Post by Rosie on Mar 11, 2009 22:40:47 GMT 10
A thread for discussion of Jane Austen's romantic heroes. Much is made of her female protagonists - but what about the men standing beside them?
For me, Darcy is the most interesting male protagonist. Much is made of the fact that he obviously considers people like the Bennets and the Lucases beneath him - but the Bingleys are also socially beneath him, and I can't believe Mr Hurst added much to their family name. The former made their name through trade, and don't have an established family property, and the latter is living off the hospitality of his brother-in-law plus friend for the duration of the novel, and there isn't much evidence to suggest this is outside the ordinary course of events.
At the beginning of the novel, we see Darcy through Lizzy's eyes. He is disagreeable because she is determined to find him so; she actively looks for faults in him because it is a habit of her father's. On the flip side, he does not find her disagreeable, even when she tries to offend him (in fact, the poor boy has never been so bewitched by someone as he is by her). He does not consider her beneath his notice, though he takes care not to show her undue attention in case she gets the wrong idea (Wentworth, take note!). You can also tell how shy he is, because he's brave enough to tease her at Rosings, whereas before he'd sooner not speak to her (and who can blame him, when she declares her intention to make fun of him?).
I think ultimately, he's swept away by her lack of regard for social conventions, particularly in the light of her family. She walks to Netherfield to see her sick sister, which I think really appeals to him, considering how important his sister is to him. She's pretty much entirely without agenda, except that of poking fun at people, which would be new to him, faced as he is with the Caroline Bingleys of the world.
Then you have the family aspect. His parents leave him to follow good principles in pride and conceit. He cuts quite a lonely childhood figure, unless you think he was good friends with Wickham when they were growing up, which would make the betrayal worse, surely? He acts as a distant figure to Georgiana, because she can't tell him about Wickham - and maybe the reason she is so keen on Wickham in the first place was because she's lonely.
Most importantly, he is the one to set himself on the path of self-revision. Elizabeth points out his faults readily enough, but he could have ignored them. With Bingley set to give Netherfield up, he has no cause to think he'll see her again, and certainly not checking out his house. He rights his wrongs to Elizabeth and her family in private - as with Lydia's elopement, and Bingley's fancy for Jane - which suggests it is more to make peace with himself than to impress her.
I think if Elizabeth had never visited Pemberley, they would have been okay never seeing each other again. She would perhaps feel a little guilty whenever she thought of him, but there would be no real damage done.
He has his faults, clearly. He's rubbish at marriage proposals. He's controlling, and thinks he knows best. He's really rubbish at proposals. He's potentially a bit stand-offish with Georgiana, because that's what his parents were like with him.
So. Up against the other Austen heroes? Edmund Bertram is a weak character to me, and I've always found Mary Crawford more interesting than Fanny. I think Edward Ferrars is likewise weak, and Marianne doesn't deserve (or perhaps even want?) Colonel Brandon. Henry Tilney is loveable, but lacking a bit in passion. "I'll fall for her because it's quite sweet that she loves me" (paraphrased a little) is the most lukewarm sentiment ever, though I think it's intentionally so. Wentworth is either my second or third favourite, but I dislike his petty nature. Knightley is about level with Wentworth, but he is half-father, half-brother to Emma, which is a little squicky.
For me, Darcy is the most interesting male protagonist. Much is made of the fact that he obviously considers people like the Bennets and the Lucases beneath him - but the Bingleys are also socially beneath him, and I can't believe Mr Hurst added much to their family name. The former made their name through trade, and don't have an established family property, and the latter is living off the hospitality of his brother-in-law plus friend for the duration of the novel, and there isn't much evidence to suggest this is outside the ordinary course of events.
At the beginning of the novel, we see Darcy through Lizzy's eyes. He is disagreeable because she is determined to find him so; she actively looks for faults in him because it is a habit of her father's. On the flip side, he does not find her disagreeable, even when she tries to offend him (in fact, the poor boy has never been so bewitched by someone as he is by her). He does not consider her beneath his notice, though he takes care not to show her undue attention in case she gets the wrong idea (Wentworth, take note!). You can also tell how shy he is, because he's brave enough to tease her at Rosings, whereas before he'd sooner not speak to her (and who can blame him, when she declares her intention to make fun of him?).
I think ultimately, he's swept away by her lack of regard for social conventions, particularly in the light of her family. She walks to Netherfield to see her sick sister, which I think really appeals to him, considering how important his sister is to him. She's pretty much entirely without agenda, except that of poking fun at people, which would be new to him, faced as he is with the Caroline Bingleys of the world.
Then you have the family aspect. His parents leave him to follow good principles in pride and conceit. He cuts quite a lonely childhood figure, unless you think he was good friends with Wickham when they were growing up, which would make the betrayal worse, surely? He acts as a distant figure to Georgiana, because she can't tell him about Wickham - and maybe the reason she is so keen on Wickham in the first place was because she's lonely.
Most importantly, he is the one to set himself on the path of self-revision. Elizabeth points out his faults readily enough, but he could have ignored them. With Bingley set to give Netherfield up, he has no cause to think he'll see her again, and certainly not checking out his house. He rights his wrongs to Elizabeth and her family in private - as with Lydia's elopement, and Bingley's fancy for Jane - which suggests it is more to make peace with himself than to impress her.
I think if Elizabeth had never visited Pemberley, they would have been okay never seeing each other again. She would perhaps feel a little guilty whenever she thought of him, but there would be no real damage done.
He has his faults, clearly. He's rubbish at marriage proposals. He's controlling, and thinks he knows best. He's really rubbish at proposals. He's potentially a bit stand-offish with Georgiana, because that's what his parents were like with him.
So. Up against the other Austen heroes? Edmund Bertram is a weak character to me, and I've always found Mary Crawford more interesting than Fanny. I think Edward Ferrars is likewise weak, and Marianne doesn't deserve (or perhaps even want?) Colonel Brandon. Henry Tilney is loveable, but lacking a bit in passion. "I'll fall for her because it's quite sweet that she loves me" (paraphrased a little) is the most lukewarm sentiment ever, though I think it's intentionally so. Wentworth is either my second or third favourite, but I dislike his petty nature. Knightley is about level with Wentworth, but he is half-father, half-brother to Emma, which is a little squicky.