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While I’m Darcyblogging, some Important Content:

Mr Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report, which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year.

-

“I have heard much of your master’s fine person,” said Mrs Gardiner, looking at the picture; “it is a handsome face.”

-

“Does that young lady know Mr Darcy?”

Elizabeth coloured, and said—“A little.”

“And do not you think him a very handsome gentleman, ma’am?”

“Yes, very handsome.”

-

“To be sure, Lizzy,” said her aunt, “he is not so handsome as Wickham; or, rather, he has not Wickham’s countenance, for his features are perfectly good.”

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“On the contrary, there is something pleasing about his mouth when he speaks.”

-

At length every idea seemed to fail him; and, after standing a few moments without saying a word, he suddenly recollected himself, and took leave.

The others then joined her, and expressed their admiration of his figure

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Sometimes she [Elizabeth] could fancy that he [Bingley] talked less than on former occasions, and once or twice pleased herself with the notion that as he looked at her, he was trying to trace a resemblance [to Jane].

Meanwhile, back at Rosings:

after examining the mother [Lady Catherine], in whose countenance and deportment she [Elizabeth] soon found some resemblance of Mr Darcy …

*whistles*

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Tumblr crosspost (12 June 2020)

Almost a year later, I updated tolerably well acquainted (the canon-compliant fic that follows Elizabeth from her time at Pemberley onwards):

“And till Colonel Forster came himself, not one of you entertained a doubt, I suppose, of their being really married?”

“How was it possible that such an idea should enter our brains! I felt a little uneasy—a little fearful of my sister’s happiness with him in marriage, because I knew that his conduct had not been always quite right.”

Not quite right, indeed! For a moment, Elizabeth thought of Miss Darcy’s anguish at so much as a mention of Wickham’s regiment, and how Darcy had looked—first wary and then—

With a shake of her head, she returned her attention to Jane. Georgiana Darcy was safe and likely contented enough at Pemberley; the same could not be said for Lydia or their family.

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In response to this, heckofabecca said:

YOOOOOOOOO

I replied:

Finally!

themarydragon said:

OMG YAY

I replied:

:)

It necessarily takes a lot from the book, but it’s there!

Tumblr crosspost (12 June 2020)

I see plenty of (correct) criticisms of Mr Bennet, but what I see less often is … well, to me, there’s something really depressing about Elizabeth’s relationship to him.

This is Elizabeth’s take on Mr Bennet right before the first proposal:

“Neither could anything be urged against my father, who, though with some peculiarities, has abilities which Mr Darcy himself need not disdain, and respectability which he will probably never reach.”

Later, however:

Elizabeth, however, had never been blind to the impropriety of her father’s behaviour as a husband. She had always seen it with pain; but respecting his abilities, and grateful for his affectionate treatment of herself, she endeavoured to forget what she could not overlook, and to banish from her thoughts that continual breach of conjugal obligation and decorum which, in exposing his wife to the contempt of her own children, was so highly reprehensible. But she had never felt so strongly as now the disadvantages which must attend the children of so unsuitable a marriage, nor ever been so fully aware of the evils arising from so ill-judged a direction of talents; talents which, rightly used, might at least have preserved the respectability of his daughters, even if incapable of enlarging the mind of his wife.

Still later:

“he [Wickham] might imagine, from my father’s behaviour, from his indolence and the little attention he has ever seemed to give to what was going forward in his family, that he would do as little, and think as little about it, as any father could do.”

Mr Bennet’s treatment of Mrs Bennet and the younger girls is certainly very bad, but also, Elizabeth has to actively work to not think of what a shitty husband and father he is out of gratitude that he treats her well and because she respects his intelligence (though, ultimately, his intelligence only creates a further indictment of him). That is an incredibly dubious situation! By the time he’s telling her that she needs to marry a man she’ll look up to as superior, it’s not even surprising.

In a way, it’s all the more “…” because Elizabeth herself, for all her criticisms, retains considerable respect and affection for him, and he faces no consequences beyond her eagerness to leave his house to marry someone much better than he is. I don’t think it’s #problematic—it’s just messy in a very realistic way. But pretty depressing, yes.

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fradine replied to this post:

I personally think it’s very simple, we all have complicated feelings regarding our parents lol. I can’t even think of any example of a perfectly good parental figure in Austen. At least Mr. Bennet is better than Mr. Woodhouse, and yet everyone in Emma caters to his every whim! I think Sir Thomas is the only one that actively tries to be a good father, tho he is problematic in other ways obviously

I replied:

Eh, it’s true that parental figures are rarely entirely benevolent in Austen (or life, of course), but I think at the same time, that understates how harshly the narrative of P&P treats Mr Bennet in particular and Elizabeth’s escalating criticism of him. “Highly reprehensible” is quite strong IMO, especially in reference to a father; I don’t think it’s just that all parents are flawed.

Elizabeth’s mixture of love and gratitude counter-balancing her sharpening disapproval is realistic enough, though, sure.

Tumblr crosspost (13 June 2020)

I reblogged a post about the feeling of squee (not their word, lol) when half of a pairing touches the other half's face and the second person leans into it, and I added:

#i saw the picture of this in austen's pride and my heart nearly stopped

Tumblr crosspost (13 June 2020)

I reblogged this post of mine:

I should have judged better had I sought an introduction; but I am ill qualified to recommend myself to strangers. … I certainly have not the talent which some people possess of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested.

—Fitzwilliam Darcy, Pride and Prejudice

So:

1. Austen could not possibly have written Darcy as autistic.

2. You will take this headcanon from my dead cold hands.

I added in 2020:

Four years later: yup

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Tumblr crosspost (13 June 2020)

I reblogged a gifset of Zuko telling Aang that he's always had to struggle and fight in B1, after he dragged him away from the spirit oasis. I added:

#i know it's the lighting but his eyes shifting grey as he talks to aang is adj;akakfad; #i never talk about my zuko & aang feelings but i have a lot of them

Tumblr crosspost (13 June 2020)

heckofabecca asked:

Who are your favorite Austen sibling pairs, and how would you rate them in order of most to MOSTEST favorite?

I replied:

Hmm! Let’s see … some of the ranking is easy, and some not so much, but I’m inclined to go:

7. Jane and Elizabeth Bennet—there’s not much to say, it’s just a sweet and strong dynamic that functions perfectly within the wider novel.

6. Elinor and Marianne Dashwood—never mind the love interests, their love is the beating heart of S&S.

5. Sophy and Frederick Wentworth—it’s really enjoyable to see 30-something siblings who are frank and upfront and affectionate, even with their differences.

4. James and Catherine Morland—both rather sweet and refreshingly normal, lol.

3. William and Fanny Price—the “no subsequent connection” passage about them is one of my favourites in all of Austen! <3

2. Mary and Henry Crawford—I like me my morally dubious schemers, and morally dubious schemers who are loving family and loyal friends (to each other) are like catnip.

1. Fitzwilliam and Georgiana Darcy—there was absolutely no other possibility for this slot, I adore them individually and I especially love them as a pair.

Of Georgiana: Her brother’s recommendation was enough to ensure her favour; his judgment could not err.

Of Darcy: There is nothing he would not do for her.

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Today in my failboat OTP: Darcy edition!

He began to wish to know more of her, and as a step towards conversing with her himself, attended to her conversation with others.

kj;asdfjkd;fa he’s almost/actually twenty-eight years old and has to work himself up into talking to his crush

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heckofabecca replied to this post:

i love him

I replied:

saaaame <3

half of me is like… okay, he complains about how Elizabeth’s manners aren’t that of the fashionable world, and maybe a grown-ass man who can’t start a conversation with the girl he likes shouldn’t throw stones???

and the other half is YOU ARE PERFECT TO ME

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This has nothing to do with the last post per se, but one of my favourite things about imagining the characters of different Austen novels encountering each other is taking account of when the different books were written rather than making them immediate contemporaries. It’s not better, it’s just super entertaining to me personally.

Like, people talk about what, say, Elizabeth would think of Emma—but Elizabeth was invented in 1796 and Emma in 1814. How does Emma come across to a nearly forty-year-old Elizabeth Darcy? 1815 sees the events of Persuasion resolved in Bath. If the Tilneys are also in Bath, what would Catherine (created in 1798), think of Anne Elliot, some seven years her junior? Does Marianne Dashwood (who first emerged around 1795), sympathize with Fanny Price (created ~1813)?

I don’t know, but it’s fun to consider!

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I know it’s not news that I love my OTP, but also, I love my OTP:

Elizabeth:

“What does Mr Darcy mean,” said she to Charlotte, “by listening to my conversation with Colonel Forster?”

“That is a question which Mr Darcy only can answer.”

“But if he does it any more I shall certainly let him know that I see what he is about. He has a very satirical eye, and if I do not begin by being impertinent myself, I shall soon grow afraid of him.”

Darcy:

“Indeed, Mr Darcy, it is very ungenerous in you to mention all that you knew to my disadvantage in Hertfordshire—and, give me leave to say, very impolitic too—for it is provoking me to retaliate, and such things may come out as will shock your relations to hear.”

“I am not afraid of you,” said he smilingly.

<3 <3

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smallblueandloud said:

yay, new chapter of tolerably well acquainted! i went and reread the whole story, to make sure i remembered the context and also because why not ;D and THEN i went and reread "infinite use" (the one where lady catherine tells darcy about her argument with elizabeth) because that fic is my absolute favorite p&p fic ever. his reaction is so perfect and in character and anne is... hilarious. i reread it very frequently, alone and with my periodic rereads of all your fic. it's all amazing

I replied:

Oh, thank you! I’m very glad you enjoy Infinite Use so much—it doesn’t appeal to everyone and I might change some things now, but it was super fun to write.

I used to be pretty frustrated with certain takes on Anne, so that was in a way my response to them. I’m fond of her despite the silliness, and of course of Darcy and Fitzwilliam. I do still like the idea of Darcy having no idea what Lady Catherine is talking about until halfway through, haha.