Pride and Prejudice Quotes

"They have both," said she, "been deceived, I dare say, in some way or other, of which we can form no idea. Interested people have perhaps misrepresented each to the other. It is, in short, impossible for us to conjecture the causes or circumstances which may have alienated them, without actual blame on either side."

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 17. Jane says this to Elizabeth, when she hears from her sister of George Wickham’s accusations about Darcy. Wickham alleges that Darcy used a loophole in a will to stop Wickham getting money left him by Darcy’s father to pursue a career in the ministry. However, Jane prefers to keep an open mind and suggests that they both have been deceived. She turns out to be right about Darcy. But she fails to see the true character of Wickham, who is an unprincipled liar 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.

As Elizabeth had no longer any interest of her own to pursue, she turned her attention almost entirely on her sister and Mr. Bingley; and the train of agreeable reflections which her observations gave birth to, made her perhaps almost as happy as Jane. She saw her in idea settled in that very house, in all the felicity which a marriage of true affection could bestow.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 18. Happiness can be infectious. Elizabeth turns her attention to how her sister Jane and Mr. Bingley interact at the Netherfield ball. The narrator describes how Elizabeth’s observations metaphorically give birth to happy thoughts about Jane’s romance blossoming into marriage. This makes Elizabeth almost as happy as Jane.

In vain did Elizabeth endeavour to check the rapidity of her mother’s words, or persuade her to describe her felicity in a less audible whisper; for, to her inexpressible vexation, she could perceive that the chief of it was overheard by Mr. Darcy, who sat opposite to them. Her mother only scolded her for being nonsensical.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 18. Elizabeth tries to stop the irrepressible Mrs. Bennet from speaking out loud about an imminent marriage between Jane and Mr. Bingley. But she cannot shut her up, and to Elizabeth’s mortification Mr. Darcy overhears all.

Nothing that she could say, however, had any influence. Her mother would talk of her views in the same intelligible tone. Elizabeth blushed and blushed again with shame and vexation.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 18. At dinner in Netherfield Elizabeth is very embarrassed by her mother, who is speaking loudly about Charles Bingley’s attraction to Jane and assuming that their marriage is immiment. She overhears Mrs. Bennet boasting to Lady Lucas that she expected Jane to be married soon to Mr. Bingley, which was overheard by Mr. Darcy, to Elizabeth’s horror and shame. But once Mrs. Bennet was in full flow on the subject of the marriage of her daughter, there was nothing Elizabeth could do to shut her up.

To Elizabeth it appeared, that had her family made an agreement to expose themselves as much as they could during the evening, it would have been impossible for them to play their parts with more spirit, or finer success; and happy did she think it for Bingley and her sister that some of the exhibition had escaped his notice, and that his feelings were not of a sort to be much distressed by the folly which he must have witnessed.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 18. Elizabeth is mortified by her family’s behavior at the Netherfield ball. Some of the Bennet women are lacking in the social graces and they embarrass Elizabeth when mingling with high class people like the Bingleys and Mr. Darcy.

That his two sisters and Mr. Darcy, however, should have such an opportunity of ridiculing her relations, was bad enough, and she could not determine whether the silent contempt of the gentleman, or the insolent smiles of the ladies, were more intolerable.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 18. Elizabeth is embarrassed by the behavior of her family at the Netherfield ball. She is even more mortified that it has given Mr. Darcy and the Bingley sisters Caroline and Louisa so much ammunition to ridicule her family.

Believe me, my dear Miss Elizabeth, that your modesty, so far from doing you any disservice, rather adds to your other perfections. You would have been less amiable in my eyes had there not been this little unwillingness.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 19. Mr. Collins is about to enter the record books for making the worst marriage proposal in English literature. But Elizabeth attempts to leave the room before he begins, as because she clearly has no desire to hear him out. In an excellent example of dramatic irony, Mr. Collins mistakingly attributes her "little unwillingness" to her "modesty" and says this makes her even more "amiable" to him. Mr. Collins misreads the situation because of his vanity.

Almost as soon as I entered the house, I singled you out as the companion of my future life. But before I am run away with by my feelings on this subject, perhaps it would be advisable for me to state my reasons for marrying – and, moreover, for coming into Hertfordshire with the design of selecting a wife, as I certainly did.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 19. As Mr. Collins proposes marriage to Elizabeth, she has to stifle the urge to laugh at the ever-so-serious clergyman metaphorically talking about his "run away with" by his strong feelings.

My reasons for marrying are, first, that I think it a right thing for every clergyman in easy circumstances (like myself) to set the example of matrimony in his parish; secondly, that I am convinced that it will add very greatly to my happiness; and thirdly – which perhaps I ought to have mentioned earlier, that it is the particular advice and recommendation of the very noble lady whom I have the honour of calling patroness…she said, "Mr. Collins, you must marry. A clergyman like you must marry. Choose properly, choose a gentlewoman for my sake; and for your own, let her be an active, useful sort of person, not brought up high, but able to make a small income go a good way"…But the fact is, that being, as I am, to inherit this estate after the death of your honoured father (who, however, may live many years longer), I could not satisfy myself without resolving to choose a wife from among his daughters, that the loss to them might be as little as possible, when the melancholy event takes place – which, however, as I have already said, may not be for several years. This has been my motive, my fair cousin, and I flatter myself it will not sink me in your esteem. And now nothing remains for me but to assure you in the most animated language of the violence of my affection.

– Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice, Chapter 19. Mr. Collins’s lack of self-awareness is astonishing as he corners an obviously uninterested Elizabeth to propose. Setting out his reasons for wanting to marry her, there is not one mention of love and it is mostly about why it would be good for him. He believes that he should marry because it sets a good example for a clergyman, it will add to his happiness, and Lady Catherine de Bourgh has told him to marry a "useful sort of person…able to make a small income go a good way." For good measure he also mentions that since he is to inherit Mr. Bennet’s estate, he would like to minimize the family’s loss by marrying one of his daughters. Finally with great irony he laughably assures Elizabeth of his "violence of my affection" for her. Austen is mocking Mr. Collins here. She is using him as a satirical figure to comment on loveless marriages, where people wed for all kinds of ridiculous reasons other than love.
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