Pride and Prejudice Chapter 61

Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are married on the same day that Jane and Mr. Bingley are married.  

Both of them eventually move to their respective homes, but both are within 30 miles of the family. Their sister Kitty visits them frequently, but is never permitted to visit her sister Lydia, as her father forbids it.  

Lydia and Mr. Wickham’s remain irresponsible, sometimes asking other family members for money, as they are unable to manage their own expenses.  

Lady Catherine remains indignant and angry for a time, but eventually accepts the marriage of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.

Georgiana becomes very close, like a sister, to Elizabeth and Jane.  

The Gardiners remain close to the Darcys. The newlyweds feel that the Gardiners were instrumental in facilitating their romance, and remain grateful to them.  

Analysis: 

This chapter wraps all of the parallel story-lines up very neatly and cleanly. The reader is given absolute confirmation that recent proposals are seen through to fruition.  

Austen’s writing is known for ending on generally positive terms, and “Pride and Prejudice” is no exception. Three of the Bennet sisters have married, and in spite of reservations and doubts that Elizabeth had first felt, all marriages are happy. We’ve seen romances perilously close to failure throughout the book, but in the end, all has worked out very nicely. Even so-called villains, such as Lady Catherine, eventually warm up to actual circumstances, and accept them without anger or spitefulness.  

The moral of the story is implied very strongly here, that which says that in order for true love and happiness to be possible, one must first understand the other person completely, and with unprejudiced eyes… and the only way to accomplish this is by understanding one’s self first.