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Pride and Prejudice
Favorite moment from Pride & Prejudice?
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Barbara
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Jun 12, 2022 10:58AM
Please try “Bennets and Bonnets” a rewrite that tells you what the characters are actually thinking.
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Yes, that extended dancing sequence must have taken a good bit of filming. It's one of my favourite scenes too.I also like the exchange at Rosings when Lizzy plays, and Darcy talks to her - it's the first 'intimacy' between them I think.
Later on, there is a wonderful exchange of glances when Lizzy has protected Georgiana from Miss Bingley's sarcastic reference to George Wickham (intending to get at Lizzy - but oh, it backfires!), and Lizzy rushes back to the piano. As Georgiana starts to play again, Lizzy and Darcy exchange glances, and Darcy's gratitude for what she's just done for her sister warms in his eyes. Lovely!
As for Mrs Bennet, I love the remark she makes when she hears about Darcy proposing to Lizzy along the lines of 'I hope he will not mind my having disliked him so very much'!!! Also priceless. :)
Sounds like some of us are thinking of the book and some are thinking of the 1995 miniseries. I agree, I love the 1995 series scene at Rosings when Elizabeth is playing the piano too! Such great dialogue, and Colonel Fitzwilliam looking so knowing.
There is a lot to love in Pride and Prejudice, but this is a moment that particularly like: https://mollands.net/etexts/prideandp...
"Miss Bingley," said he, "has given me credit for more than can be. The wisest and the best of men, nay, the wisest and best of their actions, may be rendered ridiculous by a person whose first object in life is a joke."
"Certainly," replied Elizabeth -- "there are such people, but I hope I am not one of them. I hope I never ridicule what is wise or good. Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies do divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can. -- But these, I suppose, are precisely what you are without."
"Perhaps that is not possible for any one. But it has been the study of my life to avoid those weaknesses which often expose a strong understanding to ridicule."
"Such as vanity and pride."
"Yes, vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride -- where there is a real superiority of mind, pride will be always under good regulation."
Elizabeth turned away to hide a smile.
The two things that I want to emphasize here:
1) the phrase: I hope I never ridicule what is wise or good. Follies and nonsense, whims and inconsistencies do divert me, I own, and I laugh at them whenever I can..
2) the second is that last moment when Elizabeth has to turn around to hide her smiling at what Mr. Darcy says about his intelligence preventing him from being "too proud". Which is just not true (in general and even about Mr. Darcy himself): he makes such a statement (such a false statement that Mr. Darcy, who is so intelligent and whose pride is under such good control, should have at least qualified it the moment he finished saying it), so earnestly (so unironically), that it is difficult not to at the very least, smile at.
An excellent choice! And you bring out the layers of the interaction very nicely in your analysis.
My favorite moment from Pride & Prejudice is when Elizabeth refuses to promise never get engaged with Darcy when Lady Catherine asked. This is the moment when the audiences realize that they is possibility that Elizabeth have feelings for Darcy as well. Despite how she claims that Darcy is unlikeable, her opinion is starting to change. When Lady Catherine became furious and accused Elizabeth in front of Darcy, he said "“If Elizabeth Bennet will have me, my life would be complete.” The fact that they have finally acknowledged their feelings for one another is so sweet!
Anna wrote: "Personally my favorite scene is the verbal disagreement between Lady Catherine and Elizabeth Bennet."Omg yes! This is my favorite as well!
Leonora wrote: "My favorite scene would HAVE to be the one where Mr. Collins proposes. Everything he says is just so preposterous, and the way that he expects her to accept just because of his slight connection wi..." This scene is funny. Mr Collin's cringey lines are always so fun to read about. I laugh every time I see Mr. Collins say something so serious yet so cringey
Elizabeth's refusal to promise Lady Catherine her wish and agree not to marry Darcy is great.I also love when Darcy tells Caroline Bingley he is think about the fine eyes of Elizabeth. She tries so hard to gets his attention but he is not interested!
I like the exchange when Lizzie is staying over at Netherfield, as Jane is ill in bed (having been deliberately despatched there in the rain for that very purpose by her cunning mama!!!!) (Mrs Bennet doesn't seem to worry that Jane might, as Marianne in Sense and Sensibility does when going out in the rain, catch her death!!!!).....and Caroline Bingley (hmm, or is it Mr Darcy??) is relaying to them all just what she regards as a well accomplished woman (goes on and on!), and that she knows only a few that meet that standard, and Lizzie says she's astonished she (or he!) knows ANY!!
I also love when Darcy tells Caroline Bingley he is think about the fine eyes of Elizabeth**
Indeed, and then she baits him with it at Pemberley, and says how astonished she was to hear that Miss Elizabeth Bennet was considered attractive ....to be crushed by Mr Darcy saying that he has now long considered her to be one of the most beautiful women he knows....
Ooh, and ouch ouch ouch, Caroline Bingley!!
I love that so much. Caroline is such mean girl and Darcy just will not bite.
Every time Darcy and Lizzy are on page together. I enjoy their sparring. I also love their first awkward reunion at Pemberley after she has learned his private family secrets and that Wickham has lied to her. I love Mr. Bennet's wit even if he is sometimes cruel and neglectful of his family. I especially enjoy his quip regarding Elizabeth marrying Mr. Collins. Her mother won't speak to her again if she doesn't marry Collins but he won't speak to her again if she does.
They are a great couple
Oh yes, that line of Mr Bennet's 'An unhappy choice awaits you Elizabeth, from henceforth you must be estranged from one or other of your parents....' (I quote without checking!)But of course, humorous as it is, and though we know Lizzie 'should' never have married Mr Collins, it's all very well for her father to say what he does, but then he won't be around (ie, he'll be dead by then) to see what happens to his widow and daughters if none of them marry men who can provide for them....
And I do feel for Mrs Bennet bewailing that one day Mr and Mrs Collins will be living in her own home, using her china, etc etc.
Of course, the obvious daughter for Mr Collins to have married was Mary....!!
Mrs. Bennet’s fears are well founded. Her manner and method of addressing them are the problem! And I’ve always wondered about the disconnect between bemoaning the family’s likely future poverty while at the same time always making such a show over how her household is finer than Lady Lucas’s. She derides her friend’s soup, her joints of meat, and her daughters’ employment in the kitchen. Mrs. Bennet never makes the connection between her own household extravagance and the likely future prospects of herself or her daughters.
It was certainly unfortunate Mr Collins did not set his sights on Mary. The would have been compatable. Then, if course, Elizabeth would not have found herself at the home of Lady Catherine and the awful proposal scene.
Reading just the last page of this thread I've been laughing out loud. You all keep picking my favorite scene. Lizzie facing off with Lady Catherine, yes, my top scene. Oh no wait, Mr. Collins' proposal scene? Yes, that's my real favorite. Oh Lizzie reading the letter? Now THAT's my top favorite, without a doubt!Seriously it's hard to pick. But first one I thought of when I saw the thread, honestly, was Lizzie and Lady Catherine.
Yes, a lot of no, wait, that is my favorite. But Elizabeth standing up to Lady Catherine is tops.
hi!! I’m in the middle of a language investigation for A-levels comparing Elizabeth Bennet from Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Nora Stephens in Book Lovers? Would love to know your thoughts!! also lmk if i can use ur opinions for my data section of the research, i’ll keep everything anonymous if u want!!
I am not familiar with Nora Stephens
what is lmk? your is spelled your, you ,you, this is a literary chat not a teenage whats ap
Beth-In-UK wrote: "Oh yes, that line of Mr Bennet's 'An unhappy choice awaits you Elizabeth, from henceforth you must be estranged from one or other of your parents....' (I quote without checking!)I agree that Mrs. Bennet's bemoaning the prospect of the Collinses moving into her house is well founded - you see how it works out in Sense and Sensibility when the Dashwood ladies are ousted.
One of my favorite moments, that never makes it into film versions, is when Elizabeth tells Mrs. Bennet that she's engaged to Darcy. "Ten thousand a year! Jane's is nothing to it!" "I shall go distracted!" How he has to forgive her for having disliked him so much before.
Mrs wrote: "what is lmk? your is spelled your, you ,you, this is a literary chat not a teenage whats ap"I think its Let Me Know. I try hard to deduce these based on the context, but there are so many acronyms (or texting shorthand, if you prefer) that I am frequently left scratching my head! :)
J. wrote: "Beth-In-UK wrote: "Oh yes, that line of Mr Bennet's 'An unhappy choice awaits you Elizabeth, from henceforth you must be estranged from one or other of your parents....' (I quote without checking!)..."Yes! Mrs. Bennet learning of Elizabeth's understanding with Darcy is hilarious. If you go back and read the text, one of the things she says is "Can it be true?". I love this line. Like Elizabeth would go running around lying about an engagement to a man that she couldn't possibly force to marry her.
I hadn't come across lmk either, but it's quite a good one. I do use 'u' and 'ur' when I'm texting and don't have access to a keyboard. I use IIRC for If I Recall Correctly which I hope is correct.
The line about Mrs Bennet saying that she hopes Mr Darcy will forgive her for having disliked him so much does make it into the Colin Firth version thankfully, as it's such a corker! (It's one of those things that only Mrs Bennet could say....) (Like saying about Mr Bingley that he is welcome to come and shoot all Mr Bennet's game birds!)What happens to the Second Mrs Dashwood and her daughters is dreadful, and shows how completely it all depended on the moral character of her step-zone (zero backbone) and that of her step-daughter-in-law (no morality at all....)
Another priceless scene in P and P is Darcy's first proposal....telling his intended that 'in vain he has struggled' to try and bring himself NOT to propose to her (because of her vulgar family!)....wow, how NOT to win brides and influence women!!!!
Imagine being the victim of the two worst proposals in English literature!
Our Lizzy gets the last laugh!
Beth-In-UK wrote: "Another priceless scene in P and P is Darcy's first proposal....telling his intended that 'in vain he has struggled' to try and bring himself NOT to propose to her (because of her vulgar family!)....."He starts off well "Allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you!" and then it derails from there. I don't like seeing that line on t-shirts and things because it gets taken out of context. From Mr. Darcy, at that point in the novel, it's pomopus and arrogant. The proposal is all about HIM. Poor Lizzy!
It's really the turning point of the novel, isn't it? Her rebuttal, and accusations on behalf of Jane, and Wyckham, then his letter of explanation starts the process of his exoneration, leading eventually to him 'saving the day' by paying off Wyckham so Lydia and her family are not socially ruined (and, of course, nor is Lizzie - so he can still marry her in the end, phew!)
Yes, it is the turning point. Lizzy starts to examine her own Prejudices. Hold on, Charlotte said the same thing. Jane has to act like she really likes Bingley in order to secure him.Wait a minute, Wickman said some highly suspect things to someone he barely knew.
Jane Austen's works are so well crafted. The rising action. the universal themes.
Wait a minute, Wickman said some highly suspect things to someone he barely knew.**
Yes, his eagerness to diss Darcy should have raised warning flags, but it simply fed into what, essentially, is Lizzie's pique at overhearing she is not handsome enough for Darcy's tastes....
I'll add a vote for Lizzie's conversation with Lady Catherine: Lizzie is so assertive, but always so polite!I like to think I would have responded in exactly the same way, but I would probably have resorted to "I shall marry whoever I like and it's none of your damn business. If you have a problem with that, you'll have to talk to Darcy about it".
Of course, that is what Lizzie means, but she says it all so elegantly and never forgets to say 'your ladyship'! Whereas Lady C can only stamp off, going "I'm leaving, and I'm not even going to say goodbye, so there!"
That scene gives me the same feeling that I get towards the end of Labyrinth when Sarah looks the Goblin King in the eye and says "You have no power over me". Yeah!
It is such a great scene. As much as I would be like her, I am probably an Elinor. As an introvert, I would prefer to be the Anne in the novel (not the prolouge), but, alas.
looking fwd to the next JANE MOVIE ADAPTATION. This time with DARCY smiling a little earlier in the film.
Teri wrote: "What is your favorite moment from Pride & Predudice?"WHEN DARCY actually smiles a little...
Sandi wrote: "My favorite, by far, has to be Mr. Collins preposterous proposal to Elizabeth Bennet. What a complete dolt he must be to think that's the way to win a woman.Runner up: Mr. Darcy's first proposal,..."
ha, great answer.
Mimi wrote: "Rachel wrote: "Ohhh, good question! SO hard to decide! But I think I have to go with the dance between Lizzie and Darcy at the Netherfield Ball. It's a great sparring scene but it also has deliciou..."if only he had cracked a forced grin, at least.
