Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 29

Jane Austen · Mountaineers 10th–12th

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Copywork

When they ascended the steps to the hall, Maria’s alarm was every moment increasing, and even Sir William did not look perfectly calm. Elizabeth’s courage did not fail her. She had heard nothing of Lady Catherine that spoke her awful from any extraordinary talents or miraculous virtue, and the mere stateliness of money and rank she thought she could witness without trepidation.

He carved and ate and praised with delighted alacrity; and every dish was commended first by him, and then by Sir William, who was now enough recovered to echo whatever his son-in-law said, in a manner which Elizabeth wondered Lady Catherine could bear. But Lady Catherine seemed gratified by their excessive admiration, and gave most gracious smiles, especially when any dish on the table proved a novelty to them.

Read both passages aloud. In which sentence does the narrator come closest to Elizabeth’s own thoughts?

For the educator Two passages from the narrator: the steps of Rosings, and the dinner. The first passage moves from fear to calm in three sentences. The first is long and rising: Maria’s alarm “every moment increasing”, and then “even Sir William”, the man who has been at court. The second is six words, and it turns the passage: “Elizabeth’s courage did not fail her.” The third has two halves joined by “and”. The first half is a negative: she had heard nothing “that spoke her awful”, where “awful” means awe-inspiring, not bad, and “spoke” means showed. Its two grand pairs, “extraordinary talents” and “miraculous virtue”, are set against one small word in the second half, “mere”. The second half puts its object first, “the mere stateliness of money and rank”, before its subject and verb, “she thought she could witness”, so the weight falls on what she dismisses. The second passage opens with three verbs joined by “and”, “carved and ate and praised”, which make Mr. Collins’s dinner one busy motion. Then comes a run of praise, “first by him, and then by Sir William”, and a clause that lets Elizabeth in at the end: “in a manner which Elizabeth wondered Lady Catherine could bear.” The next sentence answers her wonder with “But”: Lady Catherine “seemed gratified”, and smiled most “when any dish on the table proved a novelty to them.” Here “trepidation” means nervous fear, “alacrity” means eager speed, “commended” means praised, and “novelty” means something new to them. For mechanics, notice the semicolon in the dinner sentence, the commas that set off “who was now enough recovered to echo whatever his son-in-law said”, and the hyphens in “son-in-law”. For the talk prompt, listen for a student who picks the third sentence of the first passage: “she thought” marks it as Elizabeth’s view, and “mere” sounds like her own scorn. Listen for one who picks the wondering clause at dinner, where the narrator reports her thought and then answers it. And listen for one who notices that the narrator’s own voice returns with “But”, telling us what Elizabeth could not quite believe. No answer may say that Lady Catherine dislikes Elizabeth; the passages show her pleased with her guests.

Discussion

Narration Tell the chapter back in a few sentences, from Mr. Collins’s triumph at the invitation to the ride home. Then pick the one sentence that matters most, and say why.

Mr. Collins tells Elizabeth not to make herself “uneasy” about her clothes. Then he gives the reason: Lady Catherine “likes to have the distinction of rank preserved.” Who is that advice for? Inference
Sir William has been presented at court, at St. James’s. Yet at Rosings he can only bow and sit down. Could his time at court be the reason? Character
Lady Catherine’s tone brings Mr. Wickham “immediately to Elizabeth’s mind”. Is Elizabeth judging her that evening with her own eyes, or with his? Inference
Lady Catherine says that without a governess the girls “must have been neglected”. Elizabeth begins, “Compared with some families, I believe we were”. How much is she admitting? Inference
Lady Catherine is shocked that the younger sisters are out in society “before the elder are married”. Elizabeth is one of the elder, and she takes the younger girls’ side. Does it matter that she is the one who says it? Moral reasoning
Elizabeth gives Lady Catherine plain answers about her family. But on the ride home, she makes her report of Rosings “more favourable than it really was”. Who is it harder for her to be honest with? Character

Make a Connection Think of someone in another book, or in history, who was questioned by a person far above them in rank. What did their answer protect?

Vocabulary

condescension: Her Ladyship, with great condescension, arose to receive them; In Austen’s sense, a person of high rank treating someone of lower rank with gracious kindness; in her time praise, not an insult (from Latin con-, with, and descendere, to come down; related to condescend). The narrator says Lady Catherine rose “with great condescension” to receive her guests, and Mr. Collins calls the invitation “such an instance of Lady Catherine’s condescension as he knew not how to admire enough.” In both places the kindness comes down from above. Today the word means talking down to someone, so read it here as praise, and notice that the praise still keeps everyone in their place.
trepidation: the mere stateliness of money and rank she thought she could witness without trepidation. Nervous fear about something that is coming (from Latin trepidare, to tremble or hurry in alarm; related to intrepid, fearless). Elizabeth thinks she can face “the mere stateliness of money and rank” without trepidation. The word fits the steps of a great house: it is the trembling Maria feels, and that Elizabeth expects to be spared.
enumeration: was but slightly affected by his enumeration of the windows in front of the house, A listing of things one by one, as if counting them off (from Latin enumerare, to count out; related to number and numerous). Elizabeth is “but slightly affected by his enumeration of the windows in front of the house”: Mr. Collins counts the windows of Rosings, and tells what the glass cost, as if a great house were admired by number. The word is formal, and its formality makes his counting sound like a solemn duty.
alacrity: He carved and ate and praised with delighted alacrity; Eager, cheerful readiness; doing something quickly because you are glad to (from Latin alacer, lively, brisk). Mr. Collins carves, eats and praises “with delighted alacrity”. The word makes his service at the table sound like a pleasure he cannot get enough of, which is the joke.
controverted: she was not used to have her judgment controverted. Argued against; disputed (from Latin controversus, turned against; related to controversy). Lady Catherine delivers her opinion “in so decisive a manner as proved that she was not used to have her judgment controverted.” The word sets up the evening: no one at Rosings argues with her, and Elizabeth, answering her questions on governesses and sisters, comes closer to it than anyone.

Critical thinking

At dinner, Mr. Collins and Sir William praise every dish. Elizabeth wonders how Lady Catherine can bear it. Yet Lady Catherine smiles most “when any dish on the table proved a novelty to them.” What is she enjoying?
Elizabeth will not tell Lady Catherine her age. Is that reply a fair answer to rudeness, or a discourtesy to the woman whose table she is sitting at?