Love – and Hate, in Two Austen Novels

The Crawfords

Love and hate.  Jane Austen wrote about them both, sometimes in the same novel, and about the same characters. The love/hate relationship that first comes to mind is of course that of Darcy and Elizabeth in Pride and Prejudice. The word hate is used several times in describing Lizzy’s early prejudiced feelings about Mr. Darcy. It is a strong word, more emphatic than just saying she didn’t like him, didn’t care for him; but Lizzy is one to be playful and occasionally exaggerate her ...