Sunday, August 4, 2013

In "Pride and Prejudice", what do we learn about the Bingley sisters from their behaviour during the Meryton Assembly Ball?Charles Bingley and Darcy

The Meryton Assembly Ball takes place in Ch.3. What happened during that ball is discussed in the next two chapters

Charles Bingley: In Ch.3 we read that "Mr.Bingley was good looking and gentlemanlike; he had a pleasant countenance, and easy unaffected manners...He was lively and unreserved." Bingley is immediately attracted to Jane and expresses her admiration for her by dancing twice with her. In Ch.5 Charlotte remarks that she heard Bingley telling Mr.Robinson that he thought that Jane was the prettiest of all the young women at the ball.

Darcy: In Ch. 3 at the ball, "the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr.Bingley," but he had "a most forbidding, disagreeable countenace."  And although he was the owner of a large estate in Derbyshire and his annual income was ten thousand pounds a year everyone found his proud behaviour disgusting. He refused to be introduced to anyone at the ball and danced only with the Bingley sisters. Worse, he insulted Elizabeth by refusing to dance with her by remarking, "she is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me."

The Bingley sisters: In Ch4. we learn from Elizabeth's observation that although they were good looking "their behaviour at the assembly had not been calculated to please in general." They were well provided for, had had a good education, but were extravagant, "proud and conceited" and "thought well of themselves and meanly of others."

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