Elizabeth’s Reaction to Darcy’s Letter in Chapter 35 and 36
posted October 30, 2009 - 6:18amElizabeth experiences many feelings about the letter. Upon receiving it from Fitzwilliam Darcy, Elizabeth is bemused as to the content. She cannot understand why he would wish to speak to her when he was so hostile after her rejection the previous night. She had “the strongest curiosity
rdquo; and did not know what to expect from it.
After overcoming her initial surprise at receiving the letter from him, she opens and reads it. At first, she refuses to believe the content and that which he says preferring to stick to her prejudice and not wishing to injure her pride. “She [was] persuaded that he could have no explanation to give, which a just sense of shame could not conceal”.
Gradually, she begins to realise the truth. She sees that his account of Wickham makes sense and fits in perfectly. “She was now struck with the impropriety of such communications to a stranger” and understands how obvious his hypocrisy was. How Wickham had refused to expose Darcy, saying it was out of respect for the father and then when Darcy left the country; “he had then no reserves, no scruples in sinking Mr. Darcy’s character”. This is the starting point of her change of heart and realisation that she was wrong. She comprehends her own weaknesses for the first time in her young life.
Once she thinks about Darcy and Wickham’s stories, she observes how “blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd” she has been. Everything that she has heard from the two of them remoulds itself so that she has a new portrait of the characters of the two. Over time she sees the impropriety exhibited by her relations, particularly Lydia and her mother. Then she even begins to understand why Darcy perceived a lack of true love from Jane towards Bingley. It is because of her calm and amiable character towards all. In the end she totally changes her opinion of Darcy’s judgement and in the process learns a valuable lesson; she too, like everyone else, has flaws and makes mistakes.
Join Xomba Today
Do you like to write? Would you like to make a little extra money on the side? These people do. Join the Xomba community today.
Become a Member
Comments
Post new comment