[ SECRET POST #3242 ]

[case]

⌈ Secret Post #3242 ⌋

Warning: Some secrets are NOT worksafe and may contain SPOILERS.

01.


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02.
[Babylon 5]


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03.
[Hamilton/Founding Fathers]


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04.
[The Walking Dead]


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05.
[Jack Davenport/Matthew Macfadyen/Colin Firth]


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06.
[Air Master]


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07.


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08.









Notes:

Secrets Left to Post: 01 pages, 010 secrets from Secret Submission Post #463.
Secrets Not Posted: [ 0 - broken links ], [ 0 - not!secrets ], [ 0 - not!fandom ], [ 0 - too big ], [ 0 - repeat ].
Current Secret Submissions Post: here.
Suggestions, comments, and concerns should go here.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Wasn't the arrogance kind of the point, though? I mean... Mr. Darcy is reserved (not so much shy, per se), but combined with his pride it comes off to everyone else as arrogance. The misinterpretation of his character and realization of his true character is a (arguably the) major plot point.

[skeletal_history]

Tbh, it's been 20+ years since I read the book, but I seem to recall Darcy's character written such that you can see both traits equally in him, and various actors have chosen to play up one or the other. (For ex, David Rintoul's Darcy was super supercilious and openly disdainful of the Bennet family.). To me, Matthew MacFadyen's Darcy seemed like he was mostly shy and hid behind his courtesy, and the younger Bennets made him cringe in embarrassment with their gauche behavior, so he acted stiffly uncomfortable because of that, not because he was a snob who couldn't bear interacting with his lessers.

Whatever, I just loved his Darcy, okay??? :)

[(Anonymous)]

To me, Matthew MacFadyen's Darcy seemed like he was mostly shy and hid behind his courtesy, and the younger Bennets made him cringe in embarrassment with their gauche behavior, so he acted stiffly uncomfortable because of that, not because he was a snob who couldn't bear interacting with his lessers.>

This exactly. It's such a subtle, complex take on his characterization, and I love it.

[(Anonymous)]

"Tbh, it's been 20+ years since I read the book, but I seem to recall Darcy's character written such that you can see both traits equally in him..."

Overall, yes, we come to see both the good and bad sides of Darcy's personality. But initially, no. At that first dance where he makes his appearance, he definitely comes off like an ass because it is impolite to show up and than refuse to dance and there isn't really any positive side to implying that no girls here at pretty or classy enough to be your partner.

The idea of Darcy cringing with secondhand embarrassment is almost sweet, but that doesn't make sense in the context of the story. The younger Bennet girls' behavior isn't just gauche, it borders on impropriety because they're young, unmarried girls who are flirting heavily with officers. By modern standards, that's nothing. But back then, anything that hinted you might have loose morals was a huge thing, not just for you but for your whole family. Lydia's flirtations don't just imply she might be so loose she's unmarriageable, it also drags down her sisters' reputations and chances at marriage (and financial security and happiness), too. THAT'S why her behavior is such a huge deal.

And Darcy knows all of that because of what happened with Georgiana, and he knows exactly what damage to a young woman's reputation can result. So when he reacts to the younger Bennet girls, it's not just because they're tacky and poorly behaved, it's because of the larger implications that go beyond snobbery. He has a family name (and his beloved younger sister) to protect, so getting involved with a family of loose moraled daughters has pretty serious implications. He is (or should be) waaaay more than just slightly uncomfortable or embarrassed, because the Bennets' actions raise big ol' red flags by the standards of the time.

[(Anonymous)]

Yes! None of these things really come through in the movie, which turns Darcy into a completely different character. Darcy is supposed to be socially awkward, yes, in circles that he is unfamiliar with. Some of that stems from pride, and some from simply not having 'practised' enough, as Elizabeth says. But I do not think that he feels secondhand embarrassment when the younger Bennet girls are misbehaving. As you said, it goes beyond simple snobbery, and has larger social implications. A 'want of propriety' I believe he calls it.