Pride and Prejudice Chapters 31-36
Sir William returns home alone after a week, while Elizabeth and Maria remain.
The group dines frequently at Lady Catherine’s estate, and when all are excited to learn that Mr. Darcy and his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, will visit her estate soon.
The two men visit Mr. Collins’ parsonage. Elizabeth likes the colonel, but still finds Mr. Darcy to be pompous and proud. While the group dines yet again at Lady Catherine’s, Colonel Fitzwilliam appears to take an interest in Elizabeth, while Lady Catherine is interested in Mr. Darcy. When Elizabeth complies with Colonel Fitzwilliams’ request to demonstrate her piano playing skills, they are soon joined by Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are soon engaged in conversation. Elizabeth has noted his reserved nature among strangers, and has also noted that among those he knows well, he is much more relaxed and sociable. Elizabeth gently scolds him for this, to which Mr. Darcy simply explains that it is not intentional, but simply his shy nature.
The following morning, Darcy visits the patronage yet again, where he finds Elizabeth. Again, they engage in conversation, starting out awkwardly, but becoming more comfortable as they speak. Elizabeth wants to discuss Charlotte’s new marriage, and they debate certain things. Charlotte then arrives, and Mr. Darcy leaves. Curious about Mr. Darcy’s presence, Charlotte begins to wonder if Mr. Darcy has taken an interest in Elizabeth.
A number of times over the next few days, Elizabeth happens to encounter Mr. Darcy while she is outside. She is slightly annoyed because he always joins her, never leaving her alone.
One day, however, instead of Mr. Darcy, she encounters Colonel Fitzwilliam, and their discussion turns to Mr. Darcy. The colonel mentions that Mr. Darcy once saved a friend from a poor marriage prospect. Elizabeth is offended and angry, as she assumes that this was a reference to the once- considered marriage of Jane and Mr. Bingley. Elizabeth’s anger upsets her enough that she avoids dinner at Lady Catherine’s with the rest of the party that evening.
Mr. Darcy, though, arrives at the Collins residence, after the rest of the party has departed to go to Lady Catherine’s. He unexpectedly blurts out his love for her, and even proposes marriage.
Elizabeth is shocked, and while momentarily flattered, her anger returns as he justifies the reasons that he never asked her, before this, with a number of rather insulting items. He mentions her lower social status, and her family members’ typically boorish behavior.
Indignantly, Elizabeth rejects his proposal, telling him that he is the last man on Earth who she would even consider marrying. She berates him for sabotaging the relationship between Jane and Mr. Bingley, for betraying Mr. Wickham, and for being arrogant and pompous.
Darcy is upset, and leaves in anger. Elizabeth is also upset.
Darcy writes a letter to Elizabeth, delivering it the next morning. He leaves her to read it alone. His letter explains that he had been of the strong belief that Jane did not love Mr. Bingley, and was only using him for financial gain and a boost to her social status. He wanted to protect him friend from such a loveless, and fake, marriage.
He also mentions again the improper behavior of the rest of Elizabeth’s family.
The letter continues, explaining that Mr. Wickham’s account is completely opposite of what she had been told. In fact, it was Mr. Wickham who had been imprudent, disloyal, and dishonest. The reason that their friendship had soured was NOT because of anything that Mr. Darcy had done wrong, but was due to Mr. Wickham's improprieties. In fact, it was Mr. Wickham who had conspired to enjoy the Darcys’ wealth by marrying Mr. Darcy’s sister. Mr. Darcy’s letter invites her to discuss the matter with Colonel Fitzwilliam, who he assures her will verify any of the claims made by Mr. Darcy.
Elizabeth thinks about the letter’s content, and slowly begins to realize that his description of events is certainly true. This realization is accompanied by her own self-understanding that she has been guilty of prejudice. Her own pride has blinded her from seeing the truth, and she is dismayed to realize that she does not even know herself. By the time she has come to these conclusions, Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam have departed.
Analysis:
Elizabeth finds herself repeatedly “accidentally” encountering Mr. Darcy. She remains unchanged in her belief that he is not a good man, and even finds more reason to believe this.
Her pride in believing that she has correctly assessed his character continues to fortify the belief in his bad nature.
However, when she begins to see that some of her assumptions might have been wrong, based upon faulty information, she questions her own thought process. She realizes that she may have judged him unfairly, and she realizes that before making such a critical decision, she must find the truth. She begins to understand that her own pride and prejudice have led to poor decisions, and she resolves to make changes.
