B. Plot and Chapter summaries

Question 1

Chapter 1

Vol 1

Answer 1

The narrator begins with the statement: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”

Then the narrator begins the story. One day in their modest house in Longbourn, Mrs. Bennet shares some news with her husband, Mr. Bennet. A wealthy young gentleman, Charles Bingley, has just rented the nearby estate of Netherfield. Mrs. Bennet twitters with excitement because she wants him to meet her daughters and hopefully marry one.

* One of the most famous lines in literature, the opening establishes the pursuit of marriage as central to the social world of the English gentry. In addition, the claim that a wealthy man must be looking for a wife shows how desperately important it was for women to marry wealthy men. In Austen’s time, they had no other means of support.

Mrs. Bennet asks her husband to get them an introduction. Mr. Bennet purposely frustrates his wife by sarcastically replying that he’ll write to give his consent for Bingley to marry any of his daughters, especially Elizabeth, whom he considers especially bright.

* In terms of taking an interest in their daughters’ futures, Mr. Bennet and Mrs. Bennet are polar opposites: she gets involved while he remains distant and makes jokes.

Question 2

Chapter 2

Vol 1

Answer 2

Mr Bennet infuriates his wife by pretending to show no interest in this eligible bachelor. In fact he is one of the first people to call. Without telling his family, Mr. Bennet visits Bingley. Back at home, Mr. Bennet teases his family by pretending to be uninterested in Bingley’s arrival, only to then reveal his visit by asking Elizabeth when the next ball is scheduled and promising to introduce her to Bingley beforehand.

* It was inappropriate for women to seek a direct introduction to men, so Mr. Bennet must initially act as the mediator. Mr. Bennet’s visit shows that even he recognizes the importance of making a match.

Mrs. Bennet is delighted and praises her husband and his little joke. She promises all the girls that they’ll get a chance to dance with Bingley.

* This is an early sign of Mrs. Bennet’s fickle character. She can snap from disapproval to approval.

Stylistically these first chapters offer a mix of ironic comment by the narrator and revealing dialogue within the family.

Question 3

Chapter 3

Vol 1

Answer 3

Mr. Bingley pays a return visit to Mr. Bennet and is subsequently invited to dinner at Longbourn. Elaborate plans are made, but Bingley breaks them because of urgent business in London. He soon returns, however, along with his sister Mrs. Hurst and her husband, his youngest sister Caroline, and his friend Darcy for the upcoming ball.

* Austen focuses on just a few families of different status—the extremely wealthy upper class (Bingley and Darcy) and the less wealthy country gentry (the Bennets)—in order to reveal the class dynamics of her society on a small scale.

The ball takes place at Meryton, where the locals gossip about the newcomers. Darcy is handsome but proud and aloof. Bingley makes friends with everyone, dancing every dance, including several with Jane, which makes the Bennets very happy.

* Balls were among the few socially acceptable venues for mingling between the sexes. Here the locals make character judgments based on appearances and first impressions.

Elizabeth overhears Bingley tell Darcy that Jane is the most beautiful girl he’s ever seen. Bingley demands that Darcy find someone to dance with, and suggests Elizabeth. Darcy says she isn’t pretty enough for him. Elizabeth overhears, and is annoyed.

* Initially prideful, Darcy doesn’t think these country people are good enough for him. Elizabeth has pride, too: though looks aren’t everything to her, Darcy’s insult still stings.

Returning home, Mrs. Bennet regales her husband with an abundance of details. She is excited for Jane and convinced of Bingley’s interest in her, and detests Darcy for his attitude about Elizabeth.

* Mrs. Bennet’s attitude toward Darcy and Bingley is already fixed, showing how strong prejudices can be once formed.

Question 4

Chapter 4

Vol 1

Answer 4

Upstairs, Jane and Elizabeth talk more openly about their admiration for Bingley’s looks, humor, and manners. Jane is reluctant to say anything bad about Bingley’s sisters, but Elizabeth is skeptical of them. She thinks they are educated and polished, but conceited.

* Elizabeth is quick to judge and is unimpressed by the higher class. On the other hand, Jane refuses to judge anyone badly, which makes her seem angelic but also naÏve.

The narrator explains Bingley’s background: he has a respectable family; he inherited £100,000 and may be looking to buy an estate; and he’s renting Netherfield in the meantime.

* His sisters, Mrs. Hurst and Caroline, are very happy to follow him around. £100,000 is a lot of money, making Bingley very high class. At the same time, Bingley’s lack of a home reflects his immaturity and lack of confidence in his decisions.

Bingley and Darcy’s friendship is explained as a meeting of opposites: Bingley’s easy manner and Darcy’s more stringent personality. Bingley deeply respects Darcy’s judgment. But their demeanors are different. Anywhere they go, Bingley is sociable and well-liked, while Darcy is always so aloof that he offends people. After the ball, Bingley was delighted with the locals (especially Jane) but Darcy considered them plain and uninteresting.

* Novels about marriages are frequently concerned with bringing two parties with different characteristics into harmony. Friends like Bingley and Darcy are also opposites: each has some admirable and some weak traits that the other helps to expose and resolve.

Question 5

Chapter 5

Vol 1

Answer 5

The next morning, the Bennet women walk over to discuss the ball with their neighbors: Sir William Lucas, Lady Lucas, and Charlotte, who is their eldest daughter and is Elizabeth’s close friend.

* The Lucas family can sympathize with the Bennets because their daughters will also need husbands.

Everyone agrees that Bingley liked Jane. The conversation quickly shifts to Darcy. Apparently he offended everyone who tried to speak with him. Charlotte consoles Elizabeth about Darcy’s insult and wishes he would have agreed to a dance, but she adds that Darcy’s pride may be forgiven because of his high standing and fortune. Elizabeth responds that she could forgive his pride if he hadn’t insulted her own.

* Here Charlotte suggests that pride isn’t always bad. Indeed, pride can help protect a family reputation, or can provide the motivation to help people. Charlotte also implies that sometimes men’s faults have to be overlooked when you’re on the hunt for a husband.

Mary pompously lectures the group about human nature. She clarifies that pride is self-regard while vanity concerns what others think of you.

* Mary represents a very strict by-the-book type of morality that, Austen makes clear, needs to be tempered with experience.

Question 6

Chapter 6

Vol 1

Answer 6

Bingley’s sisters soon start exchanging visits with Jane and Elizabeth. Elizabeth suspects they are only nice to Jane because of Bingley, whose admiration for Jane seems to grow with every meeting.

* Social interaction among gentry had to follow precise guidelines, making it difficult to discern how people really felt. Elizabeth must read between the lines.

Suspecting that Jane is falling in love, Elizabeth admires her sister’s composure. She privately mentions it to Charlotte Lucas, who warns that women who don’t show their affection risk losing the objects of it. Elizabeth considers this attitude too businesslike; besides, Jane can’t know her true feelings yet.

Charlotte replies that happiness in marriage happens only by chance. Elizabeth believes that an individual should act with dignity and follow his or her feelings. In Charlotte’s view, one’s dignity and emotions must come second to the pragmatic concerns of finding financial security through marriage.

* The key theme of marriage as an economic necessity is discussed by Charlotte and Elizabeth from different perspectives. Problems between Jane and Bingley due to Jane’s habit of concealing her feelings are foreshadowed.

Meanwhile, as he spends more time with her, Darcy begins to notice Elizabeth’s beauty and verve. At a party, Sir William Lucas tries to set up Darcy and Elizabeth to dance, but she refuses. Later, Darcy tells Caroline that Elizabeth has captured his admiration, though to Caroline’s relief he seems to show no interest in marrying Elizabeth and gaining Mrs. Bennet as a mother-in-law.

* Darcy’s physical response to Elizabeth is forcing him to reconsider his first impressions. She, however, is much slower to think again.

* Darcy was prejudiced against Elizabeth because of her lower social standing, but time and exposure starts to change his first impressions. This shift shows Darcy’s capacity to change. Even so, he still deplores Elizabeth’s family’s behavior and can’t imagine joining their family through marriage. Themes

Question 7

Chapter 7

Vol 1

Answer 7

Soon after, Kitty and Lydia Bennet are thrilled to learn that a military regiment is being stationed in Meryton. They make frequent visits to Mrs. Philips to learn all they can about the officers. Mr. Bennet dismisses the girls as incredibly silly.

* Compared to gentlemen like Bingley and Darcy, military officers offered a slightly less but still respectable option for marrying.

A letter arrives to Jane from Caroline Bingley inviting her to visit. Mrs. Bennet schemes to send Jane on horseback, even though it will rain, so that she will have to spend the night at Netherfield.

* Mrs. Bennet is so desperate to get Jane married to a wealthy man that she’s willing to risk her daughter’s health by denying her shelter from the storm.

The next morning, Jane sends Elizabeth a letter explaining that she caught a bad cold in the storm. Elizabeth walks the three miles to Netherfield to care for Jane, arriving dirty and tired. Caroline later mocks Elizabeth’s appearance, but Darcy is moved by the glow of exercise on Elizabeth’s face. Jane’s condition soon worsens and Elizabeth is invited to stay at Netherfield too.

* While Elizabeth displays great loyalty to her sister, her appearance strikes Bingley’s sisters as undignified. Darcy might have thought the same thing before, but now his view of Elizabeth is influenced by his growing feelings for her.

Question 8

Chapter 8

Vol 1

Answer 8

During the conversation at dinner, Elizabeth accepts, but sees through, the empty concern that Mrs. Hurst and Caroline show for Jane. Still, she is grateful to Bingley for his sincere interest in Jane.

* Elizabeth continues to value character over class. She seems to have good intuition about people’s true character.

When Elizabeth returns upstairs, Mrs. Hurst and Caroline criticize her looks, manners, and judgment. Mrs. Hurst says she does really like Jane, but that her family situation—having few connections and no money—will block her hopes of making a good match. Darcy agrees.

* The high class women show their prejudice. Though Mrs. Hurst speaks as if in sympathy with Jane, she’s deviously trying to ruin the chances of either Bennet sister by mentioning their “family situation.”

Elizabeth returns downstairs in the evening, choosing to look through some books instead of joining in cards. Caroline, who has been absorbed with Darcy, asks him about his estate, Pemberley, and about his sister, who she deems a very accomplished woman. Darcy says he knows few women who are really accomplished. Elizabeth asks his definition of the term and, stunned by the long list of qualifications, expresses witty surprise that Darcy could know anyone who with all of those characteristics.

* By choosing books over the social fluff of cards, Elizabeth shows her inner substance. Plus she has the common sense to recognize the foolishness of society’s unreasonable ideals about women. And she has the courage to say so in company. These characteristics distinguish her more than useless accomplishments would.

When Elizabeth leaves again, Caroline accuses her of using mean tactics to raise her own status.

* Ironic, because that’s actually what Caroline is doing. Caroline wants Darcy, and puts down others to elevate herself in his eyes.

Question 9

Chapter 9

Vol 1

Answer 9

Elizabeth sends home a note requesting that her mother come and visit Jane. Mrs. Bennet arrives with Lydia and, not wishing Jane to leave Bingley’s company, declares that Jane seems worse than ever.

* Mrs. Bennet continues her ridiculous and manipulative campaign to “win” Bingley for Jane.

Mrs. Bennet, seeking to raise Jane’s status, tries to impress Bingley about her family and their situation in the country. Darcy suggests that one finds more variety of character in town than in the country, but Mrs. Bennet loudly objects. Everyone is surprised. Elizabeth is mortified and tries her best to fill the awkward silence.

* By talking up the Bennets’ status, Mrs. Bennet actually degrades it by seeming crass, foolishly proud, and clearly not of the best class or character. If you’re high class, you don’t need to tell others about it—they just know.

Lydia jumps in to remind Bingley of his promise to give a ball at Netherfield. Bingley says he hasn’t forgotten but will wait until Jane recovers.

* Lydia’s insistence is impolite. Bingley, with his better breeding, turns it into a compliment to Jane.

Question 10

Chapter 10

Vol 1

Answer 10

The next day, Elizabeth joins the evening party in the drawing room. Caroline looks on as Darcy tries to write a letter. Trying to flatter him, she offers empty compliments about his writing, but only manages to interrupt him.

* Whenever a character in P+P tries to scheme their way to social advantage, they invariably end up with the opposite result.

Elizabeth and Darcy get into an argument about Bingley’s character. Darcy says that people should always follow their convictions. Elizabeth counters that sometimes regard for others must modify one’s conduct. But Bingley, hating conflict, stops them. Darcy reiterates his pride in his own beliefs.

* Elizabeth pridefully believes that she considers other people’s views, but events will show that she really just follows her own prejudices.

As Bingley’s sisters sing at the piano, Elizabeth notices that she seems to fascinate Darcy. He asks her to dance and she playfully refuses. Still, Darcy is bewitched: he thinks that if it wasn’t for her lowly connections, he might fall in love.

* Elizabeth attracts Darcy by standing up to him. Yet class and pride are so important for Darcy that attraction alone won’t suffice.

Caroline is increasingly jealous. The next day, she takes Darcy on a walk to tease him about marrying Elizabeth and about the awful family he would join.

* Caroline tries to exploit Darcy’s pride in the integrity of his family to protect her chances with him.

Question 11

Chapter 1

Vol 1

Answer 11

That evening, Jane is well enough to join the group. Bingley dotes on her and talks to no one else. Caroline, watching Darcy read, pretends to be absorbed in reading a book. But she’s soon bored and suggests to Elizabeth that they walk around the room together. This gets Darcy’s attention.

* Conversation, books, walks: these are the few tools of seduction in Austen’s world. Caroline has to work to get Darcy’s attention. But by doing what comes natural to her, Elizabeth gets it anyway.

Caroline invites Darcy to join them, but he says he doesn’t want to interfere: they must either be sharing secrets or showing off—in which case he’s happy to watch.

* Sexual attraction in the novel are expressed only in little comments like these. But it’s definitely there.

Elizabeth advises Caroline that the best response is to laugh at what is ridiculous, which leads to a discussion of the aspects of Darcy’s character that might be ridiculed. Darcy claims that his main fault is that “my good opinion once lost is lost forever.” When Elizabeth retorts that it is difficult to laugh at a “propensity to hate every body,” Darcy says that if his defect is holding grudges, Elizabeth’s is misunderstanding people.

* Darcy incorrectly identifies his own flaw, which is the immense pride he takes in himself and his social standing. But he correctly diagnoses Elizabeth’s: she believes so fully in her own ability to see to the heart of things that she becomes subject to her prejudices and blinds herself to the truth.

Question 12

Chapter 12

Vol 1

Answer 12

Elizabeth and Jane write to Mrs. Bennet to send their carriage to take them home. Mrs. Bennet, still scheming to have them stay, replies that it isn’t available. So Elizabeth and Jane have to borrow Bingley’s carriage instead.

* Mrs. Bennet’s schemes to get Jane married to Bingley force her daughters to be beggars, making the Bennet family as a whole look bad.

Darcy is relieved: he is starting to worry that his attraction to Elizabeth might show, so he remains distant for the short remainder of her stay.

* Darcy has not overcome his prejudice against the Bennet’s low connections.

Though Mrs. Bennet is disappointed that Jane and Elizabeth didn’t stay, Mr. Bennet is glad to have them back. He had missed their conversation amid Kitty and Lydia’s infatuation with anything related to the regiment.

* Mr. Bennet wants to ignore his younger daughters’ interest in the regiment, to remain detached from anything that strikes him as ridiculous. This will come back to haunt him.

Question 13

Chapter 13

Vol 1

Answer 13

The next morning, Mr. Bennet reveals to his family that they will have a surprise guest: Mr. Collins, the relative who will inherit Mr. Bennet’s estate. The news upsets Mrs. Bennet because Mr. Collins can legally kick Mrs. Bennet and her daughters out of the house when Mr. Bennet dies. But the tone of reconciliation in Mr. Collins’ letter consoles her.

* Collins is Mr. Bennet’s heir because women weren’t allowed to inherit. This explains Mrs. Bennet’s obsession about getting her daughters married. It was the only way to ensure their financial security, and her own if her husband died before she did.

The letter explains that Mr. Collins is now a parish rector and enjoys the patronage of Lady Catherine De Bourgh—whose wealth and generosity Mr. Collins tirelessly compliments. He now seeks to make peace in the family by some unspecified plan.

* Mr. Collins gets ahead in the world not through his own virtues, but by sucking up to the rich and by his almost arbitrary future inheritance of the Bennet’s property.

When Mr. Collins arrives, he is heavy, pompous, and dull. His conversation is weighted with overwrought compliments and vague hints about making amends to the Bennet daughters.

* Austen makes Mr. Collins a ridiculous comic figure, in the process mocking all suck-ups.

Question 14

Chapter 14

Vol 1

Answer 14

After dinner, Mr. Bennet gets Mr. Collins talking about his favorite subjects: his benefactress, Lady Catherine De Bourgh; her lavish estate, Rosings; and the invalid daughter who will inherit it all.

Mr. Bennet sits back to enjoy the absurdity of Mr. Collins’s hollow praise and self-importance.

* Although a clergyman, Mr. Collins is obsessed with the worldly glories of wealth and rank. Mr. Collins himself seems to have no center. He lives only to please Lady De Bourgh.

Mr. Bennet invites Mr. Collins to read to the ladies. Offered a novel, Mr. Collins flinches in disgust and chooses instead a book of sermons. Lydia, refusing to listen to this, interrupts with bits of news about Colonel Forster. Mr. Collins seems insulted, but accepts the family’s apologies and joins Mr. Bennet in a game of backgammon.

* Austen uses Mr. Collin’s distaste for novels to poke fun at the then-common prejudice against the immorality of novels. But Mr. Collins’ readiness to play a board game instead of reading the scripture shows his shallow commitment to the gospel.

Question 15

Chapter 15

Vol 1

Answer 15

Mr. Collins has come to Longbourn with a plan to marry one of the Bennet sisters. He believes that doing so will atone for the injustice of his taking over their inheritance. He privately tells Mrs. Bennet his intentions, and she redirects his target from Jane, whom she hopes will marry Bingley, to Elizabeth. Mr. Collins obligingly agrees to shift his focus.

* Mr. Collins’ plan falls far short of providing the Bennet girls with any kind of self-determination. In addition, though he poses as a man of convictions, his love interest can change in the blink of an eye.

Mr. Collins joins the Bennet sisters in a walk to Meryton. There, everyone’s attention is captured by a striking and unfamiliar young man: Mr. Wickham, who just accepted a post in the regiment. Wickham’s conversation is friendly and lively. * Wickham is a master of first impressions. As such, he tests Elizabeth’s belief that she can see through lies and falseness to uncover the truth in things.

Just then, Bingley and Darcy come up the street and stop to chat. When Darcy and Wickham see each other, each man recoils in shock. Elizabeth wonders how they know each other.

Mr. Collins and the Bennet sisters then go to visit Mrs. Philips who invites them to dinner the next night. The girls convince her to invite Wickham too.

* Austen creates tension here: the details Elizabeth most wants to know are the one she can’t ask about, out of politeness. At this point, Elizabeth seems to like Wickham in part because he causes Darcy discomfort.

Question 16

Chapter 16

Vol 1

Answer 16

At dinner the next evening, Elizabeth is fascinated by Wickham’s pleasant demeanor. The two of them easily fall into conversation and Wickham soon asks about Darcy. Elizabeth says he is widely disliked for his pride. Wickham withholds an opinion out of respect for Darcy’s father, who Wickham reveals was his godfather and dear friend.

* On the surface, Wickham is pleasant and well-mannered. Elizabeth will remember later that while Wickham says he withholds an opinion on Darcy, he soon goes ahead and gives one. But Elizabeth is under his spell and does not notice now.

Wickham explains that he was the son of one of Darcy’s father’s employees, and that he and Darcy grew up together. Darcy’s father died and left Wickham money to pursue a career in the ministry, but Darcy, who was jealous of his father’s love for Wickham, found a loophole and refused to give Wickham the money. Elizabeth is shocked and appalled.

* With close relations to her own siblings and a keen sense of justice, Elizabeth is predisposed to believe Wickham’s story. The story also fits perfectly with her own existing prejudices about Darcy.

Elizabeth asks about Darcy’s sister, Georgiana. Wickham says that she is an accomplished young woman living in London but that she is, like her brother, distastefully proud.

* This is a lie, but Wickham is on a roll. He’s trying to separate himself from his former victim and degrade her, too.

Wickham, hearing Mr. Collins go on about Lady Catherine, informs Elizabeth that Lady Catherine is actually Darcy’s aunt. He adds that Lady Catherine apparently hopes to marry Darcy to her daughter. Such an arranged marriage would have been no surprise to Elizabeth.

* Lady Catherine seems to share Darcy’s pride in their extreme high class status.

Question 17

Chapter 17

Vol 1

Answer 17

The next day, Elizabeth tells Jane what she learned. Jane cannot believe that Darcy could be so blameworthy and that there must be other parts to the story. But Elizabeth believes Wickham, saying “there was truth in his looks.” She wonders how Bingley could actually be Darcy’s friend.

* Elizabeth dismisses Jane for only seeing the good in people. Yet at the same time, Elizabeth bases her own preference for Wickham entirely on his looks and on her own pride in her ability to read people.

Bingley and his sisters visit Longbourn with an invitation to a ball at Netherfield. Lydia and Kitty are overjoyed. Jane is excited to see Bingley, while Elizabeth looks forward to dancing with Wickham, though Mr. Collins requests that she give him the first two dances, which she must do out of politeness.

* Dancing is the closest thing to intimate physical contact allowed between unmarried people. It’s a thrill.

Question 18

Chapter 18

Vol 1

Answer 18

Arriving at the ball at Netherfield, Elizabeth is disappointed to realize that Wickham is not at the party. Elizabeth blames Darcy for Wickham’s absence. She endures two dreadful dances with Mr. Collins.

* Because Elizabeth is set in her own prejudice, she interprets everything against Darcy and blames him for everything.

Darcy then asks Elizabeth for a dance. Caught by surprise, she accepts. Their conversation is short and abrupt. Darcy is uncomfortable when she brings up Wickham.

* Darcy’s dance invite shows his growing feelings for Elizabeth. But now Elizabeth’s prejudice against him is in full effect.

Afterwards, Caroline approaches Elizabeth about Wickham. He wasn’t wronged by Darcy, she says. On the contrary, Wickham treated Darcy terribly and now Darcy has nothing to do with him.

Jane, who has been speaking to Bingley, tells Elizabeth the same story: the fault, whatever it is, was Wickham’s. But Elizabeth refuses to believe it.

* Elizabeth now has evidence, from various sources, that it was Wickham, not Darcy, in the wrong. But Elizabeth pridefully chooses to go with her prejudices against Darcy and for Wickham.

The rest of the evening is a disaster. Mr. Collins rudely introduces himself to Darcy and later pontificates to the whole assembly. Darcy overhears Mrs. Bennet talking about Jane and Bingley like they’re already married. Mary insists on playing the piano, and does so awfully. And Mrs. Bennet conspires to be the last to leave.

* Realizing that her family’s reputation is falling lower than ever, Elizabeth is mortified. Elizabeth and Jane have a social grace that their family members sorely lack. If Darcy’s major concern about Elizabeth was her family, the Bennets do everything to prove that his prejudice against them is accurate.

Question 19

Chapter 19

Vol 1

Answer 19

The next morning, Mr. Collins asks for a private meeting with Elizabeth. The rest of the family scrambles out of the room. When they are alone, Mr. Collins explains in detail his two main reasons for seeking marriage: all clergymen should marry, and Lady Catherine told him to do it. He details his income and stresses his future wife’s association with Lady Catherine.

* Mr. Collins wants to marry because of outside pressures. As he explains his reason for marrying, it becomes clear that his wife will be merely an ornament in the “respectable” life he’s creating for himself.

Elizabeth interrupts to decline, but Mr. Collins responds that women will typically reject an offer two or three times. He goes on to say that Elizabeth should accept him because she’s not likely ever to get a better offer. Elizabeth insists that she’s serious, that she and Mr. Collins could not make each other happy. He doesn’t understand. In exasperation, she leaves the room.

* Mr. Collins makes a valid point: based on her family and situation, Elizabeth isn’t likely to get a better offer. By declining his offer, she is giving up her family’s best hope to hold on to their home. Even so, Elizabeth believes too strongly in love to agree to marry a man whom she doesn’t even like.

Question 20

Chapter 20

Vol 1

Answer 20

Mrs. Bennet rushes in to congratulate Mr. Collins but is shocked to hear that Elizabeth refused him. She runs to Mr. Bennet and demands that he convince his daughter to accept.

* Although women could refuse a proposal, they were not expected to. Elizabeth shows her dedication to her happiness.

Mr. Bennet calmly calls in Elizabeth and, relishing the moment, tells her: “Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never you see you again if you do.”

* Mr. Bennet deeply respects his daughter’s intelligence. They share an ability to perceive the absurdity in the world.

Outraged, Mrs. Bennet tries to find support from anyone else: Jane, who keeps out of it, and then Charlotte Lucas, who has just arrived to visit. But it’s too late. Mr. Collins soon explains to Mrs. Bennet that, though he’s not insulted, he has changed his mind about wanting to marry Elizabeth.

* In contrast to Mr. Bennet, Mrs. Bennet doesn’t really care about Elizabeth’s happiness. She treats her daughters like chess pieces in a match-making game. Only marriage matters to her.

Question 21

Chapter 21

Vol 1

Answer 21

Mr. Collins prolongs his stay, acting coldly to Elizabeth and transferring his attention to Charlotte Lucas.

* Mr. Collins wastes no time in changing the object of his shallow affection yet again.

One morning, the Bennet sisters walk to Meryton and meet Wickham who confirms to Elizabeth that he was avoiding Darcy at the ball. He walks them home and Elizabeth introduces him to her parents. Since she’s interested in Wickham, Elizabeth believes everything he says.

* An introduction to her parents is significant: it sets the stage for courtship.

A letter from Caroline Bingley arrives for Jane, who reads it in distress. Upstairs, Jane shares the contents of the letter with Elizabeth. Everyone at Netherfield has left for London, not to return for at least six months, if ever. Caroline ends the letter by saying that she will be delighted to see Georgiana Darcy again, who she hopes will become Bingley’s wife. Jane is despondent and refuses to believe that, as Elizabeth explains, Caroline is trying to break her and Bingley up while also gaining better footing with Darcy for herself. Elizabeth does manage to convince Jane that she shouldn’t doubt Bingley’s affections.

* Elizabeth can read between the lines to discern what’s really going on. Caroline wants to prevent Jane from going any further with her brother because she does not want her own family associated with the Bennets for two reasons: she disdains them; and she believes that by marrying her brother to Georgiana she will improve her own chances with Georgiana’s brother, Darcy.

Question 22

Chapter 22

Vol 1

Answer 22

Charlotte Lucas has been attentive and encouraging to Mr. Collins. One morning he sneaks out to her house and delivers a long-winded marriage proposal. Aware of his shortcomings but wanting stability in her future, Charlotte accepts. Her parents, seeing her fortunes rise so quickly, are thrilled.

* Charlotte contrasts with Elizabeth in putting her future financial security before love. She knows that marriage is her only option to guard against a hard life.

Charlotte privately tells Elizabeth that she’s engaged, and that all she wants is a comfortable home. Elizabeth is stunned but wishes Charlotte happiness. Afterwards, Elizabeth is disappointed that her friend is humiliating herself, having “sacrificed every better feeling to worldly advantage.”

* Elizabeth thinks she could never marry just for financial advantage. But the reasons to marry are complicated. Even Elizabeth will later have a strong attraction to Darcy’s magnificent estate.

Question 23

Chapter 23

Vol 1

Answer 23

Sir William Lucas arrives to share his happy news. Mrs. Bennet and Lydia rudely exclaim that they cannot believe it, but Elizabeth intervenes to congratulate him on the match.

* Lydia and Mrs. Bennet are ignorant of social graces. Elizabeth constantly has to set the example for her family.

Mrs. Bennet fumes for days. She is angry with Elizabeth, the Lucases, and Charlotte, who will someday displace them at Longbourn. Her mood worsens when Mr. Collins returns to make wedding arrangements.

* Mrs. Bennet is so angry because Elizabeth’s rejection of Collins eliminates her only guarantee that she would be able to stay in her house if Mr. Bennet should die.

Meanwhile, Jane and Elizabeth start to worry because Bingley has not written. Jane writes to Caroline. Elizabeth believes that Bingley truly cares for Jane, but fears that his sisters, Darcy, and London will prove stronger than his love for Jane.

* Elizabeth senses that Bingley is not completely confident and might be swayed by the prejudices of others.

Question 24

Chapter 1 (24)

Vol 2

Answer 24

Caroline writes back: Bingley will certainly be gone for awhile and everyone is delighted with Darcy’s sister, Georgiana. Jane tries to put on a brave face, telling Elizabeth that Bingley has not wronged her and refusing to believe that Caroline has ulterior motives.

* Jane again insists on seeing only the bright side, denying even her own hurt feelings. It’s the opposite of prejudice, but it makes her just as blind as the prejudiced Elizabeth.

Elizabeth is disgusted that Bingley could be so weak as to let his sisters and friend determine his affections. She cites him and Charlotte as examples of human inconsistency. But Jane tells Elizabeth she judges them too harshly. Elizabeth complains that Bingley can’t direct his own true feelings.

* This is ironic since Elizabeth’s affections and prejudices are being guided by Wickham’s suave lies.

Wickham occasionally visits and his pleasant company helps to dispel the gloom. Mr. Bennet encourages Elizabeth in her pursuit of Wickham.

* Mr. Bennet continually fails to understand what will be good for his daughters.

Question 25

Chapter 2 (25)

Vol 2

Answer 25

Mr. Collins leaves again and Mrs. Bennet’s brother and wife, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, arrive for a visit. Mr. Gardiner is a tradesman in London. Mrs. Gardiner is intelligent and extremely well-liked by Jane and Elizabeth.

* The Gardiners represent the established middle class. They are a “lowly” family connection that might hurt the Bennet sisters’ prospects of marrying well.

After listening sympathetically to Mrs. Bennet’s outpouring of complaints, Mrs. Gardiner speaks with Elizabeth about Jane’s situation. Elizabeth confirms that Jane was very much in love and swears that Bingley’s departure was no accident.

* Mrs. Gardiner takes the place of Mrs. Bennet in soothing and restoring the family. She represents a stronger, sympathetic, and more sensible mother figure for the girls.

Mrs. Gardiner proposes that Jane come stay with them in London to help her recovery. While Mrs. Gardiner promises that Jane and Bingley are not likely to meet, Elizabeth secretly hopes that Jane’s presence nearby will rekindle Bingley’s affections.

* Because of their class, the Gardiners live in a very different part of town and travel in different social circles than Bingley and his family

Question 26

Chapter 3 (26)

Vol 2

Answer 26

Having noticed the warmth between Elizabeth and Wickham, Mrs. Gardiner cautions Elizabeth about making an unpromising match, warning that Wickham has no fortune. Elizabeth can only promise that she won’t rush into anything.

* Mrs. Gardiner recognizes the hard reality of needing to marry into a secure situation. Elizabeth is not convinced, and still is focused mainly on finding love.

Mr. Collins returns for his marriage to Charlotte. Before they leave, Charlotte makes Elizabeth agree to come visit. Once she is gone, Charlotte writes to Elizabeth frequently about her excellent situation with Mr. Collins, but Elizabeth has her doubts.

* Elizabeth thinks that anyone who gives up the hope of love in exchange for stability (particularly with a fool like Collins) can’t be anything but miserable.

Jane travels with the Gardiners to London and writes a letter to Elizabeth. She says that she wrote to Caroline but received no reply, and then visited Caroline but was coldly received. Now four weeks have passed and Jane has heard nothing from Bingley, and when Caroline finally paid her a return visit she was again exceedingly cold.

* Caroline knows that Jane and Bingley, if they saw each other, would rekindle the spark. So while being careful to conform to the niceties of high class social interaction, she at the same time does everything she can to discourage and denigrate Jane.

Around the same time, Wickham’s interest shifts from Elizabeth to a young woman who recently inherited £10,000. Elizabeth finds she isn’t affected much by losing Wickham’s attention. She realizes she was never in love with him and wishes him well.

* A double standard: Elizabeth judged Charlotte harshly for marrying for money, but excuses Wickham for seeking a fortune in marriage.

Question 27

Chapter 4 (27)

Vol 2

Answer 27

Sir William Lucas, his youngest daughter, and Elizabeth go to visit Charlotte, stopping along the way in London to check up on Jane. Speaking privately with Elizabeth, Mrs. Gardiner confirms that Jane feels dejected, but she thinks that Jane has finally given up the illusion of Caroline’s friendship.

* All the major characters in the novel grow and change: after her experiences in London, Jane starts to admit that people can have cruel and deceitful intentions. T

Mrs. Gardiner also consoles Elizabeth about losing Wickham. She considers his shift in attention to a suddenly-rich woman to be quite self-serving. But Elizabeth defends Wickham, reminding her aunt that she had once advised Elizabeth to think about money when marrying. Mrs. Gardiner later invites Elizabeth to join her and Mr. Gardiner on a summer tour of Derbyshire and the Lake Country. Elizabeth is delighted to accept.

* Apparently it’s okay—even necessary—to marry for money, but not okay to make it obvious. Elizabeth points out the contradiction in what is considered socially acceptable behavior.

Question 28

Chapter 5 (28)

Vol 2

Answer 28

Elizabeth, Sir William Lucas, and his daughter arrive at the parsonage home of Mr. Collins and Charlotte. Mr. Collins soon gives them a tour, taking pains to show off every architectural feature, garden view, and piece of furniture in the house.

* A parsonage home is the home given to a parish clergyman. But for a clergyman, Mr. Collins is obsessed with rank and riches. He seems to have things only in order to show them off.

If Charlotte is embarrassed by her husband, she hides it well. She takes Elizabeth on a tour of her neatly arranged home and Elizabeth realizes that Charlotte has made herself a comfortable life here.

* Elizabeth realizes that while Charlotte’s choice may mean that she doesn’t have love, she has found contentment.

The next day, the arrival of a carriage at Rosings containing the young and sickly Miss De Bourgh causes a great commotion. Everyone is invited to dinner at Rosings. Elizabeth smirks that the sickly Miss De Bourgh will make the perfect wife for Darcy. * Miss De Bourgh is the exact opposite of Elizabeth. She has all the class and wealth, but none of Elizabeth’s beauty or intelligence.

Question 29

Chapter 6 (29)

Vol 2

Answer 29

Mr. Collins gloats as they prepare for the dinner. He condescendingly tells Elizabeth not to worry that her best dress is simple, because Lady Catherine “likes to have the distinction of rank preserved.”

* Class rank is not about personal substance: it is all about the outward and arbitrary. T

At Rosings, they meet the haughty Lady Catherine, whose conversation consists entirely of commands and strong opinions. Mr. Collins and Sir William Lucas suck up to her, agreeing with everything she says. Miss De Bourgh is uncommunicative and dull.

* Lady Catherine has more pride than anyone in the book. She is also friendless and can only interact by commanding people.

After lecturing Charlotte about how to run her household, Lady Catherine asks Elizabeth a series of invasive questions about her family, property, and upbringing. She disapproves of the Bennets’ choices—educating their own daughters, failing to provide musical training—and is astonished that Elizabeth answers so pointedly, offering her own opinions to counter Lady Catherine’s.

* Lady Catherine, like Darcy, believes in a set of “accomplishments” for women. In contrast, Elizabeth is self-made and proud of having determined her own character.

Question 30

Chapter 7 (30)

Vol 2

Answer 30

Completely satisfied with his daughter’s situation, Sir William Lucas soon departs. Elizabeth and Charlotte pass the time in her drawing room, conveniently separated from Mr. Collins’s room. Their dinners at Rosings continue. Lady Catherine also visits them at the parsonage, though seemingly only to dispense advice about everything she notices.

* Charlotte’s contentment in marriage is based on being as separate from Mr. Collins as possible. Lady Catherine believes so strongly in her high-class superiority that she thinks nothing of telling “lower class” people what to do.

Lady Catherine has arranged a visit from her nephews: Darcy (her favorite) and Colonel Fitzwilliam, his cousin. Upon their arrival, Mr. Collins brings them home for a visit. Darcy meets Elizabeth with his usual reserve. Conversation is sparse. Darcy seems uncomfortable when Elizabeth asks if he ever sees Jane in London, but the moment passes.

* Lady Catherine wants nothing but the best for Darcy, which of course means her own high-class daughter. Elizabeth’s prejudice toward Darcy for breaking up Jane and Bingley remains, and Darcy’s reaction shows her attack is on point.

Question 31

Chapter 8 (31)

Vol 2

Answer 31

Elizabeth and Colonel Fitzwilliam get along very well. During one visit to Rosings, he asks Elizabeth to play the piano. Darcy leaves his aunt to watch, and Elizabeth playfully accuses him of spreading her poor musical reputation. Colonel Fitzwilliam asks Elizabeth about Darcy’s reputation. She relates how Darcy hardly danced at the Meryton ball, even though some ladies wanted partners.

* Colonel Fitzwilliam seems at first like another potential love interest for Elizabeth. While Elizabeth lacks the musical accomplishments to recommend her to Lady Catherine, her conversation is sharp and witty, highlighting her independence of spirit.

Darcy tries to excuse his behavior at the ball by saying that he lacks the conversational warmth to introduce himself to strangers. Elizabeth counters with an analogy: if she practiced piano, she might become a tolerable musician. Darcy smiles and says that neither of them performs for strangers.

* Here Darcy is trying to apologize to Elizabeth. He suggests that they share underlying similarities. He has gotten past his pride and can now perceive their fundamental compatibility.

Lady Catherine demands to be included in the conversation, and praises her daughter’s musical potential—if only she were healthy. Elizabeth notices that Darcy is totally uninterested in Miss De Bourgh.

* Lady Catherine sees quality where it isn’t there in her daughter. Pride and class prejudice make her blind.

Question 32

Chapter 9 (32)

Vol 2

Answer 32

The next morning, Elizabeth is surprised by a visit from Darcy. Conversation is awkward, and they struggle to avoid awkward silences. Elizabeth asks Darcy about suddenly departing Netherfield. Darcy suggests that Bingley is not likely to return there because of his connections in London.

After Darcy leaves, Charlotte tells Elizabeth that the only explanation for Darcy’s odd behavior in calling on her is that he must be in love with her. Elizabeth finds this idea hard to believe.

* Elizabeth’s barbed questions show that she blames Darcy for steering Bingley away from Jane. That Darcy doesn’t quite understand her question implies that she may not be entirely right. In Charlotte’s observation, Elizabeth is once again presented with evidence that she doesn’t believe because of her prejudice against Darcy.

Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam continue their visits, but Darcy is unreadable and Charlotte comes to think that maybe it’s Fitzwilliam who loves Elizabeth.

* Yet Darcy is an intensely private person, which makes him hard to read.

Question 33

Chapter 10 (33)

Vol 2

Answer 33

When she goes on walks in the countryside near Rosings, Elizabeth keeps running into Darcy by chance. During one meeting, he questions her about Charlotte’s happiness and about her own feelings for the neighborhood, Elizabeth suspects that he may actually be trying to set her up with Colonel Fitzwilliam.

* Darcy tries to figure out if Elizabeth will accept him and move to Pemberley, which is nearby Rosings. But her prejudice against him leads Elizabeth to an entirely different interpretation. Themes Prejudice Theme Icon Marriage Theme Icon On another day, Elizabeth meets Colonel Fitzwilliam on a walk. As they talk, he tells her that as a younger son, he has concerns that Darcy does not have: for instance, about having to marry for money. Elizabeth blushes.

* Unlike Wickham, Colonel Fitzwilliam is a good man. But just like Wickham, Fitzwilliam must take into account financial concerns when thinking about marriage. T

During the same conversation, Colonel Fitzwilliam relates a story about how Darcy intervened before one of his friends made an “imprudent marriage.” Elizabeth realizes that Fitzwilliam is unknowingly referencing a story about Bingley and Jane, and is appalled to realize that Darcy ruined Jane’s chances with Bingley. Darcy, she thinks, must have selfishly wanted Bingley to marry Georgiana instead. Predisposed to think of Darcy as prideful, Elizabeth’s opinion of him only gets worse when she hears the story. She can’t imagine that Darcy may have had legitimate concerns about Jane or the Bennets and sincerely wanted to protect his friend.

Question 34

Chapter 11 (34)

Vol 2

Answer 34

One day, while Charlotte and Mr. Collins go to visit Rosings, Elizabeth stays behind. The doorbell rings: expecting Colonel Fitzwilliam, Elizabeth is surprised to find Mr. Darcy.

* In Austen’s time, it would be awkward and often inappropriate for an unmarried man and woman to be alone together.

Her surprise becomes shock when he passionately confesses his love for her and asks her to marry him. Darcy then explains how his affection outgrew his concerns about Elizabeth and her family’s inferiority. Elizabeth grows angry, and firmly refuses his offer of marriage.

* It’s not very romantic to reassure someone that you’re no longer bothered by their inferiority. Darcy may love Elizabeth, but he’s still prideful, and Elizabeth responds harshly.

Darcy is astonished and demands an explanation. Elizabeth blasts him for insulting her, for ruining Jane’s happiness forever, and for robbing Wickham of his chances in life.

* Elizabeth unleashes the full force of her prejudice against Darcy, finally letting him see what she truly thinks of him.

Darcy stands by his decision to break up Bingley and Jane. He is sarcastic about Wickham’s misfortunes. And he tells Elizabeth that he was only being honest about his complicated feelings for her.

* Darcy, his pride insulted, responds with the same lack of composure. Although he isn’t smooth, he is at least honest.

Elizabeth assures Darcy that he’s the last man she would ever marry. Darcy leaves angrily and Elizabeth breaks down crying, though she soon regains her confidence that she was correct to reject Darcy.

* Elizabeth’s rejection of Darcy is the climax of her prejudice against him. Yet her crying indicates that she still may have deeper feelings for him.

Question 35

Chapter 12 (35)

Vol 2

Answer 35

The next day, Elizabeth takes a walk. She finds Darcy waiting for her. He gives her a letter of explanation. In the letter, Darcy answers Elizabeth’s charges of misconduct toward Jane and Wickham. He knew that Bingley was in love with Jane, but he detected no affection on her part and, given that, thought it unwise for Bingley to become attached to Elizabeth’s family, with its improprieties and lack of wealth. In London, he joined with Caroline in convincing Bingley to give up the attachment. Darcy also confesses, with regret, to keeping Bingley from finding out that Jane was in London, too.

* In Chapter 6, Charlotte warned Elizabeth that Jane needed to show her affections for Bingley. It turns out she was right, and that Darcy interpreted Jane’s reserve as a lack of love for Bingley. In conjunction with the Bennets’ tastelessness at the ball, he believed that the marriage was not in Bingley’s interest. However, he does not admit he crossed the line by lying to Bingley.

Regarding Wickham, Darcy says that after Darcy’s father died, Wickham resigned his opportunity with the church in exchange for money for law school. Rather than using the money to attend law school, though, he spent it on partying. When the money ran out, he asked Darcy for more money, and was furious when Darcy refused.

* Wickham turns out to be a classic example of a corrupt, directionless opportunist. In this case, Darcy’s pride meant that he refused to meet Wickham’s demands. In other words, he wouldn’t let Wickham use him.

Years passed. Wickham saw an opportunity with Darcy’s sister Georgiana, who was both rich and, at age 15, naÏve. Wickham charmed her into eloping with him, but Darcy discovered their plans and sent Wickham away. To protect his sister’s reputation, Darcy has kept everything a secret. He refers Elizabeth to Colonel Fitzwilliam to confirm the story.

* Wickham tried to seduce and marry Georgiana merely for her money. Darcy keeps it secret because even Georgiana’s willingness to run off with Wickham could ruin her reputation and wreck her own chance at a good marriage.

Question 36

Chapter 13 (36)

Vol 2

Answer 36

Elizabeth is stunned. At first, she doesn’t believe any of this information because she thinks that Darcy’s tone in the letter seems unrepentant and haughty. But, upon rereading the letter, she starts to see things in a different light. Elizabeth realizes Wickham was inconsistent and that his history was never verified. She realizes that Wickham tricked her.

* At first, Elizabeth misreads the letter just as she has misread Darcy. But then she realizes that her prejudice caused her to misread Wickham without challenging his flimsy story or motives, as she always had done with Darcy.

Elizabeth is utterly ashamed. She had considered herself to be a discerning judge of character, but now she sees that she was blind and prejudiced. Until this moment, she thinks, she never really knew herself.

* Elizabeth realizes her errors and faults, and begins to rebuild her character. She doesn’t realize it yet, but Darcy is undergoing a similar process.

Elizabeth also rereads the part of the letter about Jane, and realizes that she can’t blame Darcy for intervening: Jane was reserved, as Charlotte had pointed out; and she must admit that the other Bennets were terribly crass.

* Everything looks different when prejudices are removed. But at least Elizabeth has the strength to face and accept her failures.

On returning to the parsonage house, Elizabeth learns that Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam had both visited to say good-bye.

* Elizabeth thinks she’ll never see Darcy again because she had so wrongly insulted him.

Question 37

Chapter 14 (37)

Vol 2

Answer 37

Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam leave the next morning. Lady Catherine, now bored, requests to see Mr. Collins, Charlotte, and Elizabeth again. Lady Catherine supposes that Elizabeth is melancholy for having to leave Rosings herself, but Elizabeth declines the invitation to stay any longer. So Lady Catherine shows her how to pack.

* Lady Catherine thinks that because she is so high class she has the right to instruct other people about even the most insignificant things, such as how to pack. Her intrusions on such petty matters make her seem ridiculous.

Elizabeth keeps thinking about Darcy’s letter. She decides that she respects Darcy but hopes never to see him again.

* Elizabeth is too ashamed of herself to want to see Darcy again.

Question 38

Chapter 15 (38)

Vol 2

Answer 38

The next day, Mr. Collins delivers to Elizabeth his earnest and solemn farewell. He wishes Elizabeth the same kind of perfect happiness in marriage that he has found with Charlotte. Though Elizabeth knows that Mr. Collins assessment of his marriage is totally wrong, she must admit that Charlotte does appear to be content.

* Mr. Collins’s delusion is ludicrous: Charlotte’s contentment is based on avoiding him. Elizabeth’s recognition that Charlotte has found comfort, despite her earlier belief that Charlotte would be miserable, shows Elizabeth’s growth.

Elizabeth arrives in London to visit with the Gardiners before returning to Longbourn with Jane. Though desperate to share her news about Darcy, she is apprehensive that the news about Bingley will hurt Jane. She decides to wait until they get home.

* Elizabeth is not immune to feeling flattered that someone of Darcy’s stature would propose to her.

Question 39

Chapter 16 (39)

Vol 2

Answer 39

On their way to Longbourn, Elizabeth and Jane are met by Kitty and Lydia, who talk constantly about the soldiers. Lydia tells them the regiment will soon leave for Brighton, and that she hopes to convince their parents to take everyone there for the summer. Lydia adds, with delight, that the girl Wickham was pursuing has left town, leaving Wickham available.

* Lydia is completely blind to the reality of Wickham’s situation. Like Elizabeth, she doesn’t care about marrying for money. But she also doesn’t seem to care about marrying for love. She just seems to be “boy crazy.”

When they arrive home, Mr. Bennet is glad to see Elizabeth and Jane, Mrs. Bennet wants to hear about the latest fashions, and Kitty and Lydia want to walk to Meryton to see the officers. To avoid seeing Wickham, Elizabeth chooses not to accompany them.

* A portrait of the Bennet family’s different interests. Elizabeth’s desire to avoid Wickham highlights her own embarrassment for being wrong about him.

Question 40

Chapter 17 (40)

Vol 2

Answer 40

Later, Elizabeth tells Jane how Darcy proposed to her and also shares the part of Darcy’s letter about Wickham. Elizabeth says that she can hardly believe how Darcy got all the goodness while Wickham got all the appearance of it.

* Elizabeth now realizes the immense challenge involved in trying to know people beyond their appearances.

Elizabeth asks for Jane’s advice: should they publicize Wickham’s faults? They agree not to, for the sake of Darcy and his sister. Besides, no one would believe that Darcy is actually the good guy. Anyway, they agree, he will soon leave along the regiment with no harm done.

* In a social world that so values reputations, Jane and Elizabeth make the same choice that Darcy did to keep quiet about Wickham. It’s ironic that their silence about past scandal will only create more scandal in the future.

Question 41

Chapter 18 (41)

Vol 2

Answer 41

As the regiment prepares to depart Meryton, Lydia receives an invitation from the wife of Colonel Forster to come with the regiment to Brighton. Elizabeth secretly asks Mr. Bennet to stop Lydia from going. Elizabeth urges him to realize how Lydia’s flirty foolishness will hurt the family. But Mr. Bennet wants a quiet house and thinks Lydia must make her own mistakes. And besides, Colonel Forster will look after her.

* Elizabeth is motivated by having lost Bingley and Darcy to the Bennet’s foolishness. She urges Mr. Bennet to act like the father he’s never been. But Mr. Bennet sits back and passes the job to someone else.

In the days following, Elizabeth encounters Wickham at a social event. He blushes when she asks if he knows Colonel Fitzwilliam. When Wickham asks how Darcy is doing, Elizabeth responds that she understands Darcy better now. Wickham gets the point, and they part.

* Elizabeth cannot be directly insulting to Wickham, but she lets him know that she knows about his sketchy past. She also admits to realizing and respecting why Darcy is the kind of man he is.

Question 42

Chapter 19 (42)

Vol 2

Answer 42

Elizabeth reflects on her disappointment regarding her parents’ marriage. After Mr. Bennet realized he married a foolish woman, he sought comfort in his library and in making fun of Mrs. Bennet. Though Elizabeth hates to admit it, Mr. Bennet has failed as a respectful spouse and responsible father.

* Elizabeth shares certain traits with her father, especially humor and intelligence, but she knows these won’t suffice. She’ll add a sense of responsibility and compassion to them.

In July, Elizabeth leaves on her summer holiday with Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. They tour Derbyshire, which takes them near Pemberley. Mrs. Gardiner suggests they visit the estate. Elizabeth consents to go only when she learns that Darcy will not be there.

* Elizabeth’s hesitation about visiting Pemberley reflects her new concern for Darcy. She does not want her presence to embarrass him.

Question 43

Chapter 1 (43)

Vol 3

Answer 43

At Pemberley, Elizabeth admires the estate’s beauty. The house is lavish but tasteful, and Elizabeth imagines what it would have been like to be mistress of the place as Darcy’s wife.

* Rosings is showy, but Pemberley is tasteful. Pemberley and the high life it represents make Elizabeth fantasize about marriage.

Elizabeth and Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner are escorted around the rooms by a housekeeper who praises Mr. Darcy as a kind and generous man: good to his servants, his tenants, and especially his sister.

* Darcy is Austen’s ideal upper class man, balancing power and compassion, community involvement and dedication to family.

Elizabeth notices a portrait of Darcy. As she stares at it, the housekeeper asks if she thinks Darcy is handsome. Elizabeth says yes.

* Pemberley makes Elizabeth see Darcy differently.

As they walk, Darcy suddenly appears—he came home a day earlier than scheduled. Elizabeth is stunned and embarrassed, but Darcy is extremely polite to them all. He impresses Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner with his courtesy, offering to take Mr. Gardiner fishing in his streams. Elizabeth silently wonders if he might still love her.

* Elizabeth feels like a stalker who just got caught. But Darcy steps in and smooths out the awkward situation—a social skill Elizabeth herself possesses. Pemberley brings out an entirely different side of Darcy.

Darcy says he is expecting guests the next day: Bingley and his sisters, and Georgiana. He asks Elizabeth if he can introduce his sister to her. Elizabeth accepts. The Gardiners, having heard so many negative things about Darcy, leave with an entirely revised opinion of him.

* It is now clear that Darcy is still interested in Elizabeth; she’s getting a second chance. Darcy’s bad reputation had prejudiced the Gardiners, but here his real character shines.

Question 44

Chapter 2 (44)

Vol 3

Answer 44

The next day, Elizabeth and the Gardiners are again surprised when Darcy shows up with Georgiana and Bingley for a visit. The Gardiners note Darcy’s eagerness and realize he must be in love.

* By bringing his sister to meet Elizabeth and the Gardiners, Darcy shows he sees them as equals. He has overcome his pride.

Georgiana turns out to by shy rather than proud. Bingley, meanwhile, is delighted to see Elizabeth, and asks questions that lead Elizabeth to suspect he might still love Jane. Darcy and Georgiana invite Elizabeth and the Gardiners to Pemberley for dinner the next evening.

* Elizabeth learns much more from her extended personal encounters than she ever did from reports, rumors, and her own snap judgments based on prejudice.

Elizabeth is amazed at the change in Darcy. His pride has turned into tenderness. If he was embarrassed by Elizabeth’s relations before, Darcy shows nothing but good will toward the Gardiners. Above all, Elizabeth feels incredibly grateful that Darcy has forgiven her misjudgments and harsh rejection, and now treats her with affectionate respect.

* Darcy’s attitude toward the Gardiners—an example of Elizabeth’s “lowly” connections—indicates how Darcy has grown. In his marriage proposal, he said he could overlook them. Now, he wants to engage them as friends.

Question 45

Chapter 3 (45)

Vol 3

Answer 45

The next morning, Mr. Gardiner joins Bingley and Darcy to fish, and Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner visit the women at Pemberley. Caroline Bingley and Mrs. Hurst do not seem pleased to see Elizabeth.

* Darcy’s growth is highlighted by the Bingley women’s lack of growth—they still look down on Elizabeth.

When Darcy arrives, Caroline tries to embarrass Elizabeth by bringing up her connection with Wickham. The plan backfires: the name of Wickham mortifies Georgiana, and only Elizabeth’s cool handling of the question saves the situation. After Elizabeth leaves, Caroline mocks Elizabeth’s looks, but Darcy says he ranks her among the most beautiful women he knows.

* Caroline knows that she can’t compete with Elizabeth on substance, so she once again tries to drive a wedge between them by exploiting Darcy’s pride. But this effort only reveals her selfish, nasty character. Like Mrs. Bennet’s schemes, Caroline’s backfire because they are motivated by selfishness.

Question 46

Chapter 4 (46)

Vol 3

Answer 46

At her inn, Elizabeth receives two awful letters from Jane. The first contains the shocking news that Lydia had run off with Wickham to get married in Scotland. The second letter has much worse news: that Colonel Forster learned that Wickham had no plans to marry Lydia at all, and that the two of them were now in London. The colonel and Mr. Bennet have gone there to search; Mrs. Bennet is a nervous wreck. Jane asks Elizabeth to come home immediately; she also requests that Mr. Gardiner help Mr. Bennet in London.

* While Lydia’s running off to marry without permission is a scandal, the major threat is to Lydia herself: society placed a huge importance on a woman’s chastity before marriage. An unmarried couple living together for any length of time was considered immoral. Lydia’s reputation would be ruined and would taint the rest of her family’s reputation as well.

Elizabeth meets Darcy as she is running out the door and tells him the story. Elizabeth blames herself for not revealing Wickham’s character to everyone, which would have prevented this.

* Because of pride, Elizabeth and Darcy both tried to take the moral high ground with Wickham.

Looking serious, Darcy wishes he could offer help, and leaves. Elizabeth worries that this new disgrace to her family will put a final end to her rekindled relationship with Darcy. Soon, Elizabeth and the Gardiners are on the road for Longbourn.

* Elizabeth mistakenly interprets Darcy’s seriousness as an attempt to distance himself from her. She knows that if Lydia brought shame to the Bennets, Darcy would not marry into her family.

Question 47

Chapter 5 (47)

Vol 3

Answer 47

In the carriage, Mr. Gardiner wonders if Jane might be right in hoping for the best: Wickham knows Lydia has no money and stands to lose his reputation with his regiment, so what else could he be after but marriage? Elizabeth assures them that Wickham is an awful person, capable of anything.

* Elizabeth knows from Darcy’s story that Wickham has no morals and is therefore capable of anything. Only marrying him can save Lydia’s reputation, and that of her entire family.

At Longbourn, Mrs. Bennet is holed up in her room, frantic with nervousness, and blames Colonel Foster for not watching over Lydia. She tells Mr. Gardiner to make Lydia and Wickham marry when they are found—and to make Lydia consult her about finding the best deals on wedding dresses.

* Mrs. Bennet always tries to keep herself in the right, so she blames Colonel Foster rather than herself. And she’s just as superficial and frivolous as ever: how can she worry about dresses at a time like this?

Elizabeth and Jane dissect the situation. They are relieved that apparently Lydia did think she was getting married, which they can tell from a note she left for Mrs. Forster signed “Lydia Wickham.”

* If Lydia had not intended to marry, and was just after a sexual fling, she would be seen an indecent “fallen woman.”

Question 48

Chapter 6 (48)

Vol 3

Answer 48

Longbourn buzzes with the news. It comes out that Wickham accrued serious debts in Meryton as well as gambling debts at Brighton.

* Everyone was duped by Wickham’s genial manners and handsome appearance.

Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner search hotels in London to no avail. Mr. Gardiner suggests that Elizabeth ask for help from anyone related to Wickham.

* Mr. Gardiner implies that Elizabeth should ask Darcy for help, but she is too embarrassed.

A letter arrives from Mr. Collins. He offers condolences, but spends most of the letter underlining how Lydia’s heinous offense will ruin the other Bennet girls’ chances at marriage. Mr. Collins adds that Lady Catherine agrees with him.

* Lydia’s actions are an extreme breach of rank and polite behavior, both of which are extremely important to Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine.

More time passes, but all attempts to find Wickham and Lydia fail, and Mr. Bennet returns home. He asks Elizabeth not to talk with him about Lydia, saying that he brought this on and only he should suffer.

* Mr. Bennet realizes his fault in the matter, but tries to remain isolated from his family. He doesn’t realize that everyone will suffer, not just him.

Question 49

Chapter 7 (49)

Vol 3

Answer 49

Two days later, a letter arrives from Mr. Gardiner: Lydia and Wickham have been found! They are not yet married, but will be, provided that Mr. Bennet pay Wickham a small amount every year.

* Wickham is basically ransoming Lydia. If marriage is always partly a financial deal, Wickham has taken it to an extreme.

Mr. Bennet says he strongly suspects that Mr. Gardiner has already paid Wickham much more. Wickham would be a fool to take less for Lydia, he says. The Bennets all agree that Lydia and Wickham must marry, but Jane and Elizabeth wonder how they can ever repay Mr. Gardiner.

* Mr. Bennet has no choice. Since Lydia and Wickham are already living together, Lydia’s reputation is already tarnished. Marriage to Wickham will salvage enough of it to save the other Bennet girls from the stain.

Jane and Elizabeth share the news with Mrs. Bennet, who is overjoyed, instantly forgetting Lydia’s disgrace. Asked about repaying Mr. Gardiner, Mrs. Bennet dismisses the debt, saying that as an uncle he should pay. Mrs. Bennet rushes out to make the news about her daughter’s marriage public.

* The last part of the novel concerns gratitude, and Mrs. Bennet is despicably ungrateful. With her fake physical ailments, gossipy pride, and willingness to overlook Lydia’s recklessness, which almost took down the entire family, Mrs. Bennet is at her shallowest.

Question 50

Chapter 8 (50)

Vol 3

Answer 50

As Mrs. Bennet makes plans for Lydia’s wedding, Elizabeth regrets having told Darcy about the scandal. She expects him to distance himself from her now that Wickham will be joining the Bennet family. Elizabeth realizes that she and Darcy would have been perfect together, each capable of improving the other.

* Lydia and Wickham reinforce each other’s bad qualities. Elizabeth and Darcy, on the other hand, would have complemented each other. Elizabeth’s realization of this shows that she has really changed.

Mr. Gardiner sends a letter saying that Wickham has changed regiments to one in Northern England and that Lydia hopes they can visit Longbourn on their way. Elizabeth and Jane convince Mr. Bennet, who wants nothing to do with Lydia or Wickham, to let the new couple come visit.

* Refusing to allow Lydia and Wickham to visit would only advertise the scandal surrounding their marriage. Once again, Elizabeth and Jane must intervene to ensure that their parents act in a socially respectable way.

Question 51

Chapter 9 (51)

Vol 3

Answer 51

Lydia and Wickham arrive at Longbourn. Lydia is giddy over her marriage, mocking her older sisters for failing to get married before she did. Wickham acts as if he did nothing wrong.

* Lydia is as shallow and senseless as Mrs. Bennet. Wickham is just as crass, in his own way.

Yet during their ten-day visit, Elizabeth observes that Wickham doesn’t entirely return Lydia’s infatuation. She figures he ran away from creditors in Brighton and, preferring companionship, took Lydia along.

* This is a marriage founded not on love, but on opportunity and poor decisions. Since divorces were very uncommon, the relationship will only sour.

While gloating about the details of her wedding, Lydia reveals to Elizabeth that Darcy attended the ceremony. Lydia quickly apologizes: it was supposed to be a secret. Elizabeth burns with curiosity and writes to Mrs. Gardiner for more details.

* Darcy is the absolute last person Elizabeth would expect to be at Wickham’s wedding. To be polite, Elizabeth can’t directly ask about it, furthering the mystery.

Question 52

Chapter 10 (52)

Vol 3

Answer 52

Mrs. Gardiner sends a long reply detailing how Darcy went to London, tracked down Wickham and stopped him from abandoning Lydia and escaping to Europe, and then negotiated a deal with Wickham and presented it to Mr. Gardiner. Darcy would pay and Mr. Gardiner would take all the credit. Mr. Gardiner resisted, but Darcy was firm, arguing that it was his silence about Wickham’s character that set all of these problems in motion. Mrs. Gardiner writes that she suspects that Darcy had another motivation, however.

* Wickham is ready to abandon Lydia. Darcy realizes that this would wreck the Bennets’ reputation and totally prevent any future association he could have with them. As Mrs. Gardiner realizes, Darcy bribes Wickham in order to preserve Elizabeth’s reputation, not Lydia’s. He then refuses the credit out of pride and respect for Elizabeth.

Before Wickham leaves, Elizabeth encounters him on a walk. She reiterates that she knows his story but, resigned to be his sister-in-law, requests that they not argue about the past.

* Elizabeth will be neither fooled by Wickham nor overly prejudiced against him. She shows compassion in accepting Wickham into the family. Family unity was very important in Austen’s time

Question 53

Chapter 11 (53)

Vol 3

Answer 53

Soon after Wickham and Lydia leave, Mrs. Bennet hears rumors that Bingley is returning to Netherfield. Mr. Bennet refuses to visit him, however.

* Mr. Bennet’s pride won’t let him visit a man who hurt his daughter, even though avoiding Bingley is impolite.

Not long after, however, Bingley and Darcy visit the Bennets. Mrs. Bennet gives a warm welcome to Bingley and almost none to Darcy. She then goes on to speak glowingly about Lydia’s marriage to Wickham, much to Elizabeth’s mortification.

* Mrs. Bennet fails to welcome the person to whom she should be most grateful: Darcy. She commits another social blunder by openly discussing Lydia’s disgrace.

Darcy is not so congenial as he was at Pemberley, and Elizabeth doubts he has returned for her. Bingley, however, warms up to Jane as the initial awkwardness subsides. Mrs. Bennet reminds Bingley about having left the neighborhood so suddenly, and reinvites Bingley and Darcy to dinner.

* Outside his Pemberley comfort zone, Darcy is a different person. Elizabeth worries that her mother continues to offend him. As expected, Bingley and Jane rediscover their affection when they’re together.

Question 54

Chapter 12 (54)

Vol 3

Answer 54

At the dinner party, Bingley decides to take the seat next to Jane—just as he used to. Watching them, Elizabeth is sure that Bingley will soon propose.

* Bingley has come full circle and finally trusts his own decisions and emotions.

Darcy, however, sits at the far end of the table from Elizabeth, next to Mrs. Bennet, and barely speaks to Elizabeth. Afterwards, she feels silly for thinking she had another chance with Darcy after already rejecting him once.

* Unlike Jane with Bingley, Elizabeth has no chance to express herself to Darcy in person. Elizabeth’s inner tumult makes her a richly developed character. She is constantly reevaluating things.

Question 55

Chapter 13 (55)

Vol 3

Answer 55

Bingley visits again, this time alone. Mrs. Bennet, expecting a proposal, awkwardly clears everyone but Jane from the room. Nothing happens. The next morning, Bingley returns to shoot with Mr. Bennet. When Bingley comes inside, Mrs. Bennet again empties the room. Elizabeth returns from writing a letter and sees Bingley and Jane together by the fireside: he has just proposed marriage.

* The first non-proposal builds suspense. The second provides the payoff. In keeping with Jane’s modesty, Austen does not describe the proposal scene.

Overjoyed, Jane goes upstairs to tell her mother. Bingley and Elizabeth greet each other as brother and sister. Elizabeth knows that Bingley and Jane’s mutual understanding will make them very happy.

* Bingley and Jane’s marriage, unlike Lydia’s, will have a solid foundation of respect and mutual admiration.

Bingley tells Jane that he didn’t know she was in London, but—to Elizabeth’s relief—he leaves Darcy out of it. Jane realizes that Caroline and Mrs. Hurst had worked against her, but hopes they can repair some version of friendship.

* Bingley is honest and discrete—qualities that Elizabeth shares. Jane has matured to accept the malice in the world and uses her compassion to deal with it.

Question 56

Chapter 14 (56)

Vol 3

Answer 56

About a week later, Lady Catherine De Bourgh makes a surprise visit to Longbourn. She says almost nothing to Mrs. Bennet, coolly inspecting the rooms and property, then asks Elizabeth to take a walk.

* Lady Catherine’s first instinct is to measure the Bennets’ class rank by their property.

Lady Catherine gets to the point: she knows of Jane’s engagement; she also knows that Elizabeth has tricked her nephew, Darcy, into proposing as well. Elizabeth denies having done any such thing. Lady Catherine demands that she promise never to accept a proposal from Darcy. Elizabeth unconditionally refuses.

* Lady Catherine’s interrogation of Elizabeth is very rude. She feels her power exempts her from common decency, and she can’t believe that Darcy would choose Elizabeth. So, she thinks he must have been tricked.

Lady Catherine is shocked at Elizabeth’s nerve. She says that Darcy was always intended for her daughter, Miss De Bourgh. And that Darcy’s connection to the Bennets would bring shame, dishonor, and alienation from his family. Elizabeth, deeply insulted, denies that Lady Catherine’s arguments have relevance for either herself or Darcy: they will make their own choices. Lady Catherine drives away furious.

* Elizabeth boldly asserts her freedom of mind and freedom from the class concerns of Lady Catherine. In doing so, Elizabeth suggests that individuals can define themselves regardless of class or social prejudices.

Question 57

Chapter 15 (57)

Vol 3

Answer 57

The next morning, Mr. Bennet calls in Elizabeth to congratulate her on her upcoming engagement. Elizabeth is stunned. Mr. Bennet shares with her a letter from Mr. Collins in which he cautions Elizabeth not to go forward with an engagement to Darcy against Lady Catherine’s wishes.

* The exact opposite of Elizabeth, Mr. Collins has no independent will to act outside of Lady Collins’ stuffy social approval.

Mr. Bennet thinks the rumor about Elizabeth and Darcy is hilarious because he is certain that Elizabeth hates Darcy and that Darcy is indifferent to her. Elizabeth fakes a laugh to hide her deep embarrassment about her father’s misjudgment. But a small part of her worries that her father might be right and that she has overestimated Darcy’s interest.

* Mr. Bennet exemplifies how first impressions and prejudices can be so enduring. Elizabeth and Darcy have each changed profoundly, and the Bennets owe Darcy everything. But all of these changes are under the surface, so Mr. Bennet can’t see them. In fact, even Elizabeth isn’t entirely sure what’s going on in Darcy’s heart.

Question 58

Chapter 16 (58)

Vol 3

Answer 58

Only days later, Darcy comes to Longbourn with Bingley. They all go for a walk and Elizabeth and Darcy soon find themselves alone. Elizabeth cannot contain her gratitude any longer for all that Darcy suffered and sacrificed for Lydia. Darcy tells Elizabeth that he did everything for her.

* Elizabeth has to be a little impolite in ignoring Darcy’s request that Mr. Gardiner take the credit. But by breaking the rules, Elizabeth allows for their climactic emotional exchange.

Darcy says his feelings for her have not changed since his rejected proposal, and asks about her feelings. Elizabeth confesses that her feelings have significantly changed. Darcy is overwhelmed with happiness.

* While there is no explicit marriage proposal from Darcy yet, everything hinges on Elizabeth’s growth as a character and ability to overcome her prejudice.

Darcy explains that he started to hope after Lady Catherine informed him about Elizabeth’s stubborn refusal to follow her commands.

* Selfish plans based on class prejudice all backfire in this novel.

Darcy regrets his first proposal to Elizabeth. He’s been prideful since childhood and presumed that she would accept. He thanks Elizabeth for teaching him a lesson about humility. Elizabeth apologizes for treating him so roughly.

* Just as Elizabeth was humbled after she learned the truth about Darcy, so Darcy learned humility in realizing that his pride injured her and prevented his own happiness.

Question 59

Chapter 17 (59)

Vol 3

Answer 59

That night, Elizabeth tells Jane everything. Jane thinks Elizabeth is joking. After all, doesn’t Elizabeth hate Darcy? Elizabeth explains how her affections gradually changed, and Jane is absolutely delighted.

* Even the closest person to Elizabeth doesn’t know her feelings, which shows how closely people guarded their emotions.

Mrs. Bennet is annoyed when Darcy returns the next day with Bingley. She apologizes to Elizabeth for the inconvenience of having to go on long walks with him.

* Mrs. Bennet here provides some comic irony with her misplaced prejudice against Darcy. She should be encouraging him.

Later Darcy visits Mr. Bennet in private to ask his consent to marry Elizabeth. Mr. Bennet calls in Elizabeth. He’s stunned at the proposal, and wonders why Elizabeth would marry a man she hates. Elizabeth explains everything, and Mr. Bennet happily gives his blessing.

* Like the rest of his family, Mr. Bennet needs Elizabeth to interpret Darcy. This serves as a metaphor for how Elizabeth helps Darcy identify and correct his own flaws, bringing out his best attributes.

Elizabeth tells her mother the news that night. After a moment of shock, Mrs. Bennet joyfully stutters that Elizabeth will be genteel and rich—even richer than Jane! Elizabeth fears that her mother will continue to embarrass Darcy, but Mrs. Bennet, because she’s intimidated, treats him with uncharacteristic respect.

* Mrs. Bennet never changes. She measures her daughters’ successes by the size of their husbands’ bank accounts. She doesn’t recognize that Jane and Elizabeth have chosen their husbands for better reasons.

Question 60

Chapter 18 (60)

Vol 3

Answer 60

Elizabeth asks Darcy how he ever fell in love with her. He points to her liveliness of mind, but, like Elizabeth, he can’t put his finger on when it happened.

* Elizabeth and Darcy change gradually, through careful reflection and self-improvement. This gives their marriage a solidity that Lydia’s lacks.

Elizabeth writes to tell Mrs. Gardiner of her engagement, as does Darcy to Lady Catherine. Mr. Bennet writes to Mr. Collins who, along with Charlotte, soon return to town to congratulate the couple and steer clear of a furious Lady Catherine.

Georgiana Darcy writes to Elizabeth of her happiness at having such a sister. Caroline Bingley writes empty congratulations to Jane. Jane sees through her shallow sentiments, but replies with a nicer letter than Caroline deserves.

* The web of letters sent indicates how Elizabeth and Darcy’s marriage affects everyone. The fact that the two most shallow and class-conscious characters—Lady Catherine and Caroline—disapprove of the marriage makes it seem like a true union of equals based on respect, love, and commitment.

Elizabeth tries to insulate Darcy from the foolishness of Mr. Collins, Sir William Lucas, and Mrs. Philips, but Darcy tolerates them pretty well. Elizabeth looks forward to hosting her close family at Pemberley.

* Darcy’s pride is tempered by his new humility. Elizabeth looks forward to sharing the new wealth she has gained.

Question 61

Chapter 19 (61)

Vol 3

Answer 61

A year later, Jane and Bingley move into an estate near Elizabeth and Darcy at Pemberley. Mrs. Bennet, extremely proud, visits them often. Mr. Bennet misses Elizabeth and visits frequently, too. Kitty improves in character from spending time with her two older sisters. Mary lives with her parents.

* Elizabeth fulfills her daydreams about Pemberley and, as Darcy had hoped, eased her attachment to Longbourn. Jane and Elizabeth were always the moral center of the family, and now they are rewarded.

Lydia writes to Elizabeth with congratulations and asks if Darcy could pitch in some money for them. Elizabeth is annoyed, but sends them the money from her own savings. Lydia sometimes visits Pemberley, though always without Wickham, whose affection for her has waned.

* Lydia is as opportunistic and shameless as ever. She married a useless man and spends beyond her means. Elizabeth respects Darcy’s pride, so she only uses her own savings.

Even though Caroline Bingley is disappointed by Darcy’s marriage, she tries to make nice with Elizabeth. Georgiana and Elizabeth get along wonderfully, just as Darcy had hoped. Lady Catherine abuses Darcy in a letter, but Elizabeth eventually encourages him to make amends. Lady Catherine eventually accepts the marriage and occasionally visits. Elizabeth and Darcy remain on close terms with Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, grateful for the Gardiner’s role in bringing them together.

* Marriage plots are about compromise. Elizabeth and Darcy influence each other. Their marriage also softens Lady Catherine’s prejudices and Caroline’s disappointment. The friendship between the upper-class Darcy and Elizabeth and the middle class Gardiners shows that virtue and affection can overcome class prejudice.

Question 62

Plot summary

Answer 62

A novel in Three volumes:

VOLUME 1 LONGBOURN AND NETHERFIELD

Chapers 1 - 12

• The plot of P and P centres on marriage and this is set out in its famous opening lines”: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”
• When a rich, single, wealthy man comes to rent Netherfield Park it causes a commotion in the nearby village of Longbourn. In the Bennet household, Mrs. Bennet is desperate to marry Bingley to one of her five daughters—Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, or Lydia.
• A good marriage will be essential for the Bennet sisters because they will not inherit their father’s house and estate after he dies. Inheritance laws state that a male heir will inherit.
• Social visits are made and returned. Mrs. Bennet is very keen for her daughters to meet him.
• When Bingley meets Jane at a ball, he seems immediately smitten with her. Yet Bingley’s friend Darcy seems very proud and arrogant. He insults Elizabeth and is snobbish about the Bennets’ low social status before noticing her ‘fine eyes’ (Ch. 6, p. 21).
• Through the next few social gatherings, Jane and Bingley grow closer, while Darcy, despite himself, finds himself becoming attracted to Elizabeth’s beauty and intelligence.
• Bingley’s sisters invite Jane to Netherfield. Her mother’s scheming results in her falling ill in the rain while travelling to visit Netherfield so she needs to stay with them. Anxious to care for Jane, Elizabeth tramps across muddy fields to join her sister. This forces her to spend time with Darcy. Though Bingley’s sisters are rude and condescending to her (Caroline Bingley wants Darcy for herself), Darcy’s attraction to her deepens. Elizabeth, however, continues to consider him a snob.

Chapters 13 - 23

• Meanwhile, pompous Clergyman Mr Collins, and Mr. Bennet’s cousin and heir, visits the Bennets in search of a marriageable daughter.
• At about the same time, the Bennet sisters also meet Wickham, an army officer Elizabeth finds charming, and who claims Darcy wronged him in the past. Elizabeth’s prejudice against Darcy hardens.
• Soon after, at a ball at Netherfield, Mrs. Bennet, much to Darcy’s annoyance, comments that a wedding between Jane and Bingley is likely to soon take place.
• Collins, in the meantime, proposes unsuccessfully to Elizabeth, who declines (she believes in marriage for love not wealth/ stability), angering her mother, but pleasing her father.
• Collins then proposes to Elizabeth’s friend Charlotte Lucas, who accepts out of a desire for security rather than a need for love.

VOLUME 2:

KENT, HUNSFORD PARSONAGE AND ROSINGS PARK

CHAPTERS 1–19

• Bingley suddenly departs for London on business, and Caroline informs Jane by letter that not only will they not be returning, but moreover her brother is planning to wed Georgiana, Darcy’s sister. Jane is crushed and struggles to hide her misery. Elizabeth is sure Darcy and Caroline are deliberately separating Bingley and Jane.
• After Christmas Jane to goes to London to stay with Mr. Gardiner and Mrs. Gardiner (her aunt and uncle), hoping that she will get over her disappointment. But after she arrives Caroline snubs her and she regrets letting herself fall in love with Bingley.
• Elizabeth goes to stay with Charlotte and Mr. Collins at Hunsford Parsonage, where she encounters Collins’ patron and Darcy’s relative, the wealthy and formidable Lady Catherine de Bourgh of Rosings Park.
• Darcy and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam arrive, and Darcy surprises Elizabeth by joining her for long intimate walks.
• He has gradually changed his mind about her. He appreciates her intelligent conversation and her ‘bright eyes’. She grows angry, however, when Fitzwilliam reveals to her that it was Darcy who advised Bingley against marrying Jane.
• Oblivious, Darcy announces his love for her and proposes marriage. Elizabeth furiously refuses his proposal, accusing him of ruining Jane’s marriage and mistreating Wickham, as well as drawing his attention to the snobbish way he proposes to her ‘against his better judgement.’
• He explains that he intervened because he felt Jane did not truly love Bingley. He tells her the truth about Wickham. He is a liar and a scoundrel, who managed to seduce Darcy’s younger sister, Georgiana, in an attempt to take possession of her money.
• Elizabeth reads and rereads the letter, and begins to feel she has misjudged Darcy and may have been rash in turning him down. Darcy, we learn later realises that he must behave differently to be able to gain Elizabeth’s affections.
• She urges her father to intervene, but he chooses to do nothing.
• Elizabeth returns home. She finds that Lydia has become smitten with Wickham. Wickham and the regiment leave the area for Brighton.
• Lydia is invited to go to Brighton with Colonely and Mrs Forster. Elizabeth disagrees and tries to persuade her father not let this happen. Mr Bennet allows Lydia, to go.

VOLUME 3: PEMBERLEY AND HOME AGAIN

CHAPTERS 1–3

• Elizabeth soon accompanies the Gardiners on a summer trip to Derbyshire. During the trip, they visit Pemberley, Darcy’s magnificent estate. She fantasizes about being his wife.
• They are admiring Mr Darcy’s house, Pemberley, when he appears, unexpectedly. Darcy is warmly welcoming. He introduces Elizabeth to his charming sister Georgiana and invites Mr Gardiner fishing.She finds that his prideful behaviour has changed.
• Bingley also arrives and reveals that he is still in love with Jane.

Chapters 4–13

• Elizabeth receives letters from Jane: Lydia and Wickham have eloped. Darcy is shocked and sympathetic.Elizabeth realises how her feelings towards him have changed but assumes their relationship is over.
• Fearing a scandal that will ruin all the daughters’ futures, Elizabeth and The Gardiners hurry to Longbourn to deal with the crisis. Mr Bennet and Mr Gardiner search for Lydia in London.
• Mr Gardiner writes from London announcing that Wickham has agreed to marry Lydia. It is obvious that he has been paid to do this. But by whom?
• Lydia and Wickham arrive at Longbourn after their wedding playing the happy newlyweds and acting very inappropriately. Mrs. Bennet is happy that at least one of her daughters is married and behaves equally inappropriately.
• Lydia lets slip that Mr Darcy was at the wedding ceremony. On Elizabeth’s request, Mrs Gardiner writes to Elizabeth, privately, that it was Darcy who paid Wickham a substantial amount of money and settled his debts in return for marrying Lydia. Elizabeth is now very grateful to Darcy but assumes that is the end of their relationship.
• However Bingley and Darcy soon return to Netherfield and Bingley finally proposes to an overjoyed Jane. Darcy admits to Bingley that he was wrong to intervene in his relationship with Jane.

CHAPTERS 14–19

• While Darcy goes to London on business, Lady Catherine de Bourgh visits Longbourn and tries to force Elizabeth to promise that she will never marry Darcy. Elizabeth refuses to be bullied.
• Darcy and Elizabeth finally have a chance to talk privately. She thanks him for saving Lydia. He proposes to her again and this time she accepts, telling him her prejudice against him had made her blind. Darcy acknowledges that his pride made him act rudely. Both of them have abandoned their prejudices against each other and abandoned the pride that had stopped them expressing their feelings.
• Mr Bennet is worried that Elizabeth is marrying without love or respect. She is able to reassure him.
• The Bennet family rejoices in their daughters’ happiness. Mrs. Bennet is ecstatic that her daughter’s have landed rich husbands (the opening words of the novel seem to have come true).
• The weddings of Elizabeth to Darcy and Jane to Bingley take place on the same day. Elizabeth is glad when she can finally escape Longbourn to live in Pemberley and it is not long before Jane and Bingley decide to follow her to Derbyshire.