Character Analysis- Darcy and Lady Catherine

Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
November 28, 2009
Pride and Prejudice
Character Description-Darcy
Although at first, Darcy is revealed in a light that makes him seem haughty and pompous, Darcy turns about to be a good-natured, logistical, yet laconic man who is constantly observing himself and others, looking for improvements.
Darcy starts out as perhaps an antagonist, by insulting the protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet: “She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me”(Austen 7). Later it is revealed that he said this because he did not want to seem awkward by not dancing, so he simply stated that there was no one he desired to dance with. Although he was not drawn to Lizzy yet, as the story progressed, so did his love for her. Darcy begins to take an interest in Lizzy more and more, yet she believes that he still harbors a hatred for her after that comment he made around her unknowingly. In fact, Darcy goes as far as to propose to her: “You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you”(145); although he is abruptly turned down because of false information of his treatment of Wickaham and the fact that he stopped the marriage of Jane and Bingley. However, this proposal demonstrated Darcy’s character even more because of all the obstacles he would be called to overcome in marrying Lizzy; Lizzy was of a much lower class, making the marriage undesirable, and (perhaps the more prevalent problem) Lizzy’s family and friends are absolutely ridiculous, and by marrying her, he would be related to them. After receiving the ultimate rejection, Darcy continues to show his love for Lizzy by paying for the ludicrous marriage of Wickham and Lydia, which adds another obstacle by making his worst enemy, Wickham, his potential brother-in-law. Then as if it were not hard enough, Lady Catherine expresses her extreme malice towards a marriage between them. And still, through all of this, he continues to grow closer to Lizzy, until finally proposing again. After her acceptation, he gushes to her his love and gratitude for changing him:“I have been a selfish being all my life…as a child I was taught what was right, but I was not taught to correct my temper…I was spoilt by my parents who…allowed, encouraged, almost taught me to be selfish and overbearing…I might still have been but for you…Elizabeth! You taught me a lesson, hard indeed at first, but most advantageous” (282).
Darcy reminds me of any Grimm’s Fairytale prince. He begins being selfish and rude, thinking only of himself. Until one day, he finds a clever, yet lower class maiden that he must overcome obstacle to get to. Obstacles like dragons and mountains can be seen a metaphorical, requiring courage like that need for battling a dragon, or the time and frustration in scaling a mountain. And of course, the queen will always try and get in the way with her magic, just like Lady Catherine constantly butting in, and using the magic of her position to bend subjects to her will. Yet in the end, the prince is changed for the better and marries the maiden. Sure, marrying someone that is lower class could be socially marring, but the prince will be happier than he ever was, side by side with the beautiful maiden.
A modern-day parallel can be made to a member of my family, Richard Pupi. Although Richard may come off as a bit of a prude with his constantly serious countenance, he will always do what is best for others when the time comes.

Rachael Kerr
AP English 11
November 28,2009
Pride and Prejudice
Character Description-Lady Catherine
Lady Catherine is a pompous, overbearing snob obsessed with class and propriety who is constantly getting involved in situations that she does not belong in, all the while striking fear into the hearts of those who should oppose her.
Lady Catherine is the epitome of the antagonist in this story, and demonstrates extreme upper-class snobbery. She is introduced into the story by her number one fan-boy, Mr. Collins, and even then is seen as haughty. It would not be as bad if she was just terrible and mean, but Lizzy never had to deal with her, but her nephew is none other than the desirable Mr. Darcy. Just this relation is Lady Catherine’s biggest problem. In fact, when Lady Catherine hears of a possible marriage between her nephew and Lizzy, she herself goes to Lizzy’s house to try and find it untrue: “I was told…that Miss Elizabeth Bennet, would …be soon afterwords united to my nephew…Mr. Darcy. Though I know it must be a scandalous falsehood”(Austen 270). Lady Catherine lives by stepping on the toes of the lower class, but this is not the only thing that makes her a braggart. Lady Catherine can always be caught being condescending with obvious advice and mentioning what ‘she always says’ or what she has done for other people; “I always speak my mind, and I cannot bear the idea of two young women travelling post by themselves. It is highly improper. You must contrive to send somebody. I have the greatest dislike in the world to that sort of thing. Young women should always be properly guarded and attended, according to their situation in life. When my niece Georgiana went to Ramsgate last summer, I made a point of her having two men-servants go with her. Miss Darcy, the daughter of Mr. Darcy, of Pemberley, and Lady Anne, could not have appeared with propriety in a different manner. I am excessively attentive to all those things. You must send John with the young ladies, Mrs. Collins. I am glad it occurred to me to mention it; for it would really be discreditable to you to let them go alone” (162). Here, we can see what Lady Catherine said, said she did, and what she feels is proper and improper(*insert peanuts teacher noise here*). In fact, that’s all she ever talks about; she displays her morals and practices, stating them almost as laws to follow.
Lady Catherine is like someone trying to teach first graders manners. The subjects are far too uninterested to listen, but would not dare interrupt because then the teacher would know they were not paying attention. Instead they let her go on monologing, believing that what she is saying will change the toddlers’ lives, when most of what she is saying they already knew. But when there is one subject brave and clever enough to trip her up in what she is saying, she becomes so cross that she cannot come back with a rebuttal, but instead goes on by saying that they should not have interrupted.
A connection to a real life character can be made to another member of my family, but her name will remain unmentioned. She constantly lectures on what we should and should not do, how a lady should act, and what she feels is the correct way to do something. Like Lady Catherine, she will go on long tangents about obvious practical advice, and if you interrupt her, she will explode on you about everything you just did wrong.