Pride and Prejudice: Ch. 11- 16

Quote 1: "It has often led him to be liberal and generous, --to give his money freely, to display hospitality, to assist his tenants, and relieve the poor. Family pride, and filial pride, for he is very proud of what his father was, have done this. Not to appear to disgrace his family, to degenerate from the popular qualities, or lose the influence of the Pemberley House, is a powerful motive" (62).

There was a profound stress between personal desire and familial obligations, what one person wanted versus what was supposed to be done. Mr. Darcy took familial obligations "to give his money freely, to display hospitality, to assist his tenants, and relieve the poor" all because he did not want to disgrace his family or lose influence over his estate. His father left his family with a good name and it was his son's job to carry it on. Mr. Darcy does not believe in associating with people below his class, which makes it more unreasonable that he would be so kind on his own to be helping the unfortunate. As long as Mr. Darcy sat at a high position in society, nothing else mattered. Marriage was also similar. A woman had to marry a man that was above her in society. Love was never the main basis for anything. It usually started out as a mercenary marriage and led into love afterwards.


Quote 2: "His pride never deserts him; but with the rich, he is liberal-minded, just, sincere, rational, honorable, and perhaps agreeable, --allowing something for fortune and figure" (62-63).

In this time period, pride was not simply arrogance. People used pride in their position amongst others. Not only is pride closely affiliated with valor, but it also represented a strength of character. Pride was key in helping to preserve correct social alliances. Thus, Mr. Darcy is audacious around the Bennet family, who are below his standards. Mr. Wickham mentions his good relations with the wealthy, which, in other words, would be a correct social alliance in the eyes of Mr. Darcy. Though his pride may be helpful when it comes to the wealthy, Mr. Darcy does not seem to understand that people below his standards also have just as much thought and feeling as he does. They find him distasteful because of his superiority and lack of manners, things he uses well around the wealthy.