Analysis of Elizabeth’s Rejection of Mr. Darcy
Elizabeth’s Rejection of Mr. Darcy
to him. This is also quite ironic, as he has made very little effort at being civil during his proposal. She is accusing Darcy of having no manners, and this accusation makes it hard for him to calm down. This can be seen by the colors and the vocabulary used: “his face was pale with anger; everything that had bothered or angered him was reflected on his face.”
Elizabeth has many reasons to say no: “but I have other provocation.” The disgust she shows towards Darcy is expressed in the use of adverbs such as “deeply rooted dislike.” She acts with “cold civility,” showing how she wishes for no further contact with this man. She accuses him of having no manners and asks him why, “with so evident a design of offending and insulting me, you chose to tell me that you liked me against your will, against your reason, and even against your character?” The repetition of the word “against” emphasizes it and also brings an accusatory, angry tone. The main reason for her refusal is Jane. Darcy separated Bingley from Jane, ruining her happiness forever: “ruining, perhaps forever, the happiness of a most beloved sister?” Lizzy’s tone is exaggerated to make the scene more emotional. However, Darcy doesn’t seem regretful at what he did: “but the emotion was short.” She again uses an accusative tone, telling him that she has “every reason in the world to think ill of you.” What Lizzy has said of him has crushed him, and he feels humiliated.
Elizabeth continues her accusation and begins to talk about Mr. Wickham. She tells him that he has “reduced him to his present state of poverty, comparative poverty. You have withheld the advantages which you must know to have been designed for him. You have deprived the best years of his life of that independence which was no less his due than his desert. You have done all this! And yet you can treat the mention of his misfortunes with contempt and ridicule.” The word “you” is constantly being used, showing he is the only one to blame. Also, the exclamation mark shows how Lizzy is losing her temper and composure. Austen described her speech as having been “cried with energy.” This shows us how frustrated and tired Lizzy is of Mr. Darcy. This unbalances Darcy: “said Darcy in a less tranquil tone.”
Even if Darcy hadn’t talked rudely about her family, she would have never accepted his proposal anyway because of her prejudice against him. His “arrogance, conceit, and selfish disdain” were enough to make her say no: “I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed upon to marry.” This superlative shows the reader that Lizzy feels nothing but disgust and hatred towards this man. “I rejoice in my success. Towards him I have been…” Austen emphasizes the “him” to show how strongly Darcy is sure of what actually happened and how he did the right thing. He is also indirectly hinting that there is another version of the story than the one Wickham told her.
Movement is also very important. Austen uses this a lot with Mr. Darcy: “quick steps across the room.” This shows how agitated and nervous he is. This is further expressed with the exclamation marks in the sentence: “This is the estimation in which you hold me! I thank you for explaining it so fully. My faults, according to this calculation, are heavy indeed!”