Darcy’s Pride

“Yes, Vanity is a weakness indeed. But pride – where there is a real superiority of mind, pride will be always under good regulation.” (Austen, 39) Pride is Darcy’s blind spot. Confidence in his character, his introversion, and his quietness often allow people to mistake him as cold and uncaring, especially by Elizabeth. On one occasion, Elizabeth goes to check on her sister, Jane, who is sick at Netherfield. One evening in the company of Mr. Bingley and his two sisters, Elizabeth and Darcy talk about pride and she expresses her feeling that vanity and pride are weaknesses that she will “ridicule.” Darsy, on the contrary, does not consider pride to be a weakness but acceptable whenever a person has good reason to feel proud. His confidence in his possessing that superiority makes him sound arrogant and snobbish in Elizabeth’s eyes. However, back at their first ball, Elizabeth’s best friend, Ms. Lucas, also agrees that Darsy’s pride does not offend her much because with “family” and “fortune,” “he has a right to be proud.” (Austen, 12). Raised in a wealthy, well-established family and the young master of the grand estate of Pemberley, Darsy, is the rich and famous of his time, which makes him overly proud and overly conscious of his social status. His intelligence and good education gives him confidence and self-awareness but also leads him to scorn anyone outside of his social circle. Loyal to family and friends, supportive to tenants, and generous to the poor, Darcy initially places too high a value on his social status, and he is so proud and secure in that pride that he does not bother with even basic social niceties.

I find it intriguing that in Austen’s time, people interpret pride a bit differently from what we view it today. While nowadays we usually associate pride with taking deep pleasure in talents or accomplishments, people in the early 19th century sees it more about comparing oneself to others. If one is proud, he mostly considers himself too good to socialize with those whom he perceives as having a lesser standing than him. In an English hierarchical society depicted in Austen’s book, a high-class gentleman like Darcy is born with the right to be proud. As Mary says, pride in social position “is a very common failing” and “human nature” (Austen, 12). No wonder Darcy believes that his pride is with “good regulation,” thus legitimate. However, excessive pride almost costs Darcy Elizabeth’s affection, and she turns him down many times. Luckily, Darcy can listen to criticism, and it is not until he learns to temper his pride with compassion that he becomes a true gentleman and finds his happiness.