Pride and Prejudice

Chapter 50

Jane Austen · Mountaineers 10th–12th

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Copywork

She was humbled, she was grieved; she repented, though she hardly knew of what. She became jealous of his esteem, when she could no longer hope to be benefited by it. She wanted to hear of him, when there seemed the least chance of gaining intelligence. She was convinced that she could have been happy with him, when it was no longer likely they should meet.

It was an union that must have been to the advantage of both: by her ease and liveliness, his mind might have been softened, his manners improved; and from his judgment, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have received benefit of greater importance. But no such happy marriage could now teach the admiring multitude what connubial felicity really was.

Read both passages aloud, and listen for the place where each sentence turns. Which turn surprises you most?

For the educator Two passages, six sentences in all, both from the heart of Elizabeth’s private reckoning. The first opens with two short clauses side by side, with no “and” between them, then a semicolon and a third clause that turns on “though”: “She was humbled, she was grieved; she repented, though she hardly knew of what.” The semicolon splits feeling from repentance, and the last clause admits she cannot name its object. The next three sentences are built alike. Each begins “She,” states a want, and turns on “when” to the loss that matches it: esteem “when she could no longer hope to be benefited by it,” news of him “when there seemed the least chance of gaining intelligence,” happiness “when it was no longer likely they should meet.” Repetition at the start (anaphora) and a balanced turn in the middle (antithesis) make the pattern impossible to miss; “intelligence” here means news, not cleverness. The second passage pictures the marriage she believes is lost. Its first sentence is held together by a colon and a semicolon: after the colon, what she would give him (“by her ease and liveliness, his mind might have been softened, his manners improved,” where “might have been” is not repeated before “improved”) and, after the semicolon, what he would give her, “benefit of greater importance.” The list of his gifts runs to three nouns, “judgment, information, and knowledge of the world”; hers are two. Then a short sentence turns the whole picture away with “But no such happy marriage,” and ends on one of the chapter’s grandest phrases, “connubial felicity.” For the talk prompt, let students find the turns themselves: “when” three times, the colon and semicolon, the “But” that closes the dream. Some will be struck by how each wish meets its loss; some by the grand phrase at the end, and whether the narrator is smiling. Leave whether Elizabeth’s longing is love or wounded pride alone here; the last written question asks it.

Discussion

Narration Tell the chapter back in a few sentences, from Mr. Bennet’s old wish that he had saved to Elizabeth’s surprise that Wickham agrees to visit. Then pick the one sentence that matters most, and say why the chapter needs it.

Mr. Bennet regrets that he never saved. Within a page, he is relieved that he will “scarcely be ten pounds a year the loser.” What does his relief show about the regret? Moral reasoning
The town takes the good news “with decent philosophy,” as if it were bad news. Who else in this chapter takes good news that way? Theme
Austen says Mrs. Bennet feels the “disgrace” of no new wedding clothes more than any shame at the elopement. What is the difference, for her, between disgrace and shame? Character
Elizabeth works out that Darcy would stay away even if Lydia had married “on the most honourable terms.” How much of that is clear thinking, and how much is fear? Inference
Elizabeth’s daydream about Darcy closes on “the admiring multitude.” No such marriage, she thinks, can now teach them what happiness is. Why would such a private wish end with a crowd watching? Author's choice

Make a Connection Think of a story, or a time in your own life, when someone cared more about what one person thought of them than about what everyone else thought. Why might one person’s opinion matter that much?

Vocabulary

connubial: But no such happy marriage could now teach the admiring multitude what connubial felicity really was. Having to do with marriage, or with husband and wife (from Latin conubium, marriage, from nubere, to marry, the root of nuptials). The phrase “connubial felicity” is a lofty way to say married happiness. Coming at the end of Elizabeth’s quiet daydream, the grand phrase lets a reader ask whether the words are hers or the narrator’s, and whether they are meant quite seriously.
felicity: But no such happy marriage could now teach the admiring multitude what connubial felicity really was. Great happiness, especially the settled, lasting kind (from Latin felicitas, happiness or good fortune, from felix, lucky). It is a grander word than happiness, and it comes once in the chapter, at the end of Elizabeth’s daydream, naming what she believes she and Darcy could have shown the world and now cannot.
dilatory: His letter was soon despatched; for though dilatory in undertaking business, he was quick in its execution. Slow to begin; given to putting things off (from Latin differre, past participle dilatus, to delay). Mr. Bennet is “dilatory in undertaking business” but “quick in its execution”: he puts off starting and then finishes fast. The same chapter shows a man who “had very often wished” to save and never began.
approbation: In terms of grateful acknowledgment for the kindness of his brother, though expressed most concisely, he then delivered on paper his perfect approbation of all that was done, and his willingness to fulfil the engagements that had been made for him. Formal approval; agreement that something is right and acceptable (from Latin approbare, to approve, related to prove and probation). Mr. Bennet gives “his perfect approbation of all that was done,” and gives it “most concisely.” The word is official and complete; the chapter goes on to show how glad he is that it costs him so little.
consequence: But Jane and Elizabeth, who agreed in wishing, for the sake of their sister’s feelings and consequence, that she should be noticed on her marriage by her parents, urged him so earnestly, yet so rationally and so mildly, to receive her and her husband at Longbourn, as soon as they were married, that he was prevailed on to think as they thought, and act as they wished. In Austen’s sense, social importance or standing, as when someone is called a person of consequence; here it does not mean a result. Jane and Elizabeth want Lydia received at home “for the sake of their sister’s feelings and consequence”: her standing in the neighbourhood depends on being seen to be welcomed by her father and mother. The sisters care about appearances too, in their mild and rational way.

Critical thinking

Elizabeth often pictures Darcy’s “triumph” if he knew she would now accept him. Why does she keep going back to a scene she dreads?
Elizabeth begins to long for Darcy's good opinion only when she thinks it is out of reach. Is that longing love, or wounded pride?