Wednesday, September 14, 2005

When I Fell for Fitzwilliam Darcy

While Lizzy may jokingly have begun to fall in love with Mr. Darcy upon "first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley," he had captured my heart many pages before when he asked Elizabeth during their dance at the Netherfield Ball, "What think you of books?" Especially with that little smile of his that Jane Austen is particular to note for our benefit. To a bibliophile like myself, that question is the most beguiling of conversation starters. Silly Lizzy in her little fit of Wickham-loving pique fails to be charmed, but the less prejudiced reader knows better.

Or, maybe I fell earlier still when Mr. Darcy said that a truly accomplished woman in his eyes must add to all feminine talents, civilities, and gentilities "something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading." Mr. Darcy: the ultimate embodiment of the thinking woman's hero!

What if Jane Austen had married her own Mr. Darcy? Happy for her to be the wife of such a man! Sad for us, since she would most likely have abandoned literary pursuits in her state of domestic felicity.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Isn't "felicity" such a lovely word? Oh, that we could all find our own Fitzwilliam Darcy in this world. Til thn, we relish in the writings of Miss Austen.

Anonymous said...

I still find myself falling for Mr. Darcy years after I read the novel for the very first time. He has such depth, mostly unwritten but surmised. I happen to love those flaws so evident in him...because I knew upon his first description by Austen that he was a proverbial "work in progress". Aren't we all? Please excuse me while I pick up a book and fall in love once again. :)

Anonymous said...

i just cant seem to have enough of Mr. Darcy.. He is the most amazing, kind , loving person i can ever think of.. every time i read P n P, i find myself loving him more and more, wishing i could be his Elizabeth!
I hope i can come across my Mr. Darcy some day!!