Page 58 - Middle Georgia State University - Knighted 2019

quick to disregard Jane’s good nature, and is not as brazen in her own negative opinions as she
once was. When Mr. Wickham attempts to engage her in complaint about the supposed wrongs
done to him, Elizabeth is cold and makes it clear that she has no interest in entertaining his
desires, instead intentionally bringing up Mr. Darcy to provoke Mr. Wickham, and then asserting
that “Mr. Darcy improves on acquaintance,” and “from knowing [Mr. Darcy] better, his
disposition was better understood” (205). Elizabeth is essentially telling Mr. Wickham “I won’t
give you my pity any longer. Don’t pursue me. I’m not even your friend.” Her tactics are
successful, as Wickham is unsettled by her changed attitude and ceases to pursue her company.
Elizabeth’s changes in behavior towards her family and Mr. Wickham are the first evidences that
Mr. Darcy’s letter made a lasting impact on her.

When Elizabeth encounters Mr. Darcy again, some time has passed since his proposal,
and the changes in both characters are clear. Mr. Darcy makes every effort to be courteous to
both Elizabeth and her relations, while Elizabeth is embarrassed for what he might think of her
being at Pemberley and makes every effort to curtail any words which might seem insulting.
“Every sentence that [Mr. Darcy] uttered was increasing her embarrassment; and every idea of
impropriety of her being found [at Pemberley], recurring to her mind” (219), and later, “she
began…to admire the beauty of the place; but…some unlucky recollections obtruded, and she
fancied that praise of Pemberley from her, might be mischievously construed” (221–222).
Elizabeth is carefully avoiding saying anything that could possibly hurt Mr. Darcy, and from her
embarrassment, it is clear she now values his opinion. What he thinks of her suddenly matters to
her, and she even wonders, because of his marked increase in civility, if he could still be in love
with her: “She longed to know what at that moment was passing in [Mr. Darcy’s]
mind…whether…she was still dear to him” (220). Before his letter, Mr. Darcy’s professed

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