Elizabeth Bennet Quotes

"Your defect is a propensity to hate everybody."
"And yours," he replied with a smile, "is willfully to misunderstand them."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 11. Elizabeth and Darcy continue to verbally spar, some might say flirt as there is a palpable sexual tension between the usually solemn Darcy and the playful Elizabeth. Darcy has been trying to seriously explain that everyone has a natural defect despite the best education. In this exchange Elizabeth makes a joke of this and teases by telling him that his defect is to hate everybody. But he is ready for her with his quick comeback that her defect is to wilfully misunderstand everybody – Darcy reads Elizabeth’s nature well here.

To Mr. Darcy it was welcome intelligence – Elizabeth had been at Netherfield long enough. She attracted him more than he liked – and Miss Bingley was uncivil to her, and more teasing than usual to himself. He wisely resolved to be particularly careful that no sign of admiration should now escape him, nothing that could elevate her with the hope of influencing his felicity; sensible that if such an idea had been suggested, his behavior during the last day must have material weight in confirming or crushing it. Steady to his purpose, he scarcely spoke ten words to her through the whole of Saturday, and though they were at one time left by themselves for half-an-hour, he adhered most conscientiously to his book, and would not even look at her.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 12. Poor Mr. Darcy, his heart has been drawing him towards Elizabeth during her stay at Netherfield, but his head is cautioning him that this is a bad idea. Darcy still hasn’t overcome his class prejudice against the low connections of the Bennets. So he is relieved when he hears that Elizabeth and Jane are soon to return home, he makes up his mind not to encourage Elizabeth for the remainder of her stay. He hardly speaks to her all day and when they are left alone briefly he buries himself in a book and ignores her. Darcy may be able to conceal but he cannot deny his strong attraction, for when Caroline Bingley is uncivil to Elizabeth his first instinct is to be protective of Elizabeth.

"There is something very pompous in his style. – And what can he mean by apologising for being next in the entail? – We cannot suppose he would help it if he could. – Could he be a sensible man, sir?"
"No, my dear, I think not. I have great hopes of finding him quite the reverse. There is a mixture of servility and self-importance in his letter, which promises well. I am impatient to see him"

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 13. Elizabeth and her father are commenting on Mr. Collins and his letter to the Bennets, whose Longbourn estate he is to inherit and which he is about to visit. In the letter he expresses the hope that "the circumstance of my being next in the entail of Longbourn estate will be kindly overlooked on your side, and not lead you to reject the offered olive-branch." We gain a good glimpse of Mr. Collins’s character from the Bennets’ comments – pompous, servile to his patron Lady Catherine de Bourgh and for a clergyman unusually vain and full of his own self-importance.

Mr. Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth – and it was soon done – done while Mrs. Bennet was stirring the fire. Elizabeth, equally next to Jane in birth and beauty, succeeded her of course.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 15. After setting sights on Jane Bennet for his wife, Mr. Collins has no problem switching his attentions to Elizabeth, when Mrs. Bennet points out that Jane is soon to be engaged to someone else. In his search for a wife, the ridiculous Mr. Collins doesn’t really care who he marries.

When Mr. Wickham walked into the room, Elizabeth felt that she had neither been seeing him before, nor thinking of him since, with the smallest degree of unreasonable admiration. The officers of the -shire were in general a very creditable, gentlemanlike set, and the best of them were of the present party; but Mr. Wickham was as far beyond them all in person, countenance, air, and walk.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 16. We see two of the novel’s major themes at play here, prejudice and first impressions, when Elizabeth finds herself with George Wickham at dinner. Based purely on his looks and appearance, she finds him the most admirable of all the officers in his militia regiment. Her hasty first impressions turn out to be completely wrong when she learns to her horror and shame that he is a sexual predator and scoundrel.

"Are you much acquainted with Mr. Darcy?"
"As much as I ever wish to be," cried Elizabeth very warmly. "I have spent four days in the same house with him, and I think him very disagreeable."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 16. Seated next to George Wickham at dinner at her aunt’s home in Meryton, Elizabeth strikes up a conversation with the handsome army officer who has charmed her. She reveals to Wickham that she is not at all well disposed towards Mr. Darcy and finds him most disagreeable – after knowing him for only four days! As well as displaying her blatent prejudice against Darcy, Elizabeth’s comments also turn out to be rather ironic – she falls in love with the "disagreeable" Darcy and they end up happily married!

I had not thought Mr. Darcy so bad as this – though I have never liked him. I had not thought so very ill of him. I had supposed him to be despising his fellow-creatures in general, but did not suspect him of descending to such malicious revenge, such injustice, such inhumanity as this.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 16. This is Elizabeth’s reaction when George Wickham tells her that Mr. Darcy ignored the wishes of his father’s will to provide money to Wickham to pursue a career in church ministry because Mr. Darcy disliked him. Elizabeth appears to be taken in by the good looks and charm of Wickham and she doesn’t see him for the real cad and liar that he is.

A young man too, like you, whose very countenance may vouch for your being amiable.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 16. Elizabeth seems easily fooled by the charming and handsome George Wickham’s outward appearance, when he spins his lies about Mr. Darcy. He has told her a completely false story about Darcy cheating him. Elizabeth who prides herself on being a good judge of character is too mesmerized by Wickham to see him for the deceiver he is and how she is being cleverly and subtly manipulated. She is exhibiting a prejudice towards Wickham, just as she has developed one against Darcy.

It was not in her nature to question the veracity of a young man of such amiable appearance as Wickham.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 17. Elizabeth is prejudiced against Darcy. So she believes George Wickham’s story that Darcy acted cruelly to him and refused to honor the wish of Darcy’s father that finance be provided for Wickham to become a clergyman. By emphasizing Wickham’s "amiable appearance," the narrator is hinting that he is not quite the person that Elizabeth believes. This foreshadows Wickham being outed later as a scoundrel and deceiver.

I can much more easily believe Mr. Bingley’s being imposed on, than that Mr. Wickham should invent such a history of himself as he gave me last night; names, facts, everything mentioned without ceremony. If it be not so, let Mr. Darcy contradict it. Besides, there was truth in his looks.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 17. Elizabeth shows her naivety here when she finds Mr. Darcy guilty of treating George Wickham badly, solely on the word of Wickham and without hearing the other side of the story. She doesn’t consider that Wickham may be lying and deceiving her – which he is! She remains blind to her prejudice against Darcy.

"It is difficult indeed – it is distressing. One does not know what to think."
"I beg your pardon; one knows exactly what to think."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 17. Jane Bennet debates with Elizabeth the credibility of George Wickham’s allegation made to Elizabeth that Mr. Darcy cheated him out of an inheritance. The more steadfast Jane hesitates to condemn Mr. Darcy, but Elizabeth shows her prejudice towards Darcy by siding with Wickham, who has deceived her with a false story.

The prospect of the Netherfield ball was extremely agreeable to every female of the family…Jane pictured to herself a happy evening in the society of her two friends, and the attentions of their brother; and Elizabeth thought with pleasure of dancing a great deal with Mr. Wickham…The happiness anticipated by Catherine and Lydia depended less on any single event, or any particular person, for though they each, like Elizabeth, meant to dance half the evening with Mr. Wickham, he was by no means the only partner who could satisfy them, and a ball was at any rate, a ball.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 17. Dancing was a very important part of the courtship ritual during Jane Austen’s time. So the Netherfield ball is a hugely important event in the social calander and an opportunity for single men and women to mingle and get to know one another. The Bennet sisters look forward to a night of pure joy and happiness, with Jane hoping to attract the attentions of Charles Bingley, and Elizabeth dancing the evening away with George Wickham. Though things don’t quite turn out as planned – especially for Elizabeth, as we shall soon hear.

She had dressed with more than usual care, and prepared in the highest spirits for the conquest of all that remained unsubdued of his heart, trusting that it was not more than might be won in the course of the evening. But in an instant arose the dreadful suspicion of his being purposely omitted for Mr. Darcy’s pleasure in the Bingleys’ invitation to the officers; and though this was not exactly the case, the absolute fact of his absence was pronounced by his friend Denny, to whom Lydia eagerly applied, and who told them that Wickham had been obliged to go to town on business the day before, and was not yet returned; adding, with a significant smile, "I do not imagine his business would have called him away just now, if he had not wanted to avoid a certain gentleman here."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 18. Elizabeth’s romantic feelings for George Wickham suffer a setback at the Netherfield ball. Displaying her vanity by dressing "with more than usual care" to capture his heart, she is disappointed to discover that he isn’t there. Immediately her blatent prejudice against Mr. Darcy causes her to blame him for Wickham’s "omission" from the invitation list.

It is your turn to say something now, Mr. Darcy. I talked about the dance, and you ought to make some kind of remark on the size of the room, or the number of couples.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 18. There are deep wells of awkward silences between Darcy and Elizabeth when she dances with him at the ball at Netherfield. In this passage Elizabeth tries to break the silence with conversation, hoping that "it would be the greater punishment to her partner to oblige him to talk." The passage is one of a number of sarcastic comments Elizabeth makes, as she goes on to poke fun at Darcy.

I have always seen a great similarity in the turn of our minds. We are each of an unsocial, taciturn disposition, unwilling to speak, unless we expect to say something that will amaze the whole room, and be handed down to posterity with all the éclat of a proverb.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 18. While dancing with him, Elizabeth insults Darcy by saying that both of them are alike: they are unsocial and quiet unless what they have to say will amaze the room. Her prejudice against him is in full effect here.

"Books – oh! no. I am sure we never read the same, or not with the same feelings."
"I am sorry you think so; but if that be the case, there can at least be no want of subject. We may compare our different opinions."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 18. Elizabeth and Darcy are dancing and making awkward conversation. When she says they have tried three subjects without success and wonders what they are to talk of next, he suggests books. In this exchange Elizabeth teases him saying she is certain they never read the same books. Darcy in his quick comeback suggests that will give them plenty of opportunity to compare different views. While they haven’t reached their happy ending together, this kind of witty exchange does suggest a smouldering sexual tension between the pair.

"I remember hearing you once say, Mr. Darcy, that you hardly ever forgave, that your resentment once created was unappeasable. You are very cautious, I suppose, as to its being created."
"I am," said he, with a firm voice.
"And never allow yourself to be blinded by prejudice?"
"I hope not."
"It is particularly incumbent on those who never change their opinion, to be secure of judging properly at first."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 18. Elizabeth challenges Darcy on his being quick to judge and refusing to change his mind once he forms an impression about a person’s character. She questions if he is ever blinded by prejudice. She puts it him that those who never change their opinion have a responsibility to ensure that they form the correct judgment in the first place. She is referring to Wickham’s claim that he has been been mistreated by Darcy. But Elizabeth shows her prejudice by accepting Wickham’s word and making up her mind without hearing Darcy’s side. Her advice on hasty judgments is ironic, given that she is guilty of exactly that with Darcy. Her criticism of him shows her own lack of self-awareness, for she equally is quick to make up her mind about others and stubborn about changing it.

"May I ask to what these questions tend?"
"Merely to the illustration of your character," said she, endeavouring to shake off her gravity. "I am trying to make it out."
"And what is your success?"
She shook her head. "I do not get on at all. I hear such different accounts of you as puzzle me exceedingly."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 18. This exchange takes place between Darcy and Elizabeth at the end of their dance at the Netherfield ball. As they try to figure one another out, their getting-to-know-you process is bumpy, their journey to their happy ending tortuous. Here Elizabeth tries to figure Darcy out, but all that she has concluded so far is that he is a great puzzle to her.

"I can readily believe," answered he gravely, "that reports may vary greatly with respect to me; and I could wish, Miss Bennet, that you were not to sketch my character at the present moment, as there is reason to fear that the performance would reflect no credit on either."
"But if I do not take your likeness now, I may never have another opportunity."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 18. Darcy knows that there are varying reports circulating about him and he is not being shown in the best light at the moment. Using a metaphor, he asks Elizabeth not to sketch his character right now as it may be an inaccurate sketch and reflect poorly on them both. Elizabeth has been hinting to Darcy that she heard reports of his alleged cruel treatment of George Wickham.
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