Are we more than the sum of our parts and should arbitrary circumstances of birth determine our chance for happiness?
—
The Author and setting: Jane Austen (12.16.1775-9.18.1817) has been delighting readers for centuries. She was an English novelist who mastered the art of romantic fiction mixed with biting irony and perceptive and insightful social commentary. Her stories are set among the landed gentry who could live entirely off income derived from their lands and generally occupied themselves in the management of their lands, politics and armed forces.
Austen is one of the most widely read writers in English literature and her books have been adapted to the theatre, television and film. Surprisingly, although her work was popular it did not bring her critical acclaim during her life, but by the 1940s she became widely accepted in academia as a great English writer.
Her Novels: Austen wrote ad published 4 novels from 1811 to 1816: Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1815). Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were both published posthumously in 1818. She did begin another novel titled Sanditon, but died before completing it.
Her novels highlighted women’s dependence on marriage for economic security and social standing and describe in great detail the inner workings of English society and class system, where great emphasis was placed on circumstances of birth and position in society. Her heroines were most often on the fringes of the landed gentry (in their teen or early twenties), and in relative meager circumstances to their wealthier relatives and higher ups, although more often than not, still able to live in relatively comfortable houses with servants.
Pride and Prejudice and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Pride and Prejudice centers on Elizabeth Bennet, the second eldest of five daughters of a country gentleman who inherited limited wealth that allows him to live in a nice country house (relative to the wealthier characters it is small and shabby) with his family and handful of servants. Since he only has daughters who cannot inherit (that law was recently changed to allow women to inherit as well), once he passes his family will be at the mercy of a nephew Mr. Collins who will inherit the estate.
At a ball for those in “Society” Jane (the eldest and most beautiful Bennet daughter) falls for Mr. Bingley, a wealthy young bachelor who comes to the ball with his best mate Mr. Darcy (the male protagonist of the novel) who makes a less than favorable impression appearing proud and condescending and thus running afoul of Lizzy (Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist and main voice in the novel).
As Lizzy and Mr. Darcy’s paths keep crossing and after several critical and dramatic misunderstandings and perceived “wrongs” are aired out in letters and conversations, their true nature (Mr. Darcy’s great generosity and good intentions, and Lizzy sense of honor and fairness with a large dose of positive self awareness) breaks through the social and emotional restraints and they fall in love and lust and head out to live happily ever after in Mr. Darcy’s immense estate on his equally immense wealth.)
There have been many theatre, television and film adaptations of Pride and Prejudice, but by far my favorite one is the 2005 film staring (with an amazing supporting cast) Keira Knightley as Lizzy and Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy. This adaptation benefits from great acting talent as well as amazing locations, cinematography and music all grounded and elevated by a great script.
Mr. Darcy and us: Mr. Darcy is one of my favorite Austin characters. I can’t help (as I suspect many men do) find many relatable traits in him as well as in the situations and predicaments he finds himself in. He is perceived as arrogant when he is actually socially awkward. He has a highly developed sense of honor and fairness which comes of as superior and entitled and is very generous to his friends and relatives as well as those “in inferior circumstances,” although he does not want it to be common knowledge or to take credit for it (a bygone feeling and philosophy of “Noblesse Oblige”).
One has to wonder if Mr. Darcy would be Mr. Darcy had he not had great wealth as an added or even main attraction. Let’s not forget that his acts of generosity and kindness towards Lizzy’s relatives and others were only possible because of his wealth and position in society (there is a great scene in the 2005 movie when Lizzy visits his country estate with her aunt and uncle and, for the first time, realizes just how wealthy he is. And it just happens to coincide with her realization that she is in love with him).
Once can argue about the character (and luck) required for the creation and accumulation of wealth vs. inherited wealth. One can argue over the importance of marrying into wealth vs. building a life together as equals. One can also argue about the very complicated elements of attraction as well as building and sustaining a long-term relationship or marriage and the critical importance of money in that mix.
One thing is clear. Mr. Darcy would not be as attractive to Lizzy or to all of us had he been a pauper nor would he be able to play such a pivotal role in the story. His wealth is the foundation of his character and roots of his importance to Lizzy and to us. When one thinks about our culture today one can’t help but feel a little sad. 1800s English has Jane Austen to critically explore the class system and unnatural accepted disparate value of humans mainly based on arbitrary circumstances of birth and we have reality shows (Kardashian and…) drowning us in mindless drivel and muck.
Mr. Darcy would not be Mr. Darcy had he not been wealthy and I for one am glad he was.
Photo: Daniela Aguayo /Flicker Photo2: Robin Denton /Flicker