P&P Ch. 2-5

"' I am now convinced, my dear aunt, that I have never been much in love; for had I really experienced that pure and elevating passion, I should at present detest his very name, and wish him all manner of evil. But my feelings are not only cordial to him; they are even impartial towards Miss King. I cannot find out that I hate her at all, or that I am in the least unwilling to think her a very good sort of girl. There can be no love in this'" (Austen 116).

In this reading we find out about Mr. Wickham and how his affections for Elizabeth are no more. Somehow, the phrase, "I told you so" in regards to Elizabeth come to mind. Elizabeth was letting her feelings for him cloud the fact that he was not a good person in general. Yes, he was handsome and a military general, but he was not of good character compared to other men in the novel. Elizabeth, to be frank, let the fact that he was "hot" replace all the other obvious bad things about him. Now she sees, after he leaves her--for someone of a larger fortune--that she does not actually have any feelings toward him after all. I do not feel sorry for Elizabeth at all in regards to this. It is actually quite funny.

"'I like her appearance,' said Elizabeth, struck with other ideas. 'She looks sickly and cross.--Yes, she will do for him very well. She will make him a very proper wife'" (122).

In this quote, when Elizabeth sees Miss de Bourgh for the first time, I believe it is interesting to note that she can only think of Mr. (Fitzwilliam) Darcy. She does not think of her social status, or her mother, but, knowing Mr. Darcy is supposed to marry her, she only thinks of him. There was no previous mention of Mr. Darcy either, but he is the first person that pops into her mind. For someone ho is determined to despise his very essence, she thinks about him quite often. I think she shows Elizabeth's blooming feelings for Darcy, as she snidly remarks on how 'perfect' a wife Miss de Bourgh would be.