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I still can't get over the fact that some people read Austen whilst believing that “compromising” was a thing

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rip elizabeth bennet you would've loved mitski

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Yes, 1995 BBC Darcy jumping into the pond/lake to cool down might be gratuitous. Yes, the water is definitely horrible and likely full of sheep droppings. Yes, the wet shirt is a bit silly. But have you considered:

Darcy's consequential expression of pure horror when he comes face to face with Elizabeth.

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One of the most interesting parts of the exhibition featuring costumes from Pride and Prejudice (1995) was the chance to see tiny details that were included not even necessarily for the benefit of the audience at home (as they're too small to be properly seen or worn for such a short amount of time you wouldn't notice) but because the people who made the adaptation truly cared about those details.

The absolute highlight for me was this lovely detail on the fob of Mr Darcy's pocket watch on his wedding outfit... (fair warning that this might make you melt):

Can you see that little silver charm? It's the shape of a heart!

Quote from the information card next to it:

Mr Darcy's outfit is very fine, but restrained and tasteful in style, just like him. On his fob, attached to his waist, is a filigree heart. Perhaps his only nod towards whimsy.

I think this is almost too lovely for words. I love it SO much. It's a beautiful detail and I think it's perfect for his character. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it... it's ridiculously sweet.

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You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love—I love—I love you. I love you.

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lizzy touring around pemberly being like “ugh i didn’t marry him because i don’t like him like that BUT LOOK AT THIS ESTATE—”

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bring back real YEARNING !!

the way he looks at her??? INSANE

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wish that were me 😭😭😭😭😭

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I went to see Pride and Prejudice at Chatsworth House (the location used for Pemberley) AND THEY GAVE US THE AMERICAN ENDING

Truly a highlight of my life ❤️

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people who say pride & prejudice is “just a romance” completely miss that austen was dunking on the entire class system while writing one of the best slow-burn enemies-to-lovers arcs in history.

mr. darcy walked so your favorite brooding antihero could run.

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so miss darcy- she asked to meet elizabeth right so i really think that it’s because mr darcy would just not shut up about her.

Mr Darcy: *talking about Lizzy for the 14th time that day*

Georgiana: God, I need to meet this woman

Georgiana: look at what she’s done to my brother

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The craziest thing about Mr. Darcy's first proposal is that he goes on a passionate rant about how awful her family is and somehow he expects Elizabeth to accept him.

He spoke well; but there were feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed, and he was not more eloquent on the subject of tenderness than of pride. His sense of her inferiority, of its being a degradation, of the family obstacles which judgment had always opposed to inclination, were dwelt on with a warmth which seemed due to the consequence he was wounding, but was very unlikely to recommend his suit.

Which means that he either:

Didn't think she would care (clearly he hasn't learned the "I can insult my family but you cannot" rule)

Thought that she would be flattered by how her awesomeness/the strength of his love has overcome his hesitations

Was too wrapped up in his own struggles to even consider what she would think about his rant

And this all kind of goes back to how his big first line isn't that romantic, it's so much about him:

“In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”

He has struggled, he loves, he has feelings, and they must come out, but where is consideration for Elizabeth? It sets such a contrast to the second opening line. His feelings can now be repressed, if she desires it:

“You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever.” (emphasis author's)

(add to this that he says that he respects her family in the line prior)

The first proposal is so much about him. The growth between the two is beautiful.

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I really love how, in the course of her confrontation with Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Elizabeth echoes a sentiment that she earlier expressed to Jane about how, so long as the couple in question are happy with each other... who cares what the rest of society thinks? Which causes Lady Catherine to exclaim the infamous and iconic, 'obstinate, headstrong girl!'

In Chapter 21, Elizabeth and Jane are discussing potential reasons for Mr Bingley's abrupt departure from Netherfield. Jane, who always sees the best in people, naturally refuses to believe Elizabeth when she argues that it was Caroline's doing, as Miss Bingley is determined for her brother to marry Georgiana and even goes so far as to say that Jane should still marry Bingley, even if it goes against the wishes of his family and friends.

To which Jane replies:

'But, my dear sister, can I be happy, even supposing the best, in accepting a man whose sisters and friends are all wishing him to marry elsewhere?' 'You must decide for yourself,' said Elizabeth; 'and if, upon mature deliberation, you find that the misery of disobliging his two sisters is more than equivalent to the happiness of being his wife, I advise you by all means to refuse him.'

Essentially, Elizabeth advises Jane to ignore whatever Caroline wishes and focus on how deeply Jane and Bingley regard each other as, if they truly care about each other so greatly (and Elizabeth can see that they do) the opinions of others will simply not matter. Especially when such opinions are influenced by snobbery.

Later, in Chapter 56, Lady Catherine attempts to threaten Elizabeth into rejecting any proposal that might follow from Darcy by reminding her that it will lead to the prospective couple being ostracised by Darcy's noble relations:

'Do you pay no regard to the wishes of his friends? To his tacit engagement with Miss de Bourgh? Are you lost to every feeling of propriety and delicacy? Have you not heard me say that from his earliest hours he was destined for his cousin?' 'Yes, and I had heard it before. But what is that to me? If there is no other objection to my marrying your nephew, I shall certainly not be kept from it by knowing that his mother and aunt wished him to marry Miss de Bourgh. You both did as much as you could in planning the marriage. Its completion depended on others. If Mr. Darcy is neither by honour nor inclination confined to his cousin, why is not he to make another choice? And if I am that choice, why may not I accept him?' 'Because honour, decorum, prudence, nay, interest, forbid it. Yes, Miss Bennet, interest; for do not expect to be noticed by his family or friends, if you wilfully act against the inclinations of all. You will be censured, slighted, and despised, by everyone connected with him. Your alliance will be a disgrace; your name will never even be mentioned by any of us.' 'These are heavy misfortunes,' replied Elizabeth. 'But the wife of Mr Darcy must have such extraordinary sources of happiness necessarily attached to her situation, that she could, upon the whole, have no cause to repine.'

In employing such a threat, Lady Catherine proves that, like her nephew once did, she has grossly underestimated Elizabeth Bennet. Of course, such a threat may work on others of milder temperaments, like Jane. Undoubtedly, Lady Catherine will have previously employed such warnings to great success. But Elizabeth is not a woman likely to be intimidated. In fact, in all that she has seen of Darcy's relations (save for Colonel Fitzwilliam and Georgiana) she would probably relish such a lack of contact with them!

This exchange also demonstrates that Elizabeth understands how, if Darcy seriously wanted to marry Anne, or felt obliged to (man of duty to his family that he is) he would already have done so. And, in my opinion, it's another lovely sign of how highly an opinion of Darcy Elizabeth now holds. Rather than wishing him to have a miserable life, she now believes Mr Darcy deserves better than being pressured by his family into a marriage with a woman that she previously dismissed as 'sickly and cross.'

Most of all, she knows that a life with Mr Darcy would be a joyous one indeed and, despite the wishes of his family, that both Elizabeth and Mr Darcy do deserve such happiness.

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mr bennet is so fucking funny. like yeah he's a bad father. and a bad husband. but he is just so goddamn funny

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how life feels knowing i have the same mbti type as elizabeth bennett:

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