Lessons from Pride and Prejudice

First

If you have wealthy acquaintances, you can get away with anything. I mean, just look at Mr. Wickham. He goes into debt, and Mr. Darcy pays that off. He tries to behave immorally with Mr. Darcy’s sister, and he gets paid off. He takes advantage of a 16 year old girl, and again goes into debt, and Mr. Darcy again pays off his debts. Mr. Darcy doesn’t even like the guy, but Mr. Wickham pays none of the consequences for his actions. So clearly, if you’ve once known someone who is wealthy, you can get away with anything by blaming all wrong on your wealthy acquaintance.

But Mr. Darcy was doing it out of love for Elizabeth! It would have been a disgrace to let Elizabeth’s sister bring such shame upon herself and her family.

Exactly.

Second:

It doesn’t matter how horrible someone is on the outside. Deep down, if a person is really an arrogant, prideful person, there’s actually someone inside who’s a kind, considerate, and compassionate person. Never mind the fact that it’s totally different from how you’ve ever seen that person before. Yes, I’m talking about Mr. Darcy here. Ok, so in the Bennets’ home town, Darcy is described as not very pleasant. And everything that we see points to that fact. The only thing going for him is that he’s rich. But suddenly, after he comes out, professes his love for Elizabeth, and is rejected, he magically transforms. Except, you later find out, the transformation isn’t magical. According to the housekeeper, who’s known him since he was 4, he’s always been a charming boy, and always very nice.

Really? So why does this not come across anywhere else? Or anytime before that?

But, it’s romantic. And I’m sure there are hints that he’s nice in the book! It’s just that you’re looking at it through Lizzy’s perspective. And she sees only the bad, and so therefore the reader sees only the bad.

That may be the case, but the author should still have given us a bit of a heads up that he’s actually not the most conceited, arrogant, prideful, uptight gentleman in existence. Or that if he is, there is some worthwhile quality within him.

But, but-

Third:

Your history with a man doesn’t matter, as long as he’s rich. It’s only after Elizabeth Bennet sees his lovely home, and how expensive it is and what sort of society she could enter, that her attitude starts to soften towards the idea of marrying him. Alright, so she also sees his “true character”, but you can look at my second point for my thoughts on that.

Fourth:

“Negging” is a good way to get a girl. (Heads up: Slightly foul language in this xkcd explanation of “negging”.) Mr. Darcy starts off by belittling Elizabeth. This makes Elizabeth feel slightly inferior. When Darcy comes out and professes his love, she at first is (rightfully) indignant that he would think that she would love him. But then, as she stops to think about it, she’s flattered by the attention of someone so superior to her. Negging.

Fifth:

It’s ok to totally mess up someone’s life, as long as you’re friends. Again, Darcy. He almost totally ruined Mr. Bingley’s life. Mr. Bingley was in love with Jane. Jane was in love with Mr. Bingley. Mr. Darcy comes along and persuades Mr. Bingley that Jane didn’t really love him. (Wuss for believing it…) And then, when Mr. Darcy finds out that Jane is in love with him he… still doesn’t say anything. It’s not for quite a while after that Mr. Darcy starts to rectify the mistake. But that’s ok! Mr. Bingley is still friends with him, and trusts his ideas implicitly! Hooray for friendship and trust, never mind the fact that so totally trusting that person led to a great deal of unneeded pain! Because we’re friends!