Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas got married a couple of months after the proposal. Sadly Elizabeth was not going to be able to see Charlotte as often since she was leaving to Hunsford, which was Lady Catherine de Bourgh´s estate and Mr. Collins´s home. Mrs. Bennet´s brother and his wife, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, were visiting Longbourn and were planning to stay with them for some days. Mrs. Gardiner was talking to Elizabeth one day about Jane and how hard it must be for her to accept that Mr. Bingley is gone and that he is not coming back. They were discussing about her lovely spirit and charming soul that isn't rejected and forgotten easily. Mrs. Gardiner invited Jane to stay with her for a while in London for a change. While they were talking, Mrs. Gardiner also talked to Elizabeth about her relationship with Mr. Wickham . She warned her to not fall in love with him since it can bring trouble, she knew who Mr. Wickham was. Elizabeth answered saying that she was not in love with him and that they also wouldn't form a good match together. Later Elizabeth received a letter from Charlotte saying that she is invited to visit them at Hunsford in March. Months passed and March came soon enough and Elizabeth went to Hunsford. When she arrived, Mr. Collins couldn't stop talking about the beautiful life he had with Charlotte so that Elizabeth could regret not marrying him, but it didn't work. The next day they were all invited for dinner at Rosings, which was Lady Catherine's home. There, Elizabeth realized that Lady Catherine was a very authoritative, boring and very snobby person. She even lectured and showed her disagreement towards the fact that Elizabeth never had a governess, as if it was her fault. A few days passed and they heard that Mr. Darcy was expected to arrive in a couple of days. When Mr. Darcy came they met his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, who was staying at Rosings too. When Mr. Darcy saw Elizabeth he asked about her family and she asked him about Jane and if he had seen her, but he said he didn't. Days passed and Elizabeth saw Mr. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam at Rosings very often. One day she was in Charlotte's home by herself, when Mr. Darcy came. She was impressed when he surprised her with a marriage proposal. But Elizabeth refuses him by saying that she feels nothing for him, that he is the last man in the world who she would ever marry and that she doesn't want to marry the person who ruined her beloved sister's happiness.
What I think.....
"But I have other provocations. You know I have. Had not my feelings decided against you—had they been indifferent, or had they even been favourable, do you think that any consideration would tempt me to accept the man who has been the means of ruining, perhaps for ever, the happiness of a most beloved sister?" (162)
Mr. Darcys proposal left Elizabeth very surprised and shocked. This was not something she expected or even saw coming. I do feel empathy towards Elizabeth because if I had the same information she had about Mr. Darcy and his plan to separate Jane and Mr. Bingley, I would've also rejected his proposal. But even though she was extremely suprised by this act of love from the last man in the world whom she would think of marrying, she could have reponded more politely. Here is how we all realize that Elizabeth´s pride is also big and powerful, since it also made her judge Mr. Darcy before knowing him and his true story.
“Darcy: 'I certainly have not the talent which some people possess, of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done.'
Elizabeth:'My fingers do not move over this instrument in the masterly manner which I see so many women's do. They have not the same force or rapidity, and do not produce the same expression. But then I have always supposed it to be my own fault -- because I would not take the trouble of practicing. It is not that I do not believe my fingers as capable as any other woman's of superior execution.”(150)
Elizabeth was playing the piano when Mr. Darcy came to see her and they started talking about he being shy at their first ball. He said that he does not have the ability of talking and socializing with new people. But Elizabeth tries to explain that Mr. Darcy is to blame, by comparing him to her experience with the piano. I do have a connection with Mr. Darcy on this topic because most of the time, I am also very shy around people I don't know and I am sure that all of us have gone through that at least once. But the thing is that we cant blame those people for not talking about things we like and for not pleasing us. It is our fault for not trying to find better ways to socialize with new people or trying harder. Also as a pianist, I can assure you that without practice and farther interest it is not very possibe for you to improve on a song or technique. Great piano players are made by practice and effort, but not by luck.
My final thoughts.......
In my opinion the last chapters have been really unexpected and stunning. I was really surprised when Mr. Darcy proposed to Elizabeth since didn't even see it coming. We aready knew from previous chapters that Mr. Darcy liked Elizabeth , but I thought that his pride was so big, that it would prevent him from ever showing his love for Elizabeth. I am also realizing that pride is not only found in Mr. Darcy's character but in Elizabeth too, since she uses it to reject Mr. Darcy in a impolite and superior manner. She also says that he is the last man whom she would ever marry.
My prediction for the following chapters is that Elizabeth will realize that she judged Mr. Darcy too harshly an that this will be the main point of prejudice in the book. I think that because prejudice is on the book´s title and I'm sure that there is another side in Mr. Darcy's stories. Finally, I can say that I am really glad I chose this book for my reading since it has taught me a lot of things and it has made me see the world in a different way.
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