2) Compose a blog response using 2-3 direct quotations from the text. Remember to respond to each other. I look forward to your responses.
Below is the Cozy Classics version of the novel...
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Wednesday, October 10, 2018
Due Friday, October 12th - "Pride & Prejudice" by Jane Austen - Pages 182-210 (Chapters XLVI - L)
1) Read Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen (pages 182-210, chapters XLVI - L).
2) Compose a blog response using 2-3 direct quotations from the text. Remember to respond to each other. I look forward to your responses.
Below is the Cozy Classics version of the novel...
2) Compose a blog response using 2-3 direct quotations from the text. Remember to respond to each other. I look forward to your responses.
Below is the Cozy Classics version of the novel...
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Due Thursday, June 13th - All I Really Needed to Know I Learned in Mr. Pellerin's Survey of British Literature Class.
Overview : Go back to our first blog, and walk through the 2018-2019 school year. Revisit the books we read and our class responses. Look...
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Overview : We have read Chapters I – X, Book I of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice . Before we proceed, read the following piece by Sa...
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Directions : 1) Read Beowulf , pages 3-top of 57 (27 pages) – Fighting Grendel 2) Read Beowulf , pages 89-113 (12 pages) – Fighting G...
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Overview : Go back to our first blog, and walk through the 2018-2019 school year. Revisit the books we read and our class responses. Look...
This section seemed slow, but there was actually a lot going on even after we found out about Lydia and Wickham. As much as Elizabeth and Jane hate Wickham, they have to support his marriage to Lydia or else their entire family’s reputation in ruined. Even if Wickham doesn’t marry her, his reputation would be ruined too. Which makes me wonder, why would he pursue something with Lydia if he’d be forced to marry her even with her unattractive family? I don’t think he had much logic or thinking behind his decisions. Correct me if I interpreted the paragraph wrong, but new information (not entirely new for Elizabeth and Darcy though) began to surface to the public about Wickham, and “he was declared to be in debt to every tradesman in the place… every body began to find out, that they had always distrusted the appearance of his goodness” (197). I also thought it was interesting that Mr. Bennet seems to greatly blame Lydia herself for this predicament, while Mrs. Bennet blames everyone else. She exclaimed in her usual dramatic tone: “Why did the Forsters ever let her go out of their sight? I am sure there was some great neglect or other on their side, for she is not the kind of girl to do such a thing,” (192). I thought that it was funny because from what we’ve read, it does seem like something Lydia would do… but maybe we only have the single story of Lydia. If there were intentions behind Wickham’s actions, my theory is that he could tell from his conversations with Elizabeth that there was something going on there. And he wanted to get back at Darcy for not giving him money, so he wanted to ruin the reputation of the Bennets so Darcy wouldn’t want to marry Elizabeth- hence preventing his happiness. Does anyone agree with that theory?
ReplyDeleteWhat's this we hear about Lydia having no money? She's a Bennet! And why is it always about money, anyway?
DeleteWhile the Bennets are well off, they are still considered to be on the low end of the rich. Money equates to power and reputation so the more you have, the more important you are.
DeleteBah, humbug! Money only determines what you can do to survive and enjoy yourself! Power is entirely unrelated, got it?
DeleteI sure sound like the Grinch.
DeleteI guess that Mr. Wickham may as well marry Lydia because he is even worse than broke. Even though Lydia is on the low end of the wealthy class, she is still in the wealthy class and he can rely on her to repay his debts.
DeleteThess chapters were really interesting. While most of the Bennet family were panicking and embarrassed about Lydia's disappearance with Mr. Wickham, Mrs. Bennet only wanted to find Lydia so she can marry Wickham. Then at the end in chapter 49 where they received the letter from Mr. Gardiner regarding Lydia, he told them the requirements for their marriage. The requirements included 100 pounds per year and 5,000 upon Mr. Bennet's death. Mrs. Bennet was so excited! For the little cost, one of her daughters was about to be married! "No sentiment of shame gave a damp to her triumph” (207). She already began preparing for the marriage before Lydia had said anything about marrying Mr. Wickham.
ReplyDeleteAlso in these sections was Elizabeth's feelings and recollections. After hearing the tragic news of Lydia's disappearance, Elizabeth got a flashback and recalled the moment several weeks ago when she turned down Mr. Darcy's offer of marriage. She currently regrets that decision and admits that “... he was exactly the man, who, in disposition and talents, would most suit her.” (209). However after all of these events in her family, she is unlikely to be able to be on the same terms as Mr. Darcy again. Perhaps it is the memory of Mr. Darcy's letter referring to the oddities of her family that really made this turn of events hit home.
I agree that Elizabeth no longer thinks she has a chance because he was already ashamed of her family, and now he has even more reason to be. But I think, knowing that they will end up together in the end, he'll look past all of that shame and it'll make for a really sweet scene.
DeleteAlso now that Lydia actually married Wickham helps their family name. The only thing that is standing in the way of Darcy and Elizabeth is that Wickham is now apart of Elizabeth's family and Darcy hates Wickham. Also Elizabeth's social status is also kind of standing in the way.
DeleteAlso to Mr. Pellerin: Why does Mrs. Bennet continue to hope Lydia to marry Mr. Wickham? Is she still ignorant of the shame and debts on Mr. Wickham's name?
ReplyDeleteSorry I'm not Mr. Pellerin, but in Mrs. Bennet's mind, she does see at first Lydia's actions are worrisome and a overall not good situation. She does see it as shameful, but probably not as shameful as the situation realistically would've been, since Lydia is her favorite and her first priority is that her daughter is missing. In that situation where a young girl has run off with a man, living with him and yet not married, it's shameful. So rather than take her away from the situation, it's better to have her marry him and just say "oh, they were about to get married anyway" and fib a little toward the situation. If they took her home right away, that would be admitting that they had something to be ashamed of. And Wickham would probably talk, since we know he's a chatty fellow. So if they didn't comply with his demands, they would end up in shame. Mrs. Bennet is also just not a fully sensible woman. She is so caught up in her favorite child that she cannot see what's happening. And marriages are more important to her than the type of man, especially since Wickham is a charming personality. She's a lil ignorant, but more like she's /ignoring/ and /forgetting/ and /moving past the bad stuff/ than "ignorant."
DeleteThese chapters contained a lot of letters, mostly talking about the scandal going on between Wickham and Lydia. I actually thought these chapters were really interesting, and kind of funny in a way. While Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner head to London to go find Lydia and Wickham, the Bennet's receive a letter from Mr. Collins, "The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of this. […] Howsoever that may be, you are grievously to be pitied; in which opinion I am not only joined by Mrs. Collins, but likewise by Lady Catherine and her daughter, to whom I have related the affair. They agree with me in apprehending that this false step in one daughter will be injurious to the fortunes of all the others; for who, as Lady Catherine herself condescendingly says, will connect themselves with such a family?"(198) In this letter Mr Collins offers his condolences and says how Lydia's action will forever affect the lives of the Bennet family. He also adds how he is glad that he did not end up marrying Elizabeth, and that they should just cut Lydia out from their life. In this time of crisis we see Mrs. Bennet at her shallowest. After Mr. Gardiner payed Wickham to marry Lydia, Mrs.Bennet dismisses the fact of paying him back, and forgot all the bad Lydia has done and quickly rushes out to make her daughters wedding, news to the public. "It is all very right; who should do it but her own uncle? If he had not had a family of his own, I and my children must have had all his money, you know; and it is the first time we have ever had anything from him, except a few presents" (205).
ReplyDeleteToo true sis, Mrs. Bennet has gotta stop just expecting her brother to do all the work and for her husband to just forgive and forget and pay all that dolla dolla bills to a sleazy guy.
DeleteMrs. Bennet has such a short memory span. She is easily swayed from one side to the other.
Delete"'And now here's Mr. Bennet gone away, and I know he will fight Mr. Wickham, wherever he meets him, and then he will be killed, and what is to become of us all? The Collinses will turn us out, before he is cold in his grave; and if you are not kind to us, brother, I do not no what we shall do'"(192). I've got an idea, forget about all that wealth and stop being so commercial! In the meantime, take a look at this. Lydia was considering signing her name as Lydia Wickham, on a letter to someone at Longbourn, but Mr. Gardiner has "'seen them both. They are not married, nor can I find there was any intention of being so'"(202). She was indeed joking. Obviously, if there's any comic relief in this whole book, that's it right there! But it's so insufficient!
ReplyDeleteBut Owen the problem is that you are viewing this with a 2018 perspective, during this time period money was huge factor in who you got to marry. A Bennet sister would never marry a servant. Class and wealth were usually considered to be more important in a marriage than love --> you were considered lucky if you were in love with your partner. I know it's hard, but you have to put the book in it's historical context.
DeleteChloe H ^^^
DeleteI agree with Chloe, Owen. I understand the frustration toward the opinions and beliefs of some of the characters, but this is even before the Victorian era. This book seems to be out of your genre, but to these people, they couldn't change their life, forget their name. It is all they had. These events to them are very serious and pertain to their livelihoods and the people around them. If you did not have good social connections with most people, it ruined your name, your family, any other parties associated with you (friends, neighbors). Imagine not only ruining your own reputation, but also your mother's and father's and sister's and brother's and aunt's and uncle's and niece's and nephew's and grandparents' and close friends' and distant friends' and even more. These were events of catastrophic meaning.
DeleteI know that's how they did it, I've just lost my patience.
DeleteI thought he was gonna fight him too, and I had no idea Wickham was actually going to marry Lydia.
DeleteThese chapters were very dramatic. Everyone is quick to make judgments and everyone freaks out. I think it is interesting how much pressure is put on Mr. Gardiner, even though it isn't his daughter that made the huge mistake. I feel badly for him. The letter, that Lizzy got from Jane when Jane first informs her of the disaster, said to call for Mr. Gardiner to help. Jane says in the letter, "In such an exigence my uncle's advice and assistance would be every ting in the world; he will immediately comprehend what I must feel, and I rely upon his goodness" (184). Also when they get to the house Mrs. Bennet relies on him to listen to all her complaints. Also when he gets there Jane says to Lizzy after being asked if she has heard anything from Lydia, "Not yet,... But now that my dear uncle is come, I hope every thing will be well" (191). So a lot of pressure is being put on Mr Gardiner, however I guess this makes sense for the time era because he is a man and I think woman were not 'supposed' to do this kind of thing. Also I am suspicious of Mr. Wickham. Why did he go to London and conceal their wanting to get married for so long? This makes me wonder, maybe he went to London to see Mr. Darcy, so he could threaten him. I think that maybe Wickham threatened Darcy that if he didn't give him money that he would ruin Elizabeth's (the girl Darcy cares about) family reputation. Or Wickham did it to just get money from Lydia's family (as he did from Mr. Gardiner). I am not sure but the whole thing seems suspicious to me.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree on Gardiner. Poor guy has to do everything, and Mrs. Bennet just expects everything from her brother because he is family but I don't know how much of a reliable sister she has been. And Wickham doesn't want to marry Lydia, most likely, but rather "have fun" and play around. He's willing to marry Lydia on the condition of money, not for "love." Wickham probably doesn't know of Darcy's entanglement with Elizabeth. Wickham is a guy to be suspicious of clearly, yes.
DeleteThese chapters were very dramatic and more interesting to read than the previous few. Elizabeth receives two separate letters from Jane and learns that their younger sister Lydia has run off with Mr. Wickham. She is horrified by the news and realizes that this will worsen their families situation. I feel sorry for Elizabeth, in this moment of panic, she runs into Mr. Darcy and tells him everything,"...and never had she so honestly felt that she could have loved him, as now, when all love must be vain." (pg. 185). Although he is kind to her in the moment he realizes that this brings their families even father apart and pities her. To me, Mr. Wickham is not a very bright man, I think he is someone who acts on instinct and doesn't have much logic or sense. He strongly dislikes Darcy and would do almost anything to bring him down, even by worming his way into the lives of the Bennets. Lydia has no money and marrying her would in no way benefit him.
ReplyDeletego off
DeleteAt first I didn’t think much of Lydia’s disappearance but if you think about it, it would be really hard in this time period to find someone missing. Nowadays with all the security cameras and phones it is much easier but in their time they had no technology that could help them. In Lydia’s letter, she mentions that “there is but one man in the world I love, and he is an angel”(195). I bet that Mr.Wickham lied to Lydia the same way that he lies to everyone else. If Lydia finds out about the true nature of his character, would she still marry him? Later it is found out that Mr.Wickham demanded “one hundred pounds per annum” and an “equal share of the five thousand pounds”(202) for the marriage. It is also hinted that he was also paid nothing less than ten thousand pounds from the Gardiners. He really is a vile man. Was the only point of romancing Lydia just to blackmail the Bennets or is there something else? Now that both Elizabeth and Darcy are willing to marry, they appear to be heading into a happy ending but considering the fluctuations of emotions in previous chapters, I’m not so sure.
ReplyDeleteIn this section of reading I was surprised but not surprised at the same time. For one, I never expected Lydia to marry Mr. Wickham. I was not surprised about the fact that Lydia had gone off with an officer because she and Kitty spent a lot of time around them during balls. However, I was surprised that Mr. Wickham would choose Lydia because she did not have a lot of money which Mr. Wickham needed and if he was to marry a Bennet daughter then I would have expected it to be Elizabeth because they know each other pretty well. In Jane’s letter she says “‘Imagine our surprise! To Kitty, however, it does not seem so wholly unexpected.’” Later in the reading when the letter is given about Wickham marrying Lydia if he gets paid to do so, I was also surprised and not surprised with the reaction of the characters. Elizabeth was very against this. She didn’t like the fact that Lydia was going to marry a person like Wickham and she did everything in her power to try to not let things continue on. Mr. Bennet had a reasonable approach to the events. He understood that Wickham was not a good person, but he knew that one of his daughters needed to be married in order for the money to be saved for the family. However while he did accept the terms of Wickham in order for the marriage to happen, he did not want to spend any extra money like the wedding clothes Mrs. Bennet had asked him to buy. Mrs. Bennet had a very interesting reaction to the marriage. When things pointed in the direction that Lydia and Wickham wouldn’t be married, she disliked him very much. But once talks of marriage came up, she forgot about everything and only focused on getting her daughter married. On page 207 it says “no sentiment of shame gave a damp to her triumph.” This shows that Mrs. Bennet would do anything she can do get what she wants. Even if that meant getting her daughter to marry a person like Wickham, which shows her desperation in accomplishing this goal.
ReplyDeleteNikita Orbits
Chloe Hanrahan
ReplyDeleteGuys I have a problem! I see so much of some of my friends in Lydia. So fast to fall in love and not truly take the time to get to know the person they say they love. People our age (so Lydia’s) are so quick to “fall in love” because we are told it’s this amazing thing that we should want badly, but it also can lead to being hurt -- like Lydia. I’m not sure how Austen is going to give Lydia a happy ending after marrying her to Wickham. Lydia reminds me of Juliet from R&J, thinking she’s in love, but not knowing that it truly is just infatuation. When she keeps saying she wants to write “Lydia Wickham” it reminded me of all those cheesy teen movies where the nerdy girl who is in love with the quaterback will write her name with his last name over and over again, did that cliche come from Austen?
Also, Elizabeth changed her mind fast. I get that she heard the truth about Dracy and so her preception changed, but it seems to me that her whole thought process on him flipped. It’s like she disregarded every bad thing about him (inability to express things face to face well, basically calling her not pretty at first, etc). I think Austen should have put in more moments of wanting to dislike him, but enjoying his company because it felt very jarring and a quick change of percpective on Darcy. “[H]e was exactly the man, who, in disposition and talents, would most suit her”, how/why in the world has her percepctive so drastically change; it doesn’t make sense there is no gradule flow into it!
The amount of money Wickham requests shows how little he cares about being subtle with this wants out of this marriage. He wants “equal share of the five thousand pounds” for the marriage and “one hundred pounds per annum”. He can’t even fake being in love. He’s the worst kind of person, one that everyone can see is only after one thing, but the person he’s messing with he’s fooled.
I see a lot of Lydia in my friends too! And i've probably been guilty of the same thing too.
DeleteUpon the start of the chapter, "Elizabeth had been a good deal disappointed in not finding a letter from Jane, on their first arrival at Lambton"(182) Which so happened to be from the fact that Jane has eloped with Mr Wickham and then got lost somewhere overseas, which would put a great deal more stress on Mrs. Bennet, more than that of a daughter that eloped, but still stayed in the town. In chapter 49, Jane is found and returns home, Jane was able to "walk(ing)together(with Elizabeth) in the shrubbery behind the house,"(201). Mrs Bennet seems to trust Jane enough after her eloping with Mr. Wickham that she allows her to maintain freedom instead of confining her to "her room" as most parents would do. This shows a situation in which conditions are slowly deteriorating.
ReplyDeleteOkay let's be honest y'all, Lydia is a hurricane and she is ruining everything. The atmosphere between Lizzy and Darcy before they had to leave? Perfect. After? A whole disaster. Elizabeth is realizing she is truly in love with him, as she laments that "She was convinced that she could have been happy with him; when it was no longer likely they should meet" (208). Lydia's dalliances are tarnishing the family name and Elizabeth's hopes with Darcy. She might not have done the latter knowingly, but she definitely should've looked around and realized that her actions affect other people much more negatively. I'm gonna tell the truth: Lydia's a brat and maybe she wasn't steered on the right course, which is her parents' fault but there is still a degree that she decided to ignore and should've acted better than that. It's like a 5 year old living in a 16 year old body. And the Collinses were wrong in saying that they should "throw off your unworthy child from your affection for ever, and leave her to reap the fruits of her own heinous offence" (199). Disowning her was probably a reasonable move back then, and I get it, but they didn't and that was probably better. She's still family, even if she did something wrong. But they should've tried to teach her better, rather than just have her sent off with her husband North. That's not right.
ReplyDeleteOn the case of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, yeah, they ain't great parents. Mr. Bennet was completely alien to his daughters, except for Lizzy and maybe Jane. Calling all his girls silly? Probably not motivating them to be anything otherwise, especially if they have heard it all their lives. And Mrs. Bennet? She's literally Lydia in an old woman's body. She only has some sense in knowing a little bit more about society, but she doesn't care enough about certain aspects to actually be polite (see: literally any interaction with Darcy ever) and respectable. I somewhat understand that they were a little more occupied with a uncomfortable marriage and that parenting styles were different then than they are now. But the lack of interference prior tells and shows. It's one thing being a little more free-spirited. Lydia is downright off the rails, no regard for anything or anyone other than herself. And that selfish, foolishness will one day be slapped in her face. But they are fictional characters, so probably not actually. But real world, she wouldn't survive long in that ignorance.
Anyway, 9/10 on these chapters just because Lydia irritates me. Still some quality page though.
I understand, this whole book is irritating.
DeleteI think the book is great, but I understand the annoyance of human misunderstanding.
DeleteI completely agree with what you're saying about the Bennet parents. Mr. Bennet's rudeness is really starting to show in these chapters and Mrs. Bennet's similarities with Lydia are also very clear, with both of them not caring much for others, simply acting for themselves.
DeleteI agree Lydia is such an irritating character I very much dislike her.
DeleteThe way she is a hurricane? Whack. The way she runs off with boys? Whack. The way she betrays everyone? Whack. Lizzy? SHE'S TIGHT AF
DeleteI do agree with you on the annoyance of Lydia's actions, but she doesn't understand the leading consequences of her actions.
DeleteCompletely agree with the fact that Mrs. Bennet is basically "Lydia in an old woman's body." She irritates me just as much as Lydia does
DeleteI'm glad all of y'all are on the same page as me. Lydia is cancelled in this house ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
DeleteIt was surprising how Mr. Collins suggested cutting Lydia out of the family. He has no right to be judgemental because he’s supposedly a Christian with his own church parish, “Let me advise you... to throw off your unworthy child from your affection for ever and leave her to reap the fruits of her own heinous offence” (199). I think Collins is a nasty guy and I hate that he’s going to take over the estate simply because the Bennett’s had no sons, “this son was to join in cutting off the entail, as soon as he should be of age, and the widow and younger children would by that means be provided for” (206).
ReplyDeleteI’ve come to despise Mrs. Bennet’s hissy fits and over-the-top exaggerations like, “keep Mr. Bennet from fighting. Tell him what a dreadful state I am in, -that I am frightened out of my wits; and have such tremblings, such flutterings, all over me, such spasms in my side, and pains in my head, and such beatings at heart, that I can get no rest by night nor by day” (192). On the other hand, Mr. Bennet is the opposite. l thought it was about time that he finally realized that his lack of involvement could ruin the family’s name. Although I wish he’d grow a spine. Just as I thought he was turning a new leaf, in the next chapter he turns against his own daughter by basically choosing to ignore that she exists, “Into one house in this neighbourhood, they shall never have admittance. I will not encourage the impudence of either, but receiving them at Lonbourn” (207).
I actually think it’s a relief that Lydia is getting married after all, but it’s disturbing that Wickham is willing to do “the right thing” only for a large sum of money. I believe he planned this out and played her, because he’s not a good guy and is just in it for the money.
-Colby Stack
Everyone's just in it for the money! This commercialism is making me sick and cross! I can't believe we have 52 more pages of it!
DeleteIn these chapters it starts off with Jane writing to Elizabeth about how Wickham might not marry Lydia." An express came at twelve last night, just as we all were gone to bed, from Colonel Foster, to inform us that she was gone off to Scotland with one of his officers; to own the truth, with Wickham! " so Lydia has supposedly run off to Scotland to marry Wickham who we now know as kind of the villain of the story at this point. Even though they do not necessarily approve of the marriage between Wickham and Lydia for reason that are obvious they understand if it is called off it will tarnish Lydia's' reputation as stated here" Imprudent as a marriage between Mr.Wickham and our poor Lydia would be,we are now anxious to be assured it has taken place, for there is but too much reason to fear they are not gone to Scotland." So people are starting to realize that Wickham is a bit of a snake to put it lightly and that Darcy might be the better of the two after all although it is not confirmed yet. A search begins to find the couple to ensure the marriage goes through. This marriage needs to happen or the Bennet's might be ruined which adds a new spark to the plot in my opinion.
ReplyDeletePeople are definitely thinking about the debts that Mr. Wickham have owed to people in town, but I don't think they are specifically comparing him to Darcy. Only Elizabeth compares Mr. Wickham to Mr. Darcy. It is only stated by the narrator because the narrator is revolved around the main characters thoughts, namely Elizabeth.
DeleteThese chapters mainly focused on the situation with Wickham and Lydia going missing. Mr. Gardiner ensures Elizabeth that everything will be fine and about how Lydia will most likely marry Mr. Wickham. Meanwhile at the Bennet household Mr. Bennet goes off to London to find them and as always Mrs. Bennet is freaking out. Eventually Wickham and Lydia reappear and they found out that Wickham and Lydia are going to get married but only if the Bennets can provide him a small income.
ReplyDeleteSo congrats to Lydia I guess because she is the first of the sisters to be getting married despite being one of the youngest. Also these chapters back up why I dislike Wickham so much because he's basically a greedy jerk who only cares about income.
Maybe or he may be genuinely in love with Lydia, who knows?
DeleteWhat I thought was interesting in this chapter were the reactions to Lydia's misfortune with Mr. Wickham. I noticed that both Jane and Lizzy (foil characters) demonstrated complete opposite personalities when judging Mr. Wickham's intentions and character. For example, in the letter that Jane wrote to Lizzy, Jane wrote, "So imprudent a match on both sides!- But I am willing to hope the best, and that his character has been misunderstood"(182). Jane says this even after knowing the truth of Wickham (as Lizzy does). This shows Jane's personality, of always looking to see the good in people even despite the reason and prejudices stacked against Mr. Wickham. Another reaction to Lydia's misfortune that I found interesting was Mrs. Bennet's. At the first hearing of the unfortunate event, Mrs. Bennet locked herself in her room in despair and was angry at Wickham for stealing away her daughter. She even hoped as much for Mr. Bennet and Mr. Wickham to have a duel to terminate the problem. During her period of depression I could see that Mrs. Bennet had a very intense love for Lydia that was amplified from her being one of her favorite daughters. However, once Mrs. Bennet was made aware of Mr. Wickham's intentions to marry Lydia, her demeanor changed dramatically. I knew that it was important to Mrs. Bennet that her daughters be married, however, after Mr. Wickham (a man who she previously claimed to abhor) endangered Lydia and was irresponsible with her, Mrs. Bennet welcomed him with open arms and immediately became excited for the wedding. She even said, "How I long to see her! and to see dear Wickham too! But the clothes, the wedding clothes!"(205). I remember a similar switch of personality with Mrs. Bennet when her admiration for Mr. Darcy was quickly shattered by his rudeness towards Lizzy and his disgusting pride. However, in this case, Mrs. Bennet decided to hate Mr. Darcy in defense of Lizzy and in disgust of his character. In contrast, Mrs. Bennet has now done the opposite with Wickham and ignored his horrible actions with the promise of him marrying Lydia. This leads me to question whether Mrs. Bennet cares more about marriage than she does about her daughters' well being. If she is willing to put her favorite daughter in harms way with the prospect of marriage, what else is she willing to do?
ReplyDeleteI agree I never expected Lydia or Wickham to have this much of a role.
DeleteOver the course of these chapters, the focus is on Lydia and her running away with Wickham. While staying with the Forsters, Lydia spent much time with Wickham and they decided to run away together, with Wickham saying that they would get married and go to Scotland. However that is not what happens, instead the Bennets learn that Wickham has no plans to marry Lydia because it does not benefit him financially or socially. After both Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner spent a large amount of time searching for Lydia in London, Mr. Bennet must return home and Mr. Gardiner finally locates Lydia. He learns that Wickham will marry her if he pays off his many debts and the supports them financially, and Mr. Gardiner is willing to do just that in order to save their family’s name. In spite of all the stress that the Bennet family is under because of what Lydia did, Elizabeth still is thinking about Mr. Darcy. She is concerned since she told Darcy about Lydia and Wickham, which makes her family even lower in society than before. Lizzy believes, and is quite upset about, the fact that Darcy would never “connect himself with a family, where to every other objection would now be added an alliance and relationship of the nearest kind with the man whom he so justly scorned” (208). Elizabeth now is finally seeming to realize that Darcy is a good person who would be a great person for her to be married to, even if he were not as rich as he is. In fact, Elizabeth “began now to comprehend that he was exactly the man who, in disposition and talents, would most suit her” (209) and she is now regretting her decision to reject his marriage proposal since she now understands that both of them would have been very happy in a marriage to one another. This is quite a change in Elizabeth’s feelings which also seem to come at just about the worst time given all that is happening with Lydia and Wickham.
ReplyDeleteOn a separate note, I found it amusing how Mrs. Bennet’s disposition changed so much immediately when she learned the Lydia was actually going to marry Wickham. She had been bedridden for two weeks before, and after learning of the upcoming marriage she “could barely contain herself… [exclaiming] ‘My dear, dear Lydia!’... ‘She will be married at sixteen!” (205). The drastic switch in her mood is quite funny and is not very surprising given her past craziness. While Mrs. Bennet is beside herself with joy about the marriage of one of her daughters, Mr. Bennet has different feelings about parenting and is quite rude to his children, even calling them silly.
I wonder if Mrs. Bennet will react the same way when Elizabeth and Darcy will inevitably get married.
DeleteMe too I really wonder what her reaction with be and will she start loving darcybecause of his money and the fact that Elizabeth is getting married
DeleteEspecially since Mrs. Bennet and Elizabeth don't seem to get along well, It will be fun to see what Mrs. Bennet's reaction will be since she will definitely feel that Elizabeth doesn't deserve someone that handsome, high class, and wealthy.
DeleteThese chapters were very interesting to me because the plot picked up very quickly as the chapters went on. At first, Elizabeth receives 2 letters from Jane that say Lydia has eloped with Wickham and that they are missing and could be getting married. When Mr Bennett goes looking for them, I honestly thought he was going to fight Wickham but ended up having to pay him to marry Lydia and I found that kind of ironic. Also, Elizabeth runs into Darcy again, while she is frantically running to find her uncle and I find that Mr Darcy has changed very much since the beginning of the novel. When he sees Elizabeth, he immediately wants to help her and he actually cares which is a trait we did not see in him before. "'Good God! what is the matter?' cried he, with more feeling than politeness; then recollecting himself, 'I will not detain you a minute, but let me, or let the servant go after Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. You are not well enough;-you cannot go yourself.'(pg 184)" Also, Darcy and Elizabeth now share a motive that could bring them closer together. These chapters also show me how important marriage was back then because of how Mr Bennett is willing to pay a large sum of money to this horrible man just so his daughter can have a husband. I was very surprised Mr Bennett agreed to this, especially when he said he would have payed more and thought that he would have to to get Lydia off his hands. I think Mr Bennett is also too hard on Lydia and trash talks her too much; like when he says "Wickham's a fool, if he takes her with a farthing less than ten thousand pounds. I should be so sorry to think so ill of him, in the very beginning of our relationship." Wickham is not to be trusted , and I think he is really just playing the Bennett's for their money.
DeleteWithin these chapters, I was conflicted about what made Lydia think that marrying Mr. Wickham is a good idea. I don’t think Lydia realizes the severity and consequences that she and her family have to deal with, especially since the other Bennet sisters “have” to be married and well off and Mr. and Mrs. Bennet have to protect their family name. As Lydia being the youngest, “she has no money, no connections, nothing that can tempt [ Mr. Wickham] to” and according Elizabeth, “she is lost forever.”(185) With Elizabeth, I felt bad for her when she found out about Lydia’s situation, saying that “nothing can be done; I know very well that nothing can be done.” (185) At that point, I really wanted to comfort Elizabeth and she has every right to be upset and feel this way about her family situation. As a woman during that time period, I can’t imagine how difficult it would’ve been for Elizabeth because she doesn’t have many rights and privileges and be able to be independent to take action because back then, men were supposed to take action of these kinds of family situations, and feeling like you can’t do anything at the moment because of what society tells you what you can/can’t do feels restricting. Elizabeth does feel powerless because of that restriction and she can’t help out her family, even though she wants to.
ReplyDeleteYou are very right about how hard it must have been for Elizabeth and the other Bennet sisters during that time, since they all now felt that they were even worse off that before with Lydia running away.
DeleteThese 30 pages have been the most bizarre things ever. Wickham and Lydia have absconded because they're falling in like with each other. Apparently this is bad because if they're having sex with each other before marriage then no one will respect the family ever again (which I don't quite understand because I thought these people were protestants). Anywho, I believe that this type of crisis is exactly what my ship needed. As soon as hearing of this absconding from a letter, Elizabeth fell into distress and bumped into Mr. Darcy (who luckily is not being a dumb birch tree) and they had a nice civil conversation. Now, Darcy must set out with the Bennets in order to find Lydia and Wickham before they have premarital sex and ruin everything. A true story of romance.
ReplyDeleteIt's all sects of Christianity that don't like premarital sex
DeleteNot mine!
DeleteVery factual Ethan great job.
DeleteI agree that it's a true story of romance haha
DeleteGesundheit!
DeleteWhat a wild twist Austen decided to throw at us in these pages. I like the fact that it's a race against time with the Bennetts + Darcy trying to stop Lydia and Wickham from getting frisky and ruining their reputation forever. The wording in Jane's letter to Lizzy is perfect and sets the mood and tone immediately: "What I have to say relates to poor Lydia.An express came at twelve last night, just as we were all gone to bed, from Colonel Forster, to inform us she was gone off to Scotland with one of his officers; to own the truth, With Wickham!" (182). But wait, there's more! We later find out the the second letter Jane send to Lizzy that neither Wickham or Lydia hadn't been seen going to Scotland at all! They've eloped. But the problem with this is: why would Wickham do it? There's no money in it for him. So why? Absolutely WILD, folks.
ReplyDeleteMaybe he's using Lydia to get back at Elizabeth
DeleteI originally thought that the bad guy was Collins in the story but now I'm starting to realize it is Wickham. He is ruining the name of the Bennett family and doesn't care at all. But we also see that Collins is still a straight up awful human being. He has no place to criticize the Bennett family, he needs to stop being a salty boi because he can't have Elizabeth. GET. OVER. IT.
ReplyDeleteIt would be such a twist if we find out in the end that Wickham is actually good.
Deleteeveryone is kinda quick to blame lydia for running off with wickham, and i get that because obviously elopement and fleeing to the city is a two person decision. but you have to consider, she’s 16 and has so far lived a sheltered life in 1800s rural england. and she’s not the smart one. you can’t really expect her to make the smartest choices when a pretty militia officer shows up and suggests they run off together. I think the blame for the whole scandal is on wickham, a whole grown adult, who manipulated the bennets for money when lydia genuinely loves him (she’s infatuated with him but we’re gonna ignore that because love sounds better), and he knows at least one bennet sister has to be married before mr bennet dies. REGARDLESS of how it would fully damage their reputation if he and lydia didn’t get married. because wickham would probably walk away fine, if not with wasted time, if he and lydia didn’t get married. but the reputation and social standing of lydia and the bennets would be ruined. and cause he’s aware of all that, i think it makes what he’s doing every evil-er
ReplyDeleteAmen. She is just a teenager and wants to fall in love without all the work so she just tries to eLoPe. Whack! We shouldn't blame hormonal teens for being hormonal teens.
DeleteWhat do you mean, "Whack"?
DeleteThis was a short section but we learn alot. We learned Wickham and Lydia ran away together. I feel bad that Jane and Elizabeth thinks they are to blame becasue they did not tell everyone about Wickham. Lydia I don't feel bad for. What Elizabeth said was right "oh! thoughtless, thoughtless Lydia!(195)". Why did she run does she know the effect it will have on family. I think for me at least she became an antagonist like Wickham. I feel in the future he will leave her because she will annoy him too much and he will 100% cheat on her. I do'nt think he has really changed. I think Elizabeth thinks that she will never see Darcy again and he will move on when Elizabeth thinks "Mr Darcy acquainted with their fears for her sister"(208). Elizabeth told Darcy this secret between the family that Lydia ran away with Wickham in that time you don't just tell people about these situation.
ReplyDeleteIn this chapter, the two characters that I'm not too fond of just really make me dislike them even more. Those two character are Wickham and Collins. Collins has just struck me as an odd character from the beginning. When we were first introduced to Collins, he just walked in and acted like he ran the place. Now he's actually telling the Bennett's how to deal with Lydia. When he sends the letter, he adds himself into a situation that doesn't concern him, but insists that he has "been involved in all (their) sorrows"(199). How is he in any way involved in this? This is just for the Bennett family to take care of. I also dislike how he had the audacity to even suggest that they shun Lydia out of the family. Just because he has ownership of the estate when Mr. Bennett is out of the picture does not give him any right or place to state his thoughts on the situation. His entitlement irks me. As for Wickham, I just think that he is a major sleaze ball. He enjoys having power over people and that's why he goes after young and impressionable girls. He can easily manipulate them in any way they want. It's hard to blame Lydia for any of this because she's just 15. She thinks this man loves her and want to marry her, not that he wants to manipulate her to get money from her family. I agree with the idea made in the novel that "Lydia is so lost to everything but love of him, as to consent to live with him one any other terms than marriage"(189). Again, Lydia doesn't really fully understand the consequences to her actions. Her mother is constantly talking about the girls getting married that it becomes an obsession. She thinks that what she is doing is right.
ReplyDeleteI don't think it was really Lydia's fault that she left with Wickham, although everyone looks down on her for it. There are a few reasons that everyone should have been blaming Wickham, and the first is his great looks. You can't blame Lydia for running away with a man that is described as having really good looks, because he gave her the opportunity. Also, with Wickham's past with Darcy's sister, you can tell that he is a womanizer, and this is the second woman that he has slept with without being married to them, which was a really bad thing to do back in that time. Finally, Lydia is young, so she didn't really understand what she was doing, where Wickham knew 100% what was happening. I think that Mr. Bennet made a terrible decision when he decided that he would rather give his daughter a good reputation than have her be happy with who she was marrying, but at the same time in this world, reputation meant much more than I could ever understand it to mean today, so I am unsure how Lydia felt about it. The quote "Wickham will never marry a woman without some money. He cannot afford it" (195) continues to show how much of a scumbag Wickham is, as he eloped with a woman at first for her money without being married to her, and did the exact same thing (what was known as a heinous act) again. There is a dialogue between Mr. Bennet and the sisters, where they say "“Wickham is not so undeserving, then, as we thought him,” said
ReplyDeleteher sister. “My dear father, I congratulate you.”, “And have you answered the letter?” cried Elizabeth., “No; but it must be done soon.”"(210). In this dialogue, Mr. Bennet and his daughters make the decision for Lydia to get married, and although I've been reading this for about a month I still find it shocking the amount of freedom that women had, and even in the dialogue men will talk like they have ownership over women and it was just how times used to be, which is very hard for my mind to comprehend.