying. Gardiner has also learned that Wickham owes over 1,000 pounds in gambling
debts, which could explain why he is in hiding. Elizabeth remains miserable throughout this period, constantly
aware that this situation will likely ruin any chance she has of marrying Darcy. Mr. Bennet decides to return home,
leaving the search to Mr. Gardiner. At the same time, Mrs. Gardiner returns home to London with her children.
When Mr. Bennet returns, he confesses to Elizabeth that he blames himself for the situation.

Chapter 7
Mr. Bennet receives an express letter from Mr. Gardiner, stating that he has found Wickham. Wickham has agreed
to marry Lydia, provided she receive her equal share of the family wealth after Mr. Bennet's death, as well as 100
pounds per year. Because this amount is not exorbitant, Mr. Gardiner assumes that Wickham's debts must not have
been as extreme as they originally believed. Mr. Bennet, however, assumes that Mr. Gardiner must have paid
Wickham a large sum of money to ensure his compliance, and is both honored and humbled by that favor. Mrs.
Bennet is ecstatic is hear the news. She begins to think about ordering wedding clothes.

Chapter 8
Mr. Bennet is determined to find out how much Mr. Gardiner has paid Wickham so that the can pay him back. Mrs.
Bennet, however, spends the entire evening talking about wedding plans and suitable houses in the neighborhood for
Lydia and Wickham. Mr. Bennet informs her that he will not receive the couple at Longbourn, nor will he give
Lydia money for wedding clothes. Mrs. Bennet is more disgraced by her daughter's lack of new wedding clothes
than she is by Lydia's elopement.

Elizabeth believes now more than ever that a future with Darcy is impossible; he would not align himself with a
family that includes Wickham. Another letter arrives from Mr. Gardiner, reporting that Wickham is planning to quit
the militia to work as an ensign with a regiment quartered in the North. The letter also mentions that Wickham plans
to pay off all his debts, both in Brighton and Meryton. After entreaties from Elizabeth and Jane, Mr. Bennet permits
Lydia and Wickham to visit Longbourn before leaving for the North.

Chapter 9
When Lydia and Wickham arrive at Longbourn, they show no sense of shame whatsoever; in fact, Lydia
shamelessly expects congratulations from all her sisters. Jane and Elizabeth are extremely distressed by Lydia's
conduct. Further, Elizabeth observes that Wickham's affection for Lydia is not nearly as strong as her affection for
him.

Lydia tells Elizabeth all the details of the wedding. She is completely ungrateful for what the Gardiners have done,
and even complains that they would not let her go out while she was staying with them. Lydia mentions in passing
that Darcy attended the wedding, but then confesses she was supposed to keep his attendance a secret. Shocked,
Elizabeth writes to Mrs. Gardiner to solicit more details about Darcy's involvement.

Chapter 10
Mrs. Gardiner's response to Elizabeth arrives, explaining that Mr. Darcy was actually the one who discovered
Wickham's whereabouts. He bribed Miss Younge (the woman who had helped Wickham to seduce Georgiana) for
the information. Darcy was unable to convince Lydia to leave Wickham behind, so he offered Wickham money to
secure their marriage. Darcy then waited until Mr. Bennet left London, at which point he shared his plan with Mr.
Gardiner and apologized for not having revealed Wickham's character sooner. Mrs. Gardiner concludes the letter by
insisting that Mr. Darcy acted out of love for Elizabeth and suggesting that she and Darcy would make a perfect
match.
Elizabeth realizes how hard it must have been for Darcy to swallow his pride and ask anything of Wickham.
However, she remains skeptical that he was motivated by love and holds onto her pessimistic view about her
chances of another proposal. Wickham interrupts Elizabeth's reflective moment. They have a guarded conversation
in which Elizabeth insinuates that she knows about Wickham's past, but she avoids provoking him further for
Lydia's sake.

Analysis
Throughout these chapters, Elizabeth's true feelings emerge: she knows that she and Darcy make a good match. In
fact, it seems that Elizabeth does not suddenly fall in love with Darcy starting in these chapters. Rather, it becomes
clear that her attraction has been growing throughout the novel, even though her prejudice has blinded her from
seeing it. Elizabeth's visit to Pemberley serves as a mini-climax in this character arc, since it forces her to confront
her true feelings. Even before Darcy arrives, Elizabeth falls in love with Pemberley and even imagines herself living
there. It is clear that the house serves as a metaphor for Darcy - it is elegant, sophisticated and evocative.
Meanwhile, Elizabeth sees Darcy from Mrs. Reynolds's perspective - which is entirely warm and favorable.

Further, the chapters at Pemberley reveal that Darcy himself has changed considerably since his last encounter with
Elizabeth. He treats her family in a remarkably civil, even outright friendly, manner. Darcy's personable nature is
notable as he is clearly taking pains to prevent class prejudice from blinding him too quickly. Where Darcy had
earlier criticized Elizabeth's relations - including the working class Gardiners - he now invites them to enjoy
Pemberley as his guests.

Darcy seems to have learned about the superiority of personal conduct over social standing. Arguably, Darcy's
politeness at Pemberley might have dried up quickly had the Gardiners been as obnoxious as Mrs. Bennet. However,
their civility and sophistication prohibits Darcy from shifting into condescending behavior, and indeed, he and Mr.
Gardiner grow closer as the novel progresses. Darcy brings Georgiana see Elizabeth right after her arrival, which is
an acknowledgement of his respect for Miss Bennet. In doing so, Darcy shirks the rigid social expectation that
makes such a quick acquaintance rather strange. Additionally, Darcy is willing to bring his beloved sister to an inn,
which is something a a highly proper woman like Lady Catherine would never do. However, Darcy shows that he
cares more about the people staying at the inn and less about the decorum of the visit.
Austen further underlines Darcy's new attitude by juxtaposing him with Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley, whose class
consciousness remains as static as ever. Bingley's sisters are downright rude to Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner, not
even bothering to receive the latter women as their guests. Furthermore, Caroline's childish attempts to demean
Elizabeth behind her back reveal her ugliness to the reader (and to Darcy, as well). Through these women, Austen is
able to portray the disconnect between breeding and behavior. Meanwhile, Elizabeth bases her judgments on what
she believes to be the quality of a person's character, focusing less on superficial class barriers. Darcy used to have
an attitude about class similar to that of Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley, it seems that his relationship with Elizabeth
has created a substantial change in his outlook. He still respects status distinctions and rules of propriety, but he is
now able to look beyond class prejudices (exemplified by his graciousness towards the Gardiners).

Austen reflects her complicated relationship with class structure by recognizing the existence and validity of the
social hierarchy while simultaneously undercutting its value. Elegant, peaceful Pemberley is certainly a metaphor
for Darcy himself, but some critics note that Elizabeth's most significant change of heart comes while she is
imagining herself as mistress of the property. She is arguably seduced by Darcy's wealth (just as Wickham is
seduced by Miss King's). Austen clearly prized social standing and wealth because her heroine ends up richer than
all of her sisters. This attitude might seem hypocritical to contemporary readers, but it is very much a reflection on
Austen's life. She grew up in the lower echelons of the upper class but lost that status over time as her family faced
financial troubles.
Some critics have argued that Elizabeth harbors a deep-seeded hatred of 'female' behaviors, as defined by her cynical
father. These behaviors include frivolity, obsession with materialism, and the use of allure to hook a man.
Meanwhile, there are actually very few strong female characters in the novel. Most of them - Mrs. Bennet, the
younger Bennet sisters, Lady Catherine - are quite frivolous and obsessed with superficial trappings. Perhaps these
choices are in themselves a way for Austen to criticize a world that forces women to prize superficiality because it is
the only way for them to secure a comfortable life (in the absence of family wealth).

The tragedy that befalls Lydia is certainly an illustration of the danger young women faced in the early nineteenth-
century. A young lady's elopement (especially following a period of unmarried co-habitation) could ruin both her
future and her family's reputation. Therefore, Elizabeth is justifiably concerned that Lydia's irresponsible decision
will ruin the possibility of another proposal from Darcy. Arguably, Elizabeth's concerns would probably be justified
had Darcy not experienced such a drastic change of heart. Mr. Darcy's reaction Lydia's elopement, however, is an
optimistic portrayal. First, he bears the news with some equanimity rather than condescension. The fact that Darcy
himself engineers Lydia's rescue shows that his love for Elizabeth is so strong that it has taught him to swallow his
prejudice and control his pride.

Lydia's selfishness actually engineers change in other characters as well. Mr. Bennet is shocked out of his indolence,
realizing that he has been neglecting his duties as a father. He does his best to remedy the situation, but Mr. Gardiner
takes on the role of the family's primary patriarch by organizing the search and helping Darcy engineer the victory.
As a side note, the fact the only men are able to grow from this tragedy (with the exception of Elizabeth, of course)
provides further illustration of Austen's limited depiction of women. Overall, Austen has a fairly cynical view of
humanity. Many critics have noted that many of the supporting characters in Pride and Prejudice are mostly well
drawn caricatures, unchanging and rather broad. Similarly, the speed at which the townspeople change their view of
Wickham (whom they previously considered an "angel of light") suggests that Austen saw most of society as
mindlessly beholden to popular opinion.

For Austen, the alternative to superficiality seems to be strong individuality and virtue. Lydia is only concerned with
her own immediate happiness and her public image, which causes her to nearly ruin her family's reputation. Mrs.
Bennet's happiness after Lydia's engagement is comically narrow-minded, proving her utter lack of moral direction.
Lydia and Mrs. Bennet's behavior is the opposite of the moral virtue that holds a community together. The
community, through word and example, inculcates those virtues in its members. A serious breach of virtue on the
part of one person is an injury not only to that person's character, but also to the characters of all his/her close
relations (especially since the older relations have an obligation to educate their children). In Lydia's case, her lack
of virtue seems in large part the result of her mother's foolishness and her father's indolence, but also of a society
that demeans women and praises petty materialism and gossip over strong individuality.

Chapter 11
Lydia and Wickham leave for Newcastle, where his new regiment is stationed. Lydia's good-byes are not very
affectionate, but Mrs. Bennet is sad to see her daughter move so far away. Mrs. Bennet learns from Mrs.
Phillips that Mr. Bingley is planning to return to Netherfield in a few days. Jane tells Elizabeth that she does not
want to see much of him, but Elizabeth remains optimistic that Bingley still loves Jane and that Darcy might have
withdrawn his objection to the match. Mrs. Bennet plans to invite Bingley to dinner, even though it is still painful
for Jane to hear his name.
After they arrive in Hertfordshire, Bingley and Darcy visit Netherfield. Elizabeth is hoping that Darcy might still
harbor affection for her, but she is ashamed by Mrs. Bennet's cold treatment of him (especially since he is secretly
responsible for Lydia's salvation). Similarly, Elizabeth is embarrassed by her mother's jubilant announcement of
Lydia and Wickham's marriage. Darcy speaks little during the visit. Before they leave, Mrs. Bennet invites the two
men to dinner, and they accept.

Chapter 12
Bingley sits next to Jane during the dinner party, convincing Elizabeth that he still admires her. Darcy and Elizabeth
sit too far apart to speak, and circumstances prevent them from conversing after dinner. Elizabeth is anxious and
annoyed because she wants to speak with him very badly. Mr. Darcy does reveal that he will be leaving for London
soon, but will return 10 days later. Mrs. Bennet is extremely pleased with the dinner, and is sure that Bingley and
Jane will soon be married.

Chapter 13
A few days later, Bingley visits again and stays for dinner. Mrs. Bennet contrives to get Jane and Bingley alone
together, but is unsuccessful. The next morning, Mr. Bingley joins Mr. Bennet to hunt, and he stays again for dinner.
This time, Mrs. Bennet is successful in arranging for Jane and Bingley to spend some time alone. When Elizabeth
walks into the drawing room, she finds them engaged in earnest conversation. Bingley quickly leaves, and Jane
reveals to Elizabeth and then the rest of the family that Bingley has proposed. Bingley returns to the room after
obtaining Mr. Bennet's blessing, and the whole family is overjoyed. From then on, Bingley visits Longbourn every
day.

Chapter 14
Early the next morning, Lady Catherine unexpectedly visits Longbourn. Though Mrs. Bennet is excited at the
seeming compliment, Lady Catherine sternly asks Elizabeth to speak in private. They go for a walk. In her
domineering and arrogant style, Lady Catherine repeats rumors she has heard about an impending marriage between
Elizabeth and Darcy. Offended at the impropriety, Elizabeth curtly refuses to dignify the woman's inquiries. When
Lady Catherine forbids Elizabeth to marry Darcy, Elizabeth ignores her. Furious, Lady Catherine leaves.

Chapter 15
The conversation with Lady Catherine upsets Elizabeth, who now worries that Lady Catherine's influence will give
Darcy more reason not to repeat his proposal. Mr. Bennet asks to speak to Elizabeth privately. He reads her a letter
from Mr. Collins, in which the pastor repeats the rumor of Darcy and Elizabeth's possible marriage and advises his
cousin to refrain so as not to upset Lady Catherine. Mr. Bennet is terribly amused by the letter because he thinks that
Elizabeth and Darcy still hate one another, but the missive pains Elizabeth.

Chapter 16
Darcy returns to Netherfield a few days later, and he and Bingley promptly visit Longbourn. Jane, Bingley, Darcy,
Elizabeth, and Kitty take a walk together. Jane and Bingley lag behind the rest, and Darcy and Elizabeth eventually
end up walking alone.
Finally able to converse privately, Elizabeth thanks Darcy for helping Lydia. Darcy wishes she had never learned
about his interference, but admits that his generosity was solely a reflection of his feelings for her. Elizabeth is
speechless, so Darcy continues to confess that his affections have not changed since his proposal and then asks
Elizabeth whether or not her feelings have changed. When Elizabeth answers in the affirmative, Darcy is overcome
with delight and speaks warmly and fervently about his love. He also explains that he gained the courage to propose
again after hearing from Lady Catherine that Elizabeth had not explicitly denied any intention of marrying him. (It is
notable that while this scene marks the engagement between Elizabeth and Darcy, neither explicitly discusses the
subject.)

Elizabeth and Darcy finally speak about his disastrous first proposal, each apologizing for the lack of civility at the
time. Mr. Darcy has been tortured by Elizabeth's reproofs from that night, but through his reflections, he has been
able to realize the extent of his selfishness and conceit. Elizabeth similarly admits that Darcy's letter helped her
overcome her prejudices. Darcy explains that he wanted to reveal his new attitude when they met at Pemberley.
Finally, Darcy admits that he had been wrong to interfere in Bingley's happiness, and explains that he withdrew his
objection before leaving for London. He also told Bingley that he believed Jane truly loved him, which is why
Bingley arrived at Netherfield ready to resume his affections.

Chapter 17
That night, Elizabeth shares her news with an incredulous Jane. Elizabeth has to convince Jane of her feelings for
Darcy. Once Jane realizes her sister is sincere, she is extremely happy. They spend half the night talking. The next
morning, Darcy and Bingley visit Longbourn. Mrs. Bennet is once again annoyed that Darcy has tagged along and
asks Elizabeth to take him for a walk so Bingley and Jane can be together. Elizabeth is quite happy to comply.
Bingley greets Elizabeth with such warmth that she assumes he knows of her engagement. During their walk,
Elizabeth and Darcy decide that Darcy will ask Mr. Bennet's consent in the evening while Elizabeth speaks to her
mother.

After Darcy speaks with Elizabeth's father, Mr. Bennet asks to speak privately with Elizabeth. He confesses his
shock at Darcy's request, thinking Elizabeth still hates him. After a long explanation, Elizabeth assures Mr. Bennet
of her affection for Darcy. She also reveals the truth about what Darcy has done for Lydia. Mr. Bennet is surprised
and happy for his daughter. That night, Elizabeth tells Mrs. Bennet about the engagement. Her mother is shocked,
but quickly forgets her disdain for Darcy when she remembers the extent of his wealth. The next day, Mrs. Bennet
acts quite politely towards Darcy and Mr. Bennet tries to get better acquainted with him.

Chapter 18
Elizabeth and Darcy converse playfully about how he fell in love with her in the first place, and why he took so long
to propose the second time. Elizabeth asks when Darcy will tell Lady Catherine the news. He steps away to write to
her, and Elizabeth writes a letter to Mrs. Gardiner. Caroline reacts with insincere affection to the news of Bingley's
engagement, while Georgiana responds to news of her brother's engagement with genuine delight. Because Lady
Catherine is so angry about the engagement between Darcy and Elizabeth, Mr. Collins and Charlotte decide to stay
at Lucas Lodge for a while. Darcy proves quite adept at weathering Mr. Collins's silliness, as well as Mrs. Philips
and Mrs. Bennet's vulgarity. After both marriages, Mrs. Bennet is extremely happy and proud.
The narrator then tells how each character fared in the wake of the marriages.

Mr. Bennet misses Elizabeth, and often visits her at Pemberley. Bingley and Jane leave Netherfield after a year and
move to Derbyshire, because the proximity to Mrs. Bennet and the Meryton relations is too much to bear, even for
them.

Kitty now spends most of her time with her elder sisters, and is much improved by their example and
society. Mary stays at home and keeps her mother company on her visits. Lydia soon writes to Elizabeth to
congratulate her on her marriage and unsubtly asks whether Darcy might use his money and influence to further help
Wickham. Elizabeth does not ask her husband, but both she and Jane send Lydia money from their private
allowances. Eventually, Caroline drops her resentful attitude of Darcy's marriage so that she can retain the right to
visit Pemberley.
Georgiana and Elizabeth grow very close and become very fond of one another. Although Darcy breaks off relations
with Lady Catherine for a while, Elizabeth convinces him to attempt a reconciliation, and she eventually visits them.
Darcy and Elizabeth remain on intimate terms with the Gardiners, whom they thank for having facilitated their
union.

Analysis
Having adequately foreshadowed the happy ending, Austen shuttles her plot forward to its conclusion. From
Bingley's encounter with Elizabeth in the earlier section, it is clear that Bingley still cares for Jane, and Austen's use
of dramatic irony has made it clear that Darcy and Elizabeth have always cared for one another.
However, there have only been external obstacles keeping Bingley and Jane apart and the misunderstanding is
quickly resolved. Elizabeth and Darcy, however, face internal challenges: their own pride and prejudice. In these
final chapters, Austen makes it extraordinarily clear that both characters have changed. Darcy's clear regard for the
Gardiners is an external indication of his change, while Elizabeth's new timidity reveals her newfound shame. It is
notable that Elizabeth becomes far less active in these final chapters, a shift that leads some critics to observe that
the novel's second half is slower than the first. However, the reason for Elizabeth's more tempered demeanor is that
she is no longer so quick to jump to conclusions.

Of course, that is not to say that Elizabeth has been entirely defanged. In fact, Lady Catherine's visit provides an
indication that Elizabeth remains firmly convinced that personality and behavior are far more important than rank.
While Mrs. Bennet is foolishly impressed at the wealthy woman's appearance, Elizabeth is quickly turned off by
Lady Catherine's rudeness and snaps at her. Ironically, Lady Catherine's attempt to prevent Elizabeth and Darcy's
marriage only serves to facilitate it. This is no accident, because Elizabeth's willingness to attack pomposity is one
of the qualities that drew Darcy to her in the first place. It is important that she indicates her love for him through an
instance of that very tendency.

Darcy's second proposal to Elizabeth serves to confirm how fully these two characters have been able to overcome
their pride and prejudice. Darcy admits to Elizabeth that her reproofs to him in refusing her proposal, particularly
her statement, "had you acted in a more gentlemanlike manner," affected him profoundly. Darcy reveals that his
upbringing has been the source of his pride. He learned to scorn everyone outside of his own social circle. It was
only when Elizabeth pointed out his faults that he was able to recognize this aspect of his character. Darcy's
progression is an example of Austen's Aristotelian ethics. Aristotle wrote that friends help each other to see and
remedy their faults of character; friendships are important because they lead to improvement in both parties.
Elizabeth's liveliness of character counteracts Darcy's tendency to be overly serious, and his excellent education and
superior knowledge of the world will prove to be highly beneficial for her, as well.

In some ways, it is strange that Austen ends her novel with a line about the Gardiners. They do not become major
characters until almost halfway through the novel, and we know far less about them than we do of even a character
like Wickham. And yet they provide a perfect vehicle through which Austen delivers her message: class is not as
important as behavior. As working people who are firmly middle class, Darcy might have looked down upon the
Gardiners early in the novel. However, at the end, the Darcys treasure their relationship with the Gardiners most of
all. The point is clear: they both emphasize quality of personality over the trappings of wealth.

The happy ending also provides some argument that Austen's attitudes about class and women are not as progressive
as some critics might like to believe. Again, Austen clearly does not see class as the sole judge of a person's
character, and yet she does posit it as a virtue by the end of the novel. She certainly approves of the education that
money affords and the dignity of behavior it allows. Similarly, she never quite makes a statement about the
unfairness of a woman's place in the world. By engineering an ending where the injustice of the entailment is
avoided, Austen does not have to make any vaguely political statements.
Instead, what concerns Austen is an individual's duty to him or herself. In the end, Elizabeth and Jane end up
happiest. These characters share is an unwillingness to compromise their principles. Lydia, who gives herself
completely to frivolity and immorality, will have to live with a deceitful husband. Charlotte, who marries simply for
pragmatic financial reasons, will have to bear the insufferable formality and long-windedness of Mr. Collins for the
rest of her life. Ironically, Elizabeth and Jane end up with husbands who are both wealthy and suited to them
precisely because they refuse to think of marriage as a business transaction or a mark of social status. Instead, they
determine what matters to them, and use that criteria to find the right husband. In this way, Austen ends her work
with a firm optimism that a woman (of a certain class, at least) can manage the world's limitations through integrity
and self-awareness.