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English Literature books summary

living. Wickham, however, having no desire to become a clergyman, wrote to

Darcy after his father's death and asked for money in order to study law.

Darcy gave him 3,000 pounds and Wickham resigned his claim to assistance in

a church career. However, Wickham quickly gave up on studying law and

squandered the money with a dissipate lifestyle. When he needed more money

he went to Darcy and told him that he would become a clergyman if Darcy

would provide him with the living that had been promised. Darcy refused,

and Wickham was furious. A while afterwards, Wickham, with the help of Miss

Darcy's governess Miss Younge, managed to deceive Darcy's younger sister

into consenting to elope with him when she was fifteen. Darcy happened to

go see his sister before the intended elopement and she ended up confessing

the whole plan to him. He thus prevented the elopement, the motives for

which on Wickham's side were mostly Miss Darcy's fortune and a desire to

revenge himself on Mr. Darcy.

Volume II, Chapter 13 Summary:

Elizabeth reads the letter "with a strong prejudice against everything

he might say." She does not at all believe his claim that he prevented

Bingley from proposing to Jane because he thought Jane was not attached to

him. After reading Darcy's account of his dealings with Wickham, she does

not know how to react and tries to convince herself it must be false. She

puts away the letter, resolving not to think about it, but then examines it

slowly, line by line. After long deliberation Elizabeth begins to rethink

her previous judgment of Wickham. She realizes that his communications to

her in their first conversation were indelicate, improper and inconsistent,

and that his attentions to Miss King were purely mercenary.

She begins to see that she judged Darcy completely wrongly, and she

grows ashamed, concluding that she been "blind, partial, prejudiced,

absurd," in spite of the fact that has always prided herself on her

judgment. She realizes that vanity has been the cause of her prejudice.

After this realization, she rereads the first part of the letter which

deals with his reasons for preventing Bingley's proposal to Jane. She now

sees that he had reason to be suspicious of Jane's attachment. Elizabeth

also admits that Darcy's criticisms of the impropriety of her mother and

younger sisters is just, and is ashamed and depressed.

After wandering through the park or two hours, engrossed in her

reflections, she returns to the Parsonage to find that both Mr. Darcy and

Colonel Fitzwilliam have stopped by to take leave of them, but have since

left. She is glad to have missed them.

Volume II, Chapter 14 Summary:

Lady Catherine invites Elizabeth, Maria and the Collinses to dinner

because she is bored now that her nephews have left. Elizabeth can't help

thinking that she might have been attending this dinner as Lady Catherine's

future niece, and amusing herself at how indignant Lady Catherine would be.

Lady Catherine attempts to persuade Elizabeth and Maria to stay another

fortnight, but Elizabeth insists that her father wants her to come home.

She spends much time over the next few days before her return home

reflecting on the contents of the letter and on her past conduct. She does

not regret her refusal of Darcy's offer, but does regret her own past

actions. She is also depressed by the hopelessness of improving the

character of her younger sisters, since her father only laughs at them and

her mother is equally frivolous. She is also sad to think that Jane could

have been so happy had it not been for the indecorum of her family.

Volume II, Chapter 15 Summary:

Elizabeth and Maria leave the Parsonage on Saturday morning, after

lengthy parting civilities from Mr. Collins. Before returning to

Hertferdshore, they stop at the Gardiner's to spend a few days there. Jane

is to return home with them. Elizabeth is tempted to tell her all that she

learned from Darcy, but decides to wait because she is not sure how much

she should reveal.

Volume II, Chapter 16 Summary:

Upon reaching Hertfordshire they are greeted by Kitty and Lydia, who

have prepared lunch for them at the inn where they have arranged to meet

the carriage. Elizabeth is happy to hear that regiment will soon be leaving

Meryton, although Kitty and Lydia are not equally pleased. Lydia hopes that

Mr. Bennet will allow them all to go to Brighton for the summer since the

officers will be there. During lunch Lydia tells Jane and Elizabeth that

Miss King has left and that Wickham is therefore once again available.

Lydia entertains them on the carriage home by relating stories of all the

balls and dances they have attended with the officers in Meryton. When they

arrive at Longbourn they have dinner with the Lucases, who have come to

meet Maria. Lydia urges everyone to take a walk with her to Meryton, but

Elizabeth stays home because she wants to avoid seeing Wickham.

Volume II, Chapter 17 Summary:

The next morning Elizabeth tells Jane about Darcy's proposal, and

about the part of the letter regarding Wickham. Jane is shocked not as much

about the proposal as about Wickham's being so bad, and tries to make

excuses for him, but realizes that no excuse can be found. Elizabeth asks

Jane whether or not she should let the rest of the town know about

Wickham's true character. They decide it would be best to keep the matter

quiet, since he is leaving soon and it will be extremely difficult to

convince people without telling about his attempts to seduce Miss Darcy.

Elizabeth decides that she should not tell Jane about the part of Darcy's

letter which relates to her and Bingley. After observing Jane at leisure,

Elizabeth sees that she is not happy and is still very attached to Bingley.

Volume II, Chapter 18 Summary:

Kitty, Lydia and Mrs. Bennet are extremely disappointed because the

regiment is leaving Meryton. Lydia receives an invitation from Mrs.

Forster, the wife of the Colonel of the regiment, to accompany her to

Brighton. Lydia is ecstatic.

Elizabeth entreats her father to prevent Lydia from going, explaining

that such an experience will only increase her frivolousness. But her

father does not listen and tells Elizabeth that Lydia will be fine in

Brighton under the supervision of Colonel Forster and that she is too poor

to be taken advantage of by any of the officers in the regiment.

Elizabeth sees Wickham frequently. He attempts to renew his attentions

to her, but she represses them and is annoyed by them. On the last day of

their stay in Meryton, they have a conversation in which Elizabeth speaks

of her stay at the Parsonage and her enjoyment of Darcy's and Colonel

Fitzwilliam's company. She leads Wickham to suspect that she knows the

truth of his past. He pretends not to notice but stops distinguishing

Elizabeth. At the end of the party Lydia returns to Meryton with Mrs.

Forster in order to be able to set out with them for Brighton early in the

morning.

Volume II, Chapter 19 Summary:

Elizabeth's father had married her mother because he was captivated by

her beauty, but her weak understanding soon made him lose all real

affection for her. Mr. Bennet derives his enjoyment from books and the

country. Elizabeth has always recognized the impropriety of her father's

behavior as a husband, and is now especially aware of the disadvantage that

such a marriage has had on the children. She faults her father for not

having used his talents to at least preserve the respectability of his

daughters.

The days at Longbourn are far from enjoyable, with the constant

lamentations of boredom form Mrs. Bennet and Kitty. Elizabeth consoles

herself by looking forward to her tour of the Lakes with the Gardiners.

After a few weeks things become more bearable at home, and Elizabeth hopes

that Kitty may be improved by the time away from Lydia.

Elizabeth's vacation with the Gardiners is delayed and shortened on

account of Mr. Gardiner's work commitments. In the course of the trip they

pass near Pemberley and Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner want to go see it. Elizabeth

does not want to go because of fear of seeing Darcy, but she finds out from

the maid that the Darcy family is not at home.

Volume III, Chapter 1 Summary:

Elizabeth is captivated by the beauty of Pemberley, and feels that it

would not be bad to be the mistress of such a house. She almost has a

feeling of regret. The housekeeper gives them a tour of the house and talks

to them about Mr. Darcy and Miss Darcy. She describes Mr. Darcy as

exceptionally sweet-tempered, generous and good-natured, remarking that she

has "never heard a cross word from him." Elizabeth is surprised, having

retained her assumption that Darcy is ill-tempered. Elizabeth is also

impressed with Darcy's excellent treatment of his younger sister. After

hearing so much praise of Darcy from his housekeeper, Elizabeth thinks of

his regard for her with more warmth than ever.

As they go out to see the gardens, Mr. Darcy unexpectedly comes

forward from the road. Both he and Elizabeth are ill at ease, but she is

impressed at the genteel civility in his inquiries. After exchanging a few

civilities he takes leave. Elizabeth is mortified and wonders what he might

think of her for having come to visit the house.

Elizabeth is extremely distracted but attempts to be sociable and make

conversation with her aunt and uncle as they walk through the garden. After

a long while she is surprised to see Mr. Darcy coming toward them. They are

both better prepared for this encounter. Mr. Darcy asks Elizabeth to

introduce him to the Gardiners. In spite of the fact that they are a much

lower class than he, he enters into conversation with them and even tells

Mr. Gardiner that he is welcome to come to Pemberley and fish as long as he

is in the area.

Elizabeth and Darcy begin walking together, and she informs him that

she thought he would not be at home. He explains his reason for returning

early and then asks her if he can introduce his sister to her when she

arrives the next day. Elizabeth is surprised at this offer but accepts.

When they reach the house they have an awkward conversation while waiting

for the Gardiners to catch up with them, and then he sees them off with

great politeness.

The Gardiners are very pleased and surprised at Darcy's civility,

having heard from so many people, including Elizabeth, that he is so

disagreeable, and still believing Wickham's story. Elizabeth tells them in

a very guarded way that there is reason to believe that Darcy is not at

fault in his dealings with Wickham.

Volume III, Chapter 2 Summary:

Mr. Darcy brings his sister to visit Elizabeth at the inn the very

morning of her arrival. Elizabeth is caught by surprise, not thinking that

they will come until the next day. She is extremely nervous because she

wants Georgiana to form a good opinion of her. The Gardiners begin to

suspect that Darcy has a partiality for Elizabeth, seeing no other

explanation for such attentions. Elizabeth is relieved to see that Miss

Darcy is as nervous as she is. Miss Darcy is shy, attractive and graceful,

with unassuming and gentle manners. Soon Mr. Bingley comes to visit as

well. All of Elizabeth's anger at him disappears upon seeing him. The

Gardiners, through their observations and conversation, become completely

convinced that Darcy is in love with Elizabeth.

Elizabeth observes the conduct of Bingley and Georgiana toward one

another, and is happy to find no sign of particular regard on the part of

either. When Bingley has a moment to speak to Elizabeth without the others'

hearing, he inquires about Jane and seems to regret that it has been so

long since he has seen her.

Elizabeth is amazed at Darcy's civility toward the Gardiners, relations

which he had previously spoken of with disdain, and she cannot imagine the

reason for his change in manners. Before the visitors leave Darcy invites

Elizabeth and the Gardiners to dinner at Pemberley, and they accept.

The Gardiners, seeing that Darcy is in love with Elizabeth, reevaluate

their former negative opinion of him, which had been based on the accounts

of their friends in Hertfordshire. They are satisfied that he is a much

better man they had previously thought, and also find that Wickham is not

held in such good esteem in the area.

Elizabeth stays awake trying to discern her feelings for Darcy. She

realizes that she is grateful to him for having loved her and loving her

still even after the rudeness of her rejection. She is extremely impressed

by his change of character, and esteems him highly, but is still not sure

whether or not she loves him.

Mrs. Gardiner decides that she and Elizabeth should wait on Miss Darcy

the following morning in return for her great politeness in coming to see

them immediately after her arrival.

Volume III, Chapter 3 Summary:

During their visit to Pemberley Miss Darcy receives them with

civility, although she is very shy. Mrs. Hurst and Miss Bingley say very

little, and the conversation is carried on mostly by Mrs. Annesley (an

acquaintance), Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth. Elizabeth both hopes and fears

that Mr. Darcy will join them.

After a while Mr. Darcy does join them, and his actions are closely

scrutinized by Miss Bingley and Miss Hurst. When Miss Bingley notices that

Mr. Darcy is trying to get Elizabeth and Georgiana to converse, she asks

Elizabeth a question about the militia. Elizabeth answers with composure,

and notices that both Mr. Darcy and Georgiana are pained by the allusion to

Wickham.

After Elizabeth and Mrs. Gardiner take their leave, Miss Bingley

speaks negatively about Elizabeth to Georgiana, but Georgiana's opinion is

fixed firmly in Elizabeth's favor by her brother's commendations. Miss

Bingley also repeats her criticisms of Elizabeth to Darcy, and after much

provocation he coolly answers that he considers Elizabeth one of the most

handsome women he has ever met, and then walks away.

Volume III, Chapter 4 Summary:

Elizabeth receives two letters from her sister relating that Lydia has

eloped with Wickham. At first they expected that the two were planning to

go to Scotland to get married (because minors can marry without parental

permission in Scotland). However, after gaining further intelligence they

find that there is reason to doubt that Wickham has any intention of

marrying her at all. Jane asks Elizabeth and the Gardiners to return home

as soon as possible, and requests that Mr. Gardiner help her father search

for Lydia and Wickham in London.

Elizabeth rushes to the door to go out to find Mr. Gardiner, but as

she does so Mr. Darcy appears. She tells him with great agitation that she

must go immediately in search of Mr. Gardiner, but he recommends that a

servant be sent. That being done, Elizabeth collapses into a chair and when

she is able to she explains the situation to Darcy. He is extremely

distressed, thinking that if he had revealed more of what he knew about

Wickham's character this could have been prevented. Elizabeth, observing

Darcy, believes that such an action on her sister's part will make a

renewal of Darcy's proposal impossible. Feeling this loss, she realizes

that she loves him.

After a few minutes Darcy realizes that he is doing no good by his

presence and takes his leave, promising to maintain secrecy on the matter

and wishing that he could do more to help. Elizabeth watches him go with

regret, doubting that they will ever meet again on such friendly terms.

Elizabeth has no doubts that Wickham does not plan to marry Lydia. She

knows that Lydia would not have gone off with him if she were not under the

pretense that they were going to be married, but Elizabeth also realizes

that Lydia is easy prey for Wickham's deceptions. The Gardiners quickly

return and Elizabeth relates the sad news to them. Mr. Gardiner promises to

do all he can to help, and they quickly prepare for their journey.

Volume III, Chapter 5 Summary:

On the way back to Longbourn, Mr. Gardiner attempts to convince

Elizabeth that Wickham must have a genuine intention of marrying Lydia, but

Elizabeth, knowing what she does of Wickham, is not convinced. Elizabeth

reproaches herself for not having revealed what she knew of Wickham's true

character.

They arrive at Longbourn the next day and Jane is very happy to see

Elizabeth. So far there is no new news about Lydia's whereabouts. Mrs.

Bennet has taken things badly and will not leave her apartment. When they

go to see her, she tells them that she blames the Forsters for neglect, not

thinking that Lydia is the type of girl to do such a thing. She is alarmed

that when Mr. Bennet finds them he will fight with Wickham and be killed.

Mr. Gardiner tries to reassure her, and promises to do what he can to help

Mr. Bennet in London. Kitty and Mary do not seem extremely upset over the

situation.

When Elizabeth and Jane are alone they discuss what has happened in

more detail. Jane shows Elizabeth the note which Lydia left for Mrs.

Forster. Lydia's letter shows extreme thoughtlessness and frivolity, but

also proves that she had every intention to marry Wickham.

Volume III, Chapter 6 Summary:

The next morning Mr. Gardiner sets off for London. Mrs. Gardiner plans

to remain for a few more days at Longbourn in order to help Elizabeth and

Jane. All in Meryton quickly changed their opinion of Wickham from "an

angel of light" to "the wickedest young man in the world," now finding

fault with so many of his actions.

A letter from Mr. Gardiner arrives in a couple of days, explaining

that they plan to inquire at every major hotel about Lydia and Wickham. Mr.

Gardiner also plans to ask Mr. Forster if anyone in the militia has any

idea of where he would be staying in London.

They receive a letter from Mr. Collins, offering condolences and also

criticizing the lack of parental attention to Lydia. He also alludes to the

fact that he is now glad Elizabeth turned down his proposal, since being

married to her would connect him with this disgrace.

Another letter arrives from Mr. Gardiner saying that Mr. Forster has

had no luck in finding any possible close friends or relations with whom

Wickham and Lydia might be staying. He also mentions that Wickham has extra

reasons for secrecy because of over 1,000 dollars in gaming debts, along

with other debts to the town merchants. Mr. Bennet decides to come home and

leave the rest of the searching to Mr. Gardiner. At the same time, Mrs.

Gardiner returns home to London with her children.

Elizabeth's misery at the situation is greatly increased by the

knowledge that it probably ruins her chances of marriage to Darcy. When

Elizabeth speaks to her father, he tells her that he thinks himself

completely to blame.

Volume III, Chapter 7 Summary:

Mr. Bennet receives an express letter from Mr. Gardiner, stating that

he has found Wickham and that Wickham will agree to marry Lydia on

condition that she receives her equal share of Mr. Bennet's wealth after

his death along with 100 pounds per year. Mr. Gardiner assumes that

Wickham's debts are not so bad as everyone had thought.

Mr. Bennet comments that Mr. Gardiner must have paid Wickham a large

sum of money to make him comply, since what Wickham is asking is extremely

little. When Elizabeth and Jane relate the news to Mrs. Bennet, Kitty and

Lydia, Mrs. Bennet is ecstatic. She begins to think about ordering the

wedding clothes.

Volume III, Chapter 8 Summary:

Mr. Bennet wants to find out how much Mr. Gardiner paid to get Wickham

to agree to the marriage and to pay him back as much as possible.

After listening throughout dinner to Mrs. Bennet's talk of wedding

plans and suitable houses in the neighborhood for Lydia and Wickham, Mr.

Bennet informs her that he will not receive the couple at Longbourn, nor

give Lydia money for wedding clothes. Mrs. Bennet is more disgraced by her

daughter's lack of new clothes for the wedding than by her elopement.

Elizabeth reflects on the fact that with Wickham as a member of the

family, there is no possibility that Darcy will propose to her again. His

proposal of four months ago would now be most gratefully received. She

realizes that Darcy is the man who would most suit her, and that their

personalities would complement each other for their mutual advantage.

Another letter arrives from Mr. Gardiner. He reports that Wickham is

planning to quit the militia and that has a promise of an ensigncy in a

regiment quartered in the North. The letter also mentions Wickham will pay

off all his debts both in Brighton and Meryton. After entreaties from

Elizabeth and Jane, Mr. Bennet decides to allow Lydia and Wickham to visit

Longbourn before leaving for the North.

Volume III, Chapter 9 Summary:

When the couple arrives, they show no sense of shame whatsoever and

Lydia shamelessly expects congratulations from all her sisters. Jane and

Elizabeth are extremely distressed at Lydia's conduct.

Upon observance, Elizabeth finds that Wickham's affection for Lydia is

not nearly so strong as her affection for him. Lydia relates to Elizabeth

all the details of the wedding. She is completely ungrateful for what the

Gardiners have done, and even complains that they would not let her go out

while she was staying with them. Lydia mentions in passing that Mr. Darcy

attended the wedding, but then says that she was not supposed to tell

anyone. Elizabeth writes to Mrs. Gardiner asking for more details about why

Mr. Darcy was at the wedding.

Volume III, Chapter 10 Summary:

Mrs. Gardiner's letter arrives, explaining all the particulars with

regard to Mr. Darcy's involvement in the wedding. Mr. Darcy was the one who

found out Wickham's whereabouts by bribing Miss Younge (the woman who had

helped Wickham to seduce Georgiana) to tell him. When Darcy found the

couple, he tried to convince Lydia to leave, but she refused. That being

the case, Darcy tried to get Wickham to marry Lydia, which Wickham had no

intention of doing. Darcy offered Wickham money in order to persuade him to

marry Lydia. Darcy then waited until Mr. Bennet had left for Longbourn and

went to inform Mr. Gardiner of all that had occurred, explaining that he

felt guilty for not having exposed Wickham's character sooner.

Mrs. Gardiner concludes the letter stating that she is sure Darcy's

actions are motivated by his love for Elizabeth, and relates to Elizabeth

how much she thinks that he would be a good match.

In reflecting on the letter, Elizabeth is sensible of all the

mortification and suffering which Darcy must have gone through in the

process of getting Wickham to marry Lydia. She does not think, however,

that his regard for her could possibly be the primary motive, and she still

does not think that there is any hope that he will marry her.

Elizabeth's reflections are interrupted by Wickham. They have a guarded

conversation in which she makes it clear that she knows more about

Wickham's true past than he would like, but she avoids provoking him for

Lydia's sake.

Volume III, Chapter 11 Summary:

Lydia and Wickham leave for Newcastle, where his new regiment is

stationed. Lydia's good-byes are not very affectionate. Mrs. Bennet is sad

that she will not be able to see her daughter for a long time.

Mrs. Bennet hears from Mrs. Phillips that Mr. Bingley is planning to

return to Netherfield in a few days. Jane tells Elizabeth that she does not

want to see much of him. Elizabeth, however, after having seen him while on

vacation with the Gardiners, is sure that he is still partial to Jane, and

thinks that perhaps Mr. Darcy may have told Bingley that he now approves of

the match.

Mrs. Bennet plans to invite Bingley to dinner. Jane is obviously

disturbed by his coming and is pained by the constant mention of his name.

Mr. Bingley and Darcy come to pay a visit at Netherfield. Elizabeth

begins to hope that Darcy's affections for her are not shaken. When they

come in, Elizabeth is pained by Mrs. Bennet's cold reception of Darcy in

comparison with Mr. Bingley, considering how much she owes to Darcy.

Elizabeth is also mortified by her mother's jubilant announcement of Lydia

and Wickham's marriage. Darcy speaks little during the visit. When the

gentlemen are leaving Mrs. Bennet invites them for dinner.

Volume III, Chapter 12 Summary:

During the dinner party, Bingley sits next to Jane and Elizabeth is

convinced that he still admires her. Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth are sitting

too far apart to be able to speak, and circumstances prevent them from

conversing after dinner. Elizabeth is anxious and annoyed because she wants

to speak with him very badly. Mrs. Bennet is extremely pleased with the

dinner and is sure that Bingley and Jane will soon be married. Mr. Darcy is

going back to London but will return in 10 days.

Volume III, Chapter 13 Summary:

After a few days Mr. Bingley calls again, and the day after he joins

them again for dinner. Mrs. Bennet contrives to get Jane and Bingley alone

together, but is unsuccessful. The next morning Mr. Bingley joins Mr.

Bennet to go hunting, and he then stays for dinner. Mrs. Bennet is this

time successful in arranging for Jane and Bingley to be left alone

together. When Elizabeth walks into the drawing room she finds them there

alone in earnest conversation. Bingley quickly leaves and Jane tells

Elizabeth that she is the happiest woman in the world. Jane then goes to

tell her mother, and Bingley, who had gone to speak with Mr. Bennet,

returns and receives Elizabeth's congratulations. All are very happy.

Bingley now comes to visit Netherfield every day.

Volume III, Chapter 14 Summary:

Early the next morning Lady Catherine unexpectedly comes to visit.

Lady Catherine is, as usual, domineering and arrogant in her conversation.

She tells Elizabeth she would like her company for a walk outside. Lady

Catherine tells Elizabeth that she has come because of rumors that Darcy

and Elizabeth will soon be married. Elizabeth answers her inquiries curtly

and without revealing the fact that Darcy has not proposed to her again.

Lady Catherine tries to forbid Elizabeth to marry Mr. Darcy, but Elizabeth

is insensible to her entreaties and threats. Lady Catherine is furious and

leaves.

Volume III, Chapter 15 Summary:

Her conversation with Lady Catherine throws Elizabeth into a great

discomposure of spirits. She is not sure what the cause of Lady Catherine's

suspicion is, but she is uneasy about the fact that Lady Catherine will

surely try to influence Darcy not to propose.

Mr. Bennet tells Elizabeth that he wants to speak with her and relates

to her the contents of a letter from Mr. Collins in which he says that he

has heard that Mr. Darcy may propose to Elizabeth and advises Elizabeth not

to accept because of Lady Catherine's disapprobation. Mr. Bennet thinks the

letter is extremely amusing because he still thinks that Darcy is

indifferent to Elizabeth and that Elizabeth hates Darcy.

Volume III, Chapter 16 Summary:

Within a few days Mr. Darcy returns to Netherfield and he and Mr.

Bingley come to Longbourn early in the day. Jane, Bingley, Darcy,

Elizabeth, and Kitty take a walk. Jane and Bingley lag behind the rest, and

eventually Darcy and Elizabeth are left to walk together alone as well. As

soon as they are alone Elizabeth expresses to Darcy her gratitude for his

assistance in the affair with Wickham and Lydia. Darcy replies that he

wishes she had not found out, but adds that what he did was done for

Elizabeth's sake. Elizabeth cannot say a word. Darcy tells her that his

affections are no different than they were when he proposed, and asks her

to tell him if hers are the same as well. Elizabeth informs him that her

sentiments have changed and that she will now gladly receive his assurances

of continued affection. He is overcome with delight upon hearing this and

speaks warmly and fervently about his love. Lady Catherine's attempt to

dissuade him from proposing only had the effect of giving him hope by

letting him know that Elizabeth was not decided against marrying him.

They speak about the last proposal, both apologizing for their lack of

civility. Mr. Darcy had been tortured by Elizabeth's reproof "had you acted

in a more gentleman-like manner." This and her other reproofs on that night

humbled him and led him to realize his selfishness and conceit. Elizabeth

tells Darcy that his letter slowly removed all her former prejudices. When

Darcy met Elizabeth at Pemberley, he wanted to show her immediately that he

had changed as a result of her just reproofs.

Darcy tells Elizabeth that before leaving for London he had told

Bingley that he had been wrong in interfering with Bingley's relationship

with Jane and that he was now sure that Jane was really attached to him.

This assurance from Darcy gave Bingley the encouragement he needed to make

the proposal.

Volume III, Chapter 17 Summary:

At night, when she is finally able to speak with Jane alone, Elizabeth

tells her what has happened. Jane is incredulous. But eventually Elizabeth

convinces her that she is serious and that she really does love Darcy.

Elizabeth explains her reasons for previously concealing her affection, and

reveals to Jane what Darcy did for Lydia. Jane is extremely happy for her,

and they spend half the night talking.

The next morning Mrs. Bennet is annoyed on seeing that Mr. Darcy has

again accompanied Bingley to Longbourn, and suggests that Elizabeth go for

a walk with him to keep him out of Jane and Bingley's way. Elizabeth is

quite happy to comply. Bingley greets Elizabeth with such warmth that she

is sure he knows of her engagement. During their walk Elizabeth and Darcy

decide that Darcy will ask Mr. Bennet's consent in the evening and that

Elizabeth will speak to her mother.

After Mr. Darcy speaks with Mr. Bennet, Darcy tells Elizabeth that her

father wants to speak with her. Mr. Bennet is shocked because he thinks

that Elizabeth hates Darcy. After long explanations she assures Mr. Bennet

of her affection for him. She also tells him of what Darcy did for Lydia.

He is surprised and happy for his daughter.

At night Elizabeth tells her mother of the engagement. Her mother is

shocked but extremely happy in thinking of how rich Darcy is. Her former

dislike of him is completely forgotten.

The next day her mother acts remarkably well toward Darcy, and her

father tries to get to know him better and is pleased with him.

Volume III, Chapter 18 Summary:

Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy converse playfully about how he fell in love

with her in the first place and why he took so long to propose the second

time. He tells her that his second proposal was all thanks to Lady

Catherine, her warning having given him hope of Elizabeth's affection.

Elizabeth asks him when he will tell Lady Catherine the news, and he goes

off to write to her, while Elizabeth goes to write to Mrs. Gardiner.

Miss Bingley's reactions to Mr. Bingley's engagement to Jane are

affectionate and insincere. Miss Darcy's reaction to news of Mr. Darcy's

engagement is one of genuine delight.

The Collinses come to stay at Lucas Lodge because Lady Catherine is so

angry at the engagement. Darcy deals well with the obsequiousness of Mr.

Collins, along with the vulgarity of Mrs. Philips and Mrs. Bennet.

Mrs. Bennet is extremely happy and proud at her daughters' marriages. Mr.

Bennet misses Elizabeth and often goes to visit her at Pemberley.

Bingley and Jane leave Netherfield after a year and move to

Derbyshire, because their closeness to Mrs. Bennet and the Meryton

relations is too much to bear even for them.

Kitty now spends most of her time with her sisters, and is much

improved by their example and society. Mary stays at home and keeps her

mother company on her visits.

Lydia soon writes to Elizabeth to congratulate her and ask her to see

if Mr. Darcy will use his money and influence to help Wickham. Elizabeth

replies negatively, but does send Lydia money that she saves by economizing

in her private expenses.

Miss Bingley drops her resentment of Darcy's marriage because she

wants to retain the right of visiting Pemberley. Georgiana and Elizabeth

become very close and very fond of one another. Relations with Lady

Catherine were broken off for a while, but Elizabeth finally convinces

Darcy to attempt a reconciliation, and Lady Catherine comes to visit them.

Darcy and Elizabeth are always on intimate terms with the Gardiners, to

whom they are grateful for having brought them together.

Pygmalion by B.Shaw

Context

Born in Dublin in 1856 to a middle-class Protestant family bearing

pretensions to nobility (Shaw's embarrassing alcoholic father claimed to be

descended from Macduff, the slayer of Macbeth), George Bernard Shaw grew to

become what some consider the second greatest English playwright, behind

only Shakespeare. Others most certainly disagree with such an assessment,

but few question Shaw's immense talent or the play's that talent produced.

Shaw died at the age of 94, a hypochondriac, socialist, anti-

vaccinationist, semi-feminist vegetarian who believed in the Life Force and

only wore wool. He left behind him a truly massive corpus of work including

about 60 plays, 5 novels, 3 volumes of music criticism, 4 volumes of dance

and theatrical criticism, and heaps of social commentary, political theory,

and voluminous correspondence. And this list does not include the opinions

that Shaw could always be counted on to hold about any topic, and which

this amboyant public figure was always most willing to share. Shaw's most

lasting contribution is no doubt his plays, and it has been said that "a

day never passes without a performance of some Shaw play being given

somewhere in the world." One of Shaw's greatest contributions as a modern

dramatist is in establishing drama as serious literature, negotiating

publication deals for his highly popular plays so as to convince the public

that the play was no less important than the novel. In that way, he created

the conditions for later playwrights to write seriously for the theater.

Of all of Shaw's plays, Pygmalion is without the doubt the most beloved and

popularly received, if not the most significant in literary terms. Several

_lm versions have been made of the play, and it has even been adapted into

a musical. In fact, writing the screenplay for the _lm version of 1938

helped Shaw to become the first and only man ever to win the much coveted

Double: the Nobel Prize for literature and an Academy Award. Shaw wrote the

part of Eliza in Pygmalion for the famous actress Mrs. Patrick Campbell,

with whom Shaw was having a prominent affair at the time that had set all

of London abuzz.

The aborted romance between Professor Higgins and Eliza Doolittle

reflects Shaw's own love life, which was always peppered with enamored and

beautiful women, with whom he flirted outrageously but with whom he almost

never had any further relations. For example, he had a long marriage to

Charlotte Payne-Townsend in which it is well known that he never touched

her once. The fact that Shaw was quietly a member of the British Society

for the Study of Sex Psychology, an organization whose core members were

young men agitating for homosexual liberation, might or might not inform

the way that Higgins would rather focus his passions on literature or

science than on women. That Higgins was a representation of Pygmalion, the

character from the famous story of Ovid's Metamorphoses who is the very

embodiment of male love for the female form, makes Higgins sexual

disinterest all the more compelling. Shaw is too consummate a performer and

too smooth in his self- presentation for us to neatly dissect his sexual

background; these lean biographical facts, however, do support the belief

that Shaw would have an interest in exploding the typical structures of

standard fairy tales.

Characters

Professor Henry Higgins Henry Higgins is a professor of phonetics who

plays Pygmalion to Eliza Doolittle's Galatea. He is the author of Higgins'

Universal Alphabet, believes in concepts like visible speech, and uses all

manner of recording and photographic material to document his phonetic

subjects, reducing people and their dialects into what he sees as readily

understandable units. He is an unconventional man, who goes in the opposite

direction from the rest of society in most matters. Indeed, he is impatient

with high society, forgetful in his public graces, and poorly considerate

of normal social niceties the only reason the world has not turned against

him is because he is at heart a good and harmless man. His biggest fault is

that he can be a bully.

Eliza Doolittle f Eliza, The Flower Girl, Flower Girl, flower girl,

The flower girl, the flower girl g "She is not at all a romantic figure."

So is she introduced in Act I. Everything about Eliza Doolittle seems to

defy any conventional notions we might have about the romantic heroine.

When she is transformed from a sassy, smart-mouthed kerbstone flower girl

with deplorable English, to a (still sassy) regal figure _t to consort with

nobility, it has less to do with her innate qualities as a heroine than

with the fairy-tale aspect of the transformation myth itself. In other

words, the character of Eliza Doolittle comes across as being much more

instrumental than fundamental. The real (re-)making of Eliza Doolittle

happens after the ambassador's party, when she decides to make a statement

for her own dignity against Higgins' insensitive treatment. This is when

she becomes, not a duchess, but an independent woman; and this explains why

Higgins begins to see Eliza not as a mill around his neck but as a creature

worthy of his admiration.

Colonel Pickering Colonel Pickering, the author of Spoken Sanskrit,

is a match for Higgins (although somewhat less obsessive) in his passion

for phonetics. But where Higgins is a boorish, careless bully, Pickering is

always considerate and a genuinely gentleman. He says little of note in the

play, and appears most of all to be a civilized foil to Higgins' barefoot,

absentminded crazy professor. He helps in the Eliza Doolittle experiment by

making a wager of it, saying he will cover the costs of the experiment if

Higgins does indeed make a convincing duchess of her. However, while

Higgins only manages to teach Eliza pronunciations, it is Pickering's

thoughtful treatment towards Eliza that teaches her to respect herself.

Alfred Doolittle Alfred Doolittle is Eliza's father, an elderly but

vigorous dustman who has had at least six wives and who "seems equally free

from fear and conscience." When he learns that his daughter has entered the

home of Henry Higgins, he immediately pursues to see if he can get some

money out of the circumstance. His unique brand of rhetoric, an

unembarrassed, unhypocritical advocation of drink and pleasure (at other

people's expense), is amusing to Higgins. Through Higgins' joking

recommendation, Doolittle becomes a richly endowed lecturer to a moral

reform society, transforming him from lowly dustman to a picture of middle

class morality he becomes miserable. Throughout, Alfred is a scoundrel who

is willing to sell his daughter to make a few pounds, but he is one of the

few unaffected characters in the play, unmasked by appearance or language.

Though scandalous, his speeches are honest. At points, it even seems that

he might be Shaw's voice piece of social criticism (Alfred's proletariat

status, given Shaw's socialist leanings, makes the prospect all the more

likely).

Mrs. Higgins Professor Higgins' mother, Mrs. Higgins is a stately

lady in her sixties who sees the Eliza Doolittle experiment as idiocy, and

Higgins and Pickering as senseless children. She is the first and only

character to have any qualms about the whole affair. When her worries prove

true, it is to her that all the characters turn. Because no woman can match

up to his mother, Higgins claims, he has no interest in dallying with them.

To observe the mother of Pygmalion (Higgins), who completely understands

all of his failings and inadequacies, is a good contrast to the mythic

proportions to which Higgins builds himself in his self-estimations as a

scientist of phonetics and a creator of duchesses.

Freddy Eynsford Hill Higgins' surmise that Freddy is a fool is

probably accurate. In the opening scene he is a spineless and resourceless

lackey to his mother and sister. Later, he is comically bowled over by

Eliza, the half-baked duchess who still speaks cockney. He becomes lovesick

for Eliza, and courts her with letters. At the play's close, Freddy serves

as a young, viable marriage option for Eliza, making the possible path she

will follow unclear to the reader.

Summary

Two old gentlemen meet in the rain one night at Covent Garden. Professor

Higgins is a scientist of phonetics, and Colonel Pickering is a linguist of

Indian dialects. The first bets the other that he can, with his knowledge

of phonetics, convince high London society that, in a matter of months, he

will be able to transform the cockney speaking Covent Garden flower girl,

Eliza Doolittle, into a woman as poised and well-spoken as a duchess.

The next morning, the girl appears at his laboratory on Wimpole Street

to ask for speech lessons, offering to pay a shilling, so that she may

speak properly enough to work in a flower shop. Higgins makes merciless fun

of her, but is seduced by the idea of working his magic on her. Pickering

goads him on by agreeing to cover the costs of the experiment if Higgins

can pass Eliza off as a duchess at an ambassador's garden party. The

challenge is taken, and Higgins starts by having his housekeeper bathe

Eliza and give her new clothes. Then Eliza's father Alfred Doolittle comes

to demand the return of his daughter, though his real intention is to hit

Higgins up for some money.

The professor, amused by Doolittle's unusual rhetoric, gives him five

pounds. On his way out, the dustman fails to recognize the now clean,

pretty flower girl as his daughter.

For a number of months, Higgins trains Eliza to speak properly. Two trials

for Eliza follow. The first occurs at Higgins' mother's home, where Eliza

is introduced to the Eynsford Hills, a trio of mother, daughter, and son.

The son Freddy is very attracted to her, and further taken with what he

thinks is her affected "small talk" when she slips into cockney. Mrs.

Higgins worries that the experiment will lead to problems once it is ended,

but Higgins and Pickering are too absorbed in their game to take heed. A

second trial, which takes place some months later at an ambassador's party

(and which is not actually staged), is a resounding success. The wager is

definitely won, but Higgins and Pickering are now bored with the project,

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