“Pride and Prejudice” deals with the gradual union of Darcy and Elizabeth. Shortly after they began to diverge because of their “pride” and “prejudice” but in course of time Darcy’s pride demolishes and Elizabeth’sprejudice turns into a reasoned attitude and finally they are best suited to each other for a marital relationship.
At the Meryton ball when Bingley suggests that Darcy should dance with Elizabeth he makes the insulting remark that she is tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt him. Elizabeth overhears Darcy’s remark and feels somewhat slighted. She becomes prejudiced against him which is again strengthened by the lies told by George Wickham about Darcy. He says that Darcy has deprived him of his father’s promised career of a Clergyman to Wickham. Further colonel Fitzwilliam reveals to her that Darcy is responsible for dissuading Bingley from marrying Jane. Elizabeth is agitated over the revelation and hates Darcy as never before for meddling in Jane’s life.
Though Elizabeth is prejudiced against Darcy he begins to feel affection for her. He is attracted by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes. When Elizabeth was staying with the Collins’s Darcy made his first proposal to her. Elizabeth turns down his proposal accusing him of dissuading Mr. Wickham. In order to defend himself he writes a letter to her. Regarding Jane and Bingley Darcy admits that he persuades Bingley to give up Jane for he had the impression that Jane did not really love Bingley. As for Wickham Darcy states that after the death of Darcy’s father Wickham wished to take up law and gave up his claim to a church living by accepting in lieu of it 3000 pounds to use to study law. Darcy gave him 3000 pounds but Wickham misspent the money and tried to get more from Darcy and when that failed tried to elope with Darcy’s sister which was foiled by Darcy.
Now learning the truth about Wickham and Darcy’s frank confession that he has dissuaded Mr. Bingley from marrying Jane role in materializing Lydia’s marriage to Wickham because he paid all of Wickham’s debts and bought him a commission in the army. When Darcy proposes to her for the second time he says that what he has done in Lydia Wickham affair has done for the sake of Elizabeth. He did it out of his deep love for her. He wishes to know if she has changed her mind after her first refusal. Elizabeth responds that her feelings have greatly changed and that she also loves him.
Darcy admits to Elizabeth that her refusal of his first proposal caused him to examine his pride. While making his first proposal of marriage to Elizabeth he was sure that she would accept it most readily and promptly. But she had humbled him by rejecting his proposal and made him realize that he was not worthy of her as long as he remained a proud and conceited man. Thus Elizabeth had taught him a lesson by refusing his proposal which helps him to get free from his pride. As for Elizabeth she overcomes her prejudice gradually for Darcy’s real affection for her. Thus though the novel begins with their pride and prejudice against each other it comes to a happy end when they conquer their “Pride and Prejudice”.
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