Quote
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.
The very first sentence is the challenge laid out to the readers for deeper examination. Is this a truth? Must this man "want" a wife? What is the nature of a "good fortune" let alone "want"?
However little known the feelings or views of such a man -- this is the second challenge to be overcome. The feelings and views in the case of Fitzwilliam Darcy were obstructive to the beliefs of
some one or other of their daughters.
We may believe initiallyDarcy's feelings or views are that of a charmless, withdrawn snob, but it is only over time we realize his fortune is purely economic, not emotional or spiritual as he has been deeply deprived. What is it he really wants and needs?
We may believe initially that Darcy is the rightful object of
some one or other daughter, no matter what his feelings or views, but the man is not an object, not simply a bundle of economic objectives. He is still human and must be won over, by meeting his wants and needs -- indeed, in spite of his own lack of awareness and inability to articulate his
true wants and needs.
And while the challenge and objective laid out in the first two sentences are bound up in the single man of good fortune, the truth is that the story is about the development of a fundamental human system based upon a pair bond -- the yin and yang, meeting and becoming one. Whatever we must learn about Darcy in the course of P&P, we must also learn about his mate, the yin to his yang.
We may believe initially that Elizabeth is a headstrong, sarcastic, and naive spirit, but it is only over time we realize her best features are her openness to learning and changing her mind, and her loyalty once earned. What is it she needs to self-actualize?
We may believe initially that Elizabeth will marry only for the deepest love, but that ethic must be sorely tested else it is nothing but mere platitude.
And on top of it complicating the challenge is the nascent and ephemeral biological attraction, simmering below waistcoats and corsets, masked by gloves and hats, muted by societal norms. Austen never really explores this except in the undisciplined ids Wickham and Lydia represent, contrasted against the ruthless demands of superego manifest in Charlotte and Mr. Collins.
It's the very crux of P&P to look beyond the superficial attributes of Darcy and Elizabeth, to weigh them against alternatives, and discover what it is that drives these two very different individuals meld into one.
We can say that neither Darcy or Elizabeth are good catches -- but that's the whole point. We none of us are. It's the human condition, yet we manage to create matches anyhow.
