The Mating Dance in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

The Mating Dance in Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice

As befitting the title of Jane Austen’s novel, pride and prejudice – as well as social decorum – restrain the protagonists’ feelings toward each other, resulting in a love that is forged by caution and tempered by time. Allen suggests that “simply because desire is not expressed, it does not cease to exist; repressed, it does not disappear. Instead it is symbolically displaced, returning with repetitive insistence in a concealed form” (426). In other words, although Elizabeth and Darcy’s feelings are hidden, these “concealed forms” of expression continue to fuel the lovers in their courtship. Literature and dance coexist with social decorum in strengthening Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship, while facial expressions have neither social nor cultural boundaries. Abiding by the laws of decorum, literature, dance, and facial expressions help Elizabeth and Darcy break through their personal repressions and discover their love for each other.

Literature appears in Pride and Prejudice in the form of books and letters. For most of Parts One and Two of the novel, Elizabeth Bennet’s social standing and the indecorum of her family repel Darcy. He remarks that because the Benett sisters have family in Cheapside, it “must very materially lessen their chance of marrying men of any consideration in the world” (Austen, 33). However, Darcy’s distain is greatly reduced when he discovers that Elizabeth prefers reading to cards. It is a matter of nurture triumphing over nature, for Elizabeth is cultured and educated despite her upbringing. Darcy may be subconsciously or even purposely referring to Elizabeth when he adds the virtues of extensive reading to the list of qualities he admires ...

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... love for Elizabeth: he “was in the middle before [he] knew that [he] had begun” (Austen, 317). While still adhering to social norms and decorum, Elizabeth and Darcy are able to shed their pride and prejudice through the natural influences of literature, dance, and facial expression. As these modes of expressions are not immediately apparent in terms of love, they help Elizabeth and Darcy build a relationship that withstands the test of time and of scrutiny.

Works Cited

Allen, Dennis W. “No Love for Lydia: The Fate of Desire in Pride and Prejudice.” Texas Studies in Literature and Languages. 1985 Winter: 27: 425-443.

Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. New York, U.S.A.: Signet Classic, 1996.

Stovel, Bruce. “ ‘A Contrariety of Emotion’: Jane Austen’s Ambivalen Lovers in Pride And Prejudice.” International Fiction Review (IFR). 1987 Winter: 14 (1): 27-33.