Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 17

Jane Austen · Mountaineers 10th–12th

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Copywork

Jane listened with astonishment and concern: she knew not how to believe that Mr. Darcy could be so unworthy of Mr. Bingley’s regard; and yet it was not in her nature to question the veracity of a young man of such amiable appearance as Wickham. The possibility of his having really endured such unkindness was enough to interest all her tender feelings; and nothing therefore remained to be done but to think well of them both, to defend the conduct of each, and throw into the account of accident or mistake whatever could not be otherwise explained.

If there had not been a Netherfield ball to prepare for and talk of, the younger Miss Bennets would have been in a pitiable state at this time; for, from the day of the invitation to the day of the ball, there was such a succession of rain as prevented their walking to Meryton once. No aunt, no officers, no news could be sought after; the very shoe-roses for Netherfield were got by proxy. Even Elizabeth might have found some trial of her patience in weather which totally suspended the improvement of her acquaintance with Mr. Wickham; and nothing less than a dance on Tuesday could have made such a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday endurable to Kitty and Lydia.

Read both passages aloud. The narrator smiles at Kitty and Lydia in the second. Is there a smile at Jane in the first?

For the educator Two passages, five sentences: the narrator on how Jane takes Elizabeth’s news, which opens the chapter, and the four days of rain, which close it. The first sentence opens on a short main clause, “Jane listened with astonishment and concern”, and a colon opens onto the two halves of her trouble, joined by a semicolon and “and yet”: she “knew not how to believe” ill of Mr. Darcy, and it “was not in her nature to question the veracity” of Mr. Wickham. Regard here means good opinion. The second sentence has a long subject, “The possibility of his having really endured such unkindness”, before its verb, “was enough”. After a semicolon, “nothing therefore remained to be done but” leads into three parallel phrases; the third drops its “to” and holds back its object, “whatever could not be otherwise explained”, to the very end. The second passage opens on a condition contrary to fact, “If there had not been a Netherfield ball”, answered by “would have been in a pitiable state”, and “such a succession of rain as prevented” states a cause and its result. The next sentence gives three subjects each led by “no” (“No aunt, no officers, no news”), shares one verb among them, and after a semicolon drops to the smallest errand of all: “the very shoe-roses” means even the rosettes for dancing shoes. The last sets a soft guess about Elizabeth, “might have found some trial of her patience”, against a firm statement about her sisters, with the four days named one by one. For mechanics, notice the colon and the semicolons, the commas in the list of days, and the hyphen in “shoe-roses”. For the talk prompt, listen for a student who hears the narrator smiling at Jane too, in the neat program of “nothing therefore remained to be done but” and a rule that can explain away anything; one who hears no mockery, since the narrator gives Jane’s reasons gently, from her “tender feelings”; and one who notices the difference in scale, shoe-roses and news against a wish to think well of everyone. No answer may say which man’s account is true, or treat Jane as simply naive: her refusal to blame without proof is a real position.

Discussion

Narration Tell the chapter back in a few sentences, from the talk in the shrubbery to the four days of rain. Then pick the one sentence that matters most, and say why.

Elizabeth teases Jane: “Do clear _them_, too, or we shall be obliged to think ill of somebody.” Is that fair to what Jane said? Inference
After all the arguing, Jane is certain of one thing: if Bingley was fooled, he will suffer when it comes out. Why is she sure of that, and of nothing else? Character
The Bingley sisters hurry off “as if eager to escape from Mrs. Bennet’s civilities.” Why does the narrator say “as if”? Author's choice
Elizabeth looks forward to “a confirmation of everything in Mr. Darcy’s look and behaviour.” What could he do at the ball that would change her mind? Inference
Elizabeth feels “completely taken in.” Mr. Collins has told her no lie. So what took her in? Character
Elizabeth is sure what Mr. Collins has in mind, but she will not quarrel about it, since he “might never make the offer”. Is she keeping an open mind, or only keeping the peace? Moral reasoning
Twice the narrator puts Elizabeth beside Kitty and Lydia, once in their plans for the ball and once in the rain. How different is she from them here? Tone

Make a Connection Think of a time you heard only one side of a quarrel. How much did you let yourself believe before the other side spoke?

Vocabulary

veracity: and yet it was not in her nature to question the veracity of a young man of such amiable appearance as Wickham. Truthfulness; whether what a person says is true (from Latin verax, truthful, from verus, true, the root of very, verify and verdict). The narrator uses the formal word for the very thing in question: Jane cannot doubt that Mr. Wickham is telling the truth, and the reason the narrator gives is his “amiable appearance”, not anything he said.
proxy: No aunt, no officers, no news could be sought after; the very shoe-roses for Netherfield were got by proxy. Through another person who acts in your place (shortened from procuracy, the office of someone who acts for another). With rain every day, the girls cannot walk to Meryton even for the rosettes on their dancing shoes, and someone else has to fetch them. The grand word for a small errand is the narrator’s joke.
disinclination: And even Mary could assure her family that she had no disinclination for it. Unwillingness; a slight wish not to do something (dis-, not, and inclination, a leaning toward). Having “no disinclination” is a careful double negative: Mary does not say she wants to go to the ball, only that she does not mind. The narrator’s “even” suggests how unusual that is for her.
perforce: Mr. Wickham’s happiness and her own was perforce delayed a little longer, and Mr. Collins’s proposal accepted with as good a grace as she could. By necessity; because there is no other choice (from Old French par force, by force). Once Mr. Collins has asked for the first two dances, Elizabeth’s plans for Mr. Wickham are put off whether she likes it or not. The proposal she accepts in this sentence is his request for those dances, nothing more.

Critical thinking

Elizabeth ends her case with “Besides, there was truth in his looks.” How much did his looks count in making up her mind?
Jane will not blame either man, while Elizabeth is certain who is guilty. Which sister is weighing the evidence more wisely?