Austen 250 Reader Series: Pride and Prejudice (Chapters 17-24)

Hello and a heartfelt welcome to one and all. This year, in honor of Jane Austen’s 250th birthday celebration, the Jane Austen Summer Program is dedicating blog space to summarizing and reviewing the great works written by one of the world’s most renowned authors. We have now reached the point in our journey when it is time to discuss what some might consider Austen’s most treasured piece: Pride and Prejudice. Published January 28, 1813, this novel’s quick-witted characters and highly quotable dialogue have allowed this classic to become timeless and continually lauded by modern audiences. This week, we will focus on the events that unfold during chapters 17-24.

Synopsis

Following the supper and card party at their Aunt Philips’ house, Elizabeth relates Wickham’s story about Mr. Darcy to Jane the next day. Jane is sure there must be some mistake. She simply cannot think Mr. Darcy would be capable of ignoring his father’s will in such a manner. Elizabeth is firmly decided on the point, though. She believes in Mr. Wickham’s goodness.

Mr. Bingley and his sisters arrive then so they can invite the Bennets to their upcoming ball at Netherfield Park. They only stay the requisite time before hurrying away again. Elizabeth, feeling giddy and hopeful for the ball, asks Mr. Collins if he might attend and he says he enjoys dancing and means to take part. This opens him up to ask Elizabeth if she might dance the first two with him. She is surprised and disheartened, because she wanted to dance with Mr. Wickham for the first two, but she graciously accepts her cousin’s offer. It is then that she realizes he must mean to make her an offer of marriage, but she chooses to ignore his intentions. He may never actually do the proposing and getting worked up over it ahead of time would be unwise.

At the ball, Elizabeth searches for Mr. Wickham only to learn from his friend Mr. Denny that he won’t be coming. He thought it better to avoid Mr. Darcy. This irritates Elizabeth and stiffens her resolve in thinking that Mr. Darcy has done Mr. Wickham a grave injustice. She therefore makes every attempt to avoid him and when pressed into conversation with him keeps her answers succinct and curt.

After suffering through two humiliating dances with Mr. Collins and enjoying spending one with an officer, Mr. Darcy asks Elizabeth to be his partner, and she is so astonished that she accepts him. During their dance, Mr. Darcy speaks little, so Elizabeth takes to provoking him through her playful manners.

Sir William Lucas comes very close to them during the dance and says he looks forward to seeing the couple dance together again once Mr. Bingley and Jane are united. He hints at this happy occasion, which catches Mr. Darcy off-guard. He cannot recall what he and Elizabeth were discussing. She says they have nothing to discuss, but a few minutes later, she asks him to clarify some things about his character. She says she is trying to make it out but not coming along well because everything she sees and hears is contradictory. He begs her not to judge him on his present state because that might cause her interpretation to be inaccurate. She argues that she may never have another chance to get to know him. When they part, both are dissatisfied.

Unfortunately, then, Elizabeth is confronted by Caroline Bingley. Miss Bingley tells Elizabeth that Mr. Wickham is not to be trusted, but she does it in a way that is insulting. She insinuates that because Mr. Wickham’s father was merely Old Mr. Darcy’s steward, he is not capable of doing much other than behaving badly. Elizabeth is offended and marches away from Miss Bingley. When she happens upon Jane, she learns that Mr. Bingley has the same impression of Mr. Wickham, but admits to not knowing the particulars. Mr. Collins approaches then and declares he plans to make himself known to Mr. Darcy. Since he is Lady Catherine’s nephew, Mr. Collins feels obligated to report on her ladyship’s health. Elizabeth wishes she could dissuade Mr. Collins from doing this, but he is determined. She cringes throughout the introduction.

During supper, Elizabeth wishes to steer clear of her family, but winds up being seated very near her mother. Mrs. Bennet goes on and on about her hopes for Jane and the upcoming betrothal to Mr. Bingley. Elizabeth begs her mother to quiet down because she notices Mr. Darcy is nearby and listening, but Mrs. Bennet refuses. She does not care what Mr. Darcy thinks.

Then, it is suggested that one of the ladies play some music and Mary is only too happy to put herself forth. When it looks as though she will play more than one song, Elizabeth glances around, searching for help, and her father steps to the rescue. He tries to coax Mary away from the piano, but winds up embarrassing her. Elizabeth is mortified. As if things couldn’t get any more humiliating, Mr. Collins stands then and proclaims that he’d like to sing a song. Elizabeth is certain if her family members got together and discussed the best ways to embarrass themselves throughout the evening, none of them could’ve equaled what they displayed.

For the remainder of the night, her every step is dogged by Mr. Collins. When she asks if he’d like to dance with another young lady, he says he wishes to stay next to her. Elizabeth is grateful to Charlotte Lucas for occasionally joining them and listening to Mr. Collins and his conversation. The Bennets are the last to leave the ball. Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst are grumpy. And Mrs. Bennet presses Mr. Bingley to come and join their family for dinner one evening. He says he shall accept as soon as he returns from London.

The next morning, Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth. She tries to run away, but her mother insists she stay and hear him out. He begins by explaining his reasons for wishing to get married. He thinks every clergyman should set the example of being married. He thinks getting married will add greatly to his own sense of happiness. And, most importantly, Lady Catherine has told him that he must marry. He decided upon Elizabeth because he wished to make things right with Mr. Bennet’s daughters. He believes the blow of losing their home will be less torturous if he can wed one of the girls so they might stay on there after their father dies. He is really getting carried away, so Elizabeth interrupts by reminding him that she has not accepted his proposal.

               When she tells him she cannot marry him because she does not think they will be able to make each other happy, Mr. Collins assumes she is only refusing the proposal because that is the way elegant ladies behave. She assures him she has no intention of giving him false hope. She truly does not wish to marry him. But he persists by insisting that once her parents are applied to, she will change her mind and accept his offer. After all, no one else may ever propose to her. The allowance or dowry she will have is going to be meager and even though she is beautiful and charming, the inducement might not be enough to draw in another man.

Elizabeth flees from Mr. Collin’s sight and Mrs. Bennet bustles into the room offering her congratulations. When Mr. Collins reports what Elizabeth said, Mrs. Bennet calls her daughter a foolish and headstrong girl and that gives Mr. Collins pause. He says if that is true, then maybe he should not pressure Elizabeth into being his wife. He is looking for someone agreeable, rather than fractious. Mrs. Bennet tells him not to worry. She will appeal to her husband and Lizzy, upon being persuaded by her father, will be reasonable. But Mr. Bennet sides with Elizabeth. He says if she marries Mr. Collins, he will never see her again—in contrast to Mrs. Bennet, who vows she will never speak to Lizzy again if she does not wed herself to Mr. Collins.

During this flurry of activity, Charlotte Lucas arrives. Whilst Mrs. Bennet lectures Lizzy on her imprudence, Mr. Collins enters the room and begs a word with Mrs. Bennet. He withdraws his proposal and apologizes, saying if he behaved in a way that was unbecoming, he regrets it.

Mr. Collins then begins ignoring Lizzy. Jane gets a letter from Caroline Bingley. She says the whole party have gone to London and do not plan to come back any time soon. They wish to stay all winter in town. She writes: I sincerely hope your Christmas in Hertfordshire may abound in the gaieties which that season generally brings, and that your beaux will be so numerous as to prevent your feeling the loss of the three of whom we shall deprive you.

Jane and Elizabeth choose to see this letter differently because of the way Miss Bingley writes about Mr. Darcy’s sister, Georgiana. Jane thinks Miss Bingley means to warn her, to let her know that Mr. Bingley does not care for her as much as she hoped. But Elizabeth thinks Miss Bingley’s words are borne of selfishness. Miss Bingley wants her brother to admire then marry Miss Darcy because they are wealthy and stylish. And once there is one couple in the family, that may persuade Darcy to see her in a favorable light. The sisters don’t come to any agreement on this matter, except that they will only give their mother the slightest details.

Meanwhile, Charlotte Lucas has been very attentive to Mr. Collins and her kindness does not go unnoticed. Before leaving the country, he hastens to Lucas Lodge to ask her hand in marriage. She accepts him. Her parents are pleased. Even her brothers and sisters are relieved because now that she is to marry (at age twenty-seven) they do not have to worry that she will become a true spinster. Mr. Collins goes on and on about his feelings for Charlotte and she is sure they are imaginary, but she smiles politely and accepts his compliments. She begs that Mr. Collins will keep this happy news to himself so that she might be the one to tell Elizabeth. When she relays the message to Elizabeth, her friend is surprised and vexed. Elizabeth cannot believe that Charlotte would agree to marry Mr. Collins. But it is true. Elizabeth is left worrying for her friend, who she fears will never know a minute of happiness going forward.

When Sir William Lucas arrives to tell the family of the engagement between Charlotte and Mr. Collins, his announcement is met with disbelief. All the ladies think he must’ve misheard or been fed his own version of a misunderstanding. But Lizzy comes forward to congratulate him and that changes the atmosphere marginally. Mrs. Bennet feels as though she has been sorely misused by everyone and looks upon Lizzy, as well as Sir William, Lady Lucas, and, of course, Charlotte, with disdain. After some time passes, Elizabeth wishes for Charlotte’s happiness, but she still doubts its probability. She thinks of how they had once been so close, and she knows that bond has been forever broken. With that in mind, she leans further into her cares for Jane, especially after Mr. Bingley stays away for more than a week.

A letter from Caroline Bingley confirms what the Bennets feared. Mr. Bingley will not be returning to Netherfield Park for the whole of the winter. Jane is distraught and her feelings are made worse because of the way her mother reacts. Jane and Elizabeth discuss the situation with Mr. Bingley. Elizabeth is convinced that Mr. Bingley’s flexible nature is what caused the separation. He has allowed his sisters and friend to influence him. Jane won’t believe that to be true. She says she must’ve been mistaken in his regard for her. If Mr. Bingley truly had affections for her, the others would not have been able to tear him away from her side. Moreover, she can understand why they might want Bingley to marry Miss Darcy. They have known her for a long time and highly esteem her. If he does not have a strong attachment to Jane, why shouldn’t they want their brother to marry someone who is already so closely connected to the family?

Mr. Wickham represents the one bright spot during all this turmoil. Mr. Bennet even jokes that Wickham will make a fine person for Lizzy to have a little flirtation with because he will “jilt” her probably. Because Mr. Wickham is around so often and he becomes quite comfortable sharing the circumstances he has endured, the whole of Hertfordshire begins to think of Mr. Darcy as the worst of men.

Impressions

               It is a pity that the proposal from Mr. Collins comes just when it does. If he had waited a day or two, the reader might have been granted the privilege of better understanding why and how Mr. Charles Bingley was compelled to leave Netherfield Park. We know, from earlier chapters, that Mr. Bingley has a lively, capricious nature and that he values the opinions of his friends, but we know none of the particulars concerning his departure. The reader, much like Jane and Elizabeth, learns about his leaving the country secondhand, through Caroline Bingley’s correspondence. And while Jane chooses to believe Caroline Bingley is doing her a kindness by being so candid and open in her letters, Elizabeth cannot form the same opinion. She is certain the only reason Mr. Bingley has been obliged to leave Hertfordshire is because his family members and Mr. Darcy insisted upon it.

               A second noteworthy point to take away from this section is that Mr. Bennet reveals himself to be more astute than the reader might have previously gathered. It is established that Mr. Wickham is charming and well-received throughout Meryton, but it is Mr. Bennet who first mentions that Wickham will do little more than “flirt” with the young ladies about town. He even goes so far as to suggest that Elizabeth allow herself to engage in such a flirtation with Mr. Wickham, for he will “jilt” her properly. The reader knows that Mr. Bennet is not so involved in the lives of his daughters as his wife would like, but this is one time when he does intercede, almost as if to remind his girls that members of the regiment come and go. They are not meant to be tied to Meryton…or one woman…forever.

Extras

               And so, the journey continues…Next week, we will focus our attention on chapters 25-31. Do join me then, dear Janeites.