Mutually respected opinions, Agnes, are what these forums are about and debate is great. I am quite happy to debate anything on that basis. (-:
There will always be some difference in how males and females view most topics, indeed life. When the said topics are fictional this widens opinions further as we have no real research into people that are products of the author's imagination, only their historical surroundings and events of their times (something I do try to adhere to when posting comments, or particularly stories). My respect for Jane Austen as a writer is obvious in the fact that I am on this site, so nothing I say is meant in any derogatory way. Life two hundred years ago is something we can only imagine. As a male also it is easy to understand and despise the obvious actions of shallow knavish men and confidence tricksters. We immediately react less than well when introduced to males who make a living from preying on females, the same females who are fooled by them.
We, as readers, know more about their lives and backgrounds and subsequent events than the people concerned in the stories, so are quicker to see the reality of the people rather than how the other characters see them. The people of Meryton, for instance, base most of their opinions on gossip and rumour rather than knowing the facts. Few of them know the first thing about George Wickham, one way or another but just follow the herd instinct. This is why things we see as naive stand out. Elizabeth thinks that Jane's view of Darcy would possibly be affected if she knew the truth of his involvement with Bingley's absence. Do we think this knowing the character of Jane?. If he had come clean and apologised she would probably have embroidered a handkerchief with his initials on and baked him a pie.
I just tend to feel at times that Jane Austen brought her own Christian attitudes and kindnesses into some situations that I regard a little more harshly. I doesn't make me right (or even wrong), just a sideline observer with a view. Fun, isn't it? (-:
