The Cajun Cheesehead Analyzes Austen’s Characters

#2 – Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, from Pride and Prejudice

Greetings everyone. Jack Caldwell here.

This time, I’m looking at the Big Guy. Yep—Mr. Darcy goes under the microscope.

Pray remember that my analysis is based solely on what Miss Jane Austen wrote. So, forget all about P&P 95 vs P&P 05. I don’t care about moody Colin Firth or tortured Matthew Macfadyen. This is all about what is on the pages.

According to the author, Fitzwilliam Darcy comes from a very wealthy and socially connected family. His late father was a large landowner in Derbyshire and his late mother was the daughter of an earl. His very name suggests that his ancestors came from France (D’Arcy), perhaps with William the Conqueror. There are hints of relation to judges and bishops. Darcy received his inheritance at the relatively young age of 22, upon Mr. George Darcy’s death. He has raised his only sibling, Georgiana, since she was 11, given that their mother, Lady Anne Darcy, died when the girl was six. He is rumored to be worth “ten thousand pounds per annum,” an enormous sum, although the true amount is unconfirmed.

So, what kind of man is Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Miss Jane Austen’s perfect man?

He is an introvert.

Note that when we first meet Darcy, at the Meryton Assembly, he holds himself apart from the attendees, a mark of seeming arrogance. He does not want to be there, he only dances with ladies of his party, and refuses to be introduced to Miss Elizabeth Bennet. However, at the Lucas Party a week or so later, Darcy is introduced to Elizabeth and even allows himself to be cornered into asking her for a dance, an invitation she refused. Yet, he continues to show interest in the young woman.

According to Simply Psychology, introverts tend to be quiet, reserved, and prefer solitary activities. They feel drained after social interaction and need alone time to recharge. Introverts often think before speaking, dislike small talk, and have a small group of close friends. They are internally focused and get absorbed in their own thoughts. It is critical to note that introversion is not the same as social anxiety or shyness—an introvert is not necessarily socially anxious or shy.

From Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth scolds Darcy:

“… The first time of my ever seeing him in Hertfordshire, you must know, was at a ball—and at this ball, what do you think he did? He danced only four dances! I am sorry to pain you—but so it was. He danced only four dances, though gentlemen were scarce; and, to my certain knowledge, more than one young lady was sitting down in want of a partner. Mr. Darcy, you cannot deny the fact.”

“I had not at that time the honour of knowing any lady in the assembly beyond my own party.”

“True; and nobody can ever be introduced in a ballroom. Well, Colonel Fitzwilliam, what do I play next? My fingers wait your orders.”

“Perhaps,” said Darcy, “I should have judged better had I sought an introduction; but I am ill qualified to recommend myself to strangers.”

“Shall we ask your cousin the reason of this?” said Elizabeth, still addressing Colonel Fitzwilliam. “Shall we ask him why a man of sense and education, and who has lived in the world, is ill qualified to recommend himself to strangers?”

“I can answer your question,” said Fitzwilliam, “without applying to him. It is because he will not give himself the trouble.”

“I certainly have not the talent which some people possess,” said Darcy, “of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done.”

P&P, Chapter 31

Introverts tend to have a very active inner voice and conversation; they are considered the true masters of reflective thinking. This attitude and curiosity help them to strategically devise solutions and plans in their heads before acting upon them. Self-understanding and self-awareness are typically vital, and they can devote much time to learning more about themselves. Their contemplative thinking allows them to keep in touch with their authenticity by closely monitoring their feelings, emotions, and thoughts.

When Darcy attends the Merton Assembly, he is still mentally involved with the Ramsgate near-debacle. No truly arrogant person castrates himself over the actions of his sister, his employee, and his former friend. That he does so shows he places too much blame upon himself rather than the people involved. He has no idea how his internal battle looks to other people; if he did, he would have remained at Netherfield.

Introverts like to involve themselves in hobbies they enjoy, thinking about their lives, and reading books that explore topics and themes important to them. Recall his comments about the scarcity of books in Bingley’s library?

Elizabeth thanked [Bingley] from her heart, and then walked towards a table where a few books were lying. He immediately offered to fetch her others—all that his library afforded.

“And I wish my collection were larger for your benefit and my own credit; but I am an idle fellow, and though I have not many, I have more than I ever look into.”

Elizabeth assured him that she could suit herself perfectly with those in the room.

“I am astonished,” said Miss Bingley, “that my father should have left so small a collection of books. What a delightful library you have at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy!”

“It ought to be good,” he replied. “It has been the work of many generations.”

“And then you have added so much to it yourself, you are always buying books.”

“I cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such days as these.”

P&P, Chapter 8

Introverts tend to be great observers and often learn things through meticulous observation rather than impulsive undertaking. They like to observe generally, whether it is people, nature, or more. Recall his staring at Elizabeth. He’s not trying to find fault—far from it! (By the way, guys never stare at women looking for faults. Trust me.)

This doesn’t mean introverts are mind-readers. Note Darcy’s failure to gage Jane Bennet’s true feelings for Bingley at the ball. He can’t see what she does not show.

Remember, being an introvert does not mean he is shy. He is not. Darcy enjoys company he knows well and is a man of action when provoked, as Wickham learns to his sorrow.

He is proud.

There is no doubt about that, but to be fair, it was learned and earned.

Darcy himself admits that his parents raised him with “good principals,” but “was left to follow them in pride and conceit.” He claimed that:

“I was spoilt by my parents, who, though good themselves—my father particularly, all that was benevolent and amiable—allowed, encouraged, almost taught me to be selfish and overbearing—to care for none beyond my own family circle, to think meanly of all the rest of the world, to wish at least to think meanly of their sense and worth compared with my own.”

P&P, Chapter 58

A bit tough, and not quite accurate.

It wasn’t unusual for the various social strata in the Georgian period to set themselves apart from those not of their class, reinforcing their position in society and the world. The aristocracy from the landed gentry; the gentry from the tenants, merchants, and the working class; the servants and poor stayed at the bottom. They were reacting to two separate forces. One was the French Revolution and its delight in guillotining the upper classes. The other was the still-unrecognized Industrial Revolution, which would within a generation have merchants richer than many of the landed elite. Darcy is a man of his time.

Darcy knows he is the most capable man in the room, and acts like it.

He is noble.

The Cambridge dictionary defines noble as “moral in an honest, brave, and kind way.” We kind of knew Darcy was; this is how he acts, particularly in the second half of the book. Yes, he is distant early on. The Letter to Elizabeth starts out rather snarky and defensive. However, the more he writes, the more he reveals the true Fitzwilliam Darcy.

Darcy is a better man than his parents. He recognizes the hypocrisy of his class. His good friend is the son of a merchant. He befriends the Gardiners, a family that can offer to him nothing but good conversation. He has maintained, if not improved, the Pemberley Estate. His staff thinks him the best man alive. He cheats no one and, in fact, covers Wickham’s debts so that merchants don’t suffer. All this and he seeks no thanks or recognition, especially from Elizabeth. So, how proud is he really?

He is cautious.

Darcy trusts few people, and his history shows he has good reason. His mother was often ill, perhaps from failed pregnancies, and would die when he was 17. His father, for reasons not fully explained, preferred the company of his godson to his heir. His aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, only seemed to view Darcy as the future husband to her sickly daughter and nothing else.

Let’s talk about the betrayals. Besides Wickham and Mrs. Younge, Georgiana failed to honor her upbringing and her family in her actions at Ramsgate. Colonel Fitzwilliam, in a misbegotten attempt to put his cousin in a good light, spilled the beans about Darcy’s actions to separate Bingley from Jane Bennet. And psychologically, it could be viewed that Darcy’s parents’ early deaths were a form of abandonment. Certainly, Old Darcy’s favoritism towards Wickham was a betrayal.

It is no wonder Darcy trusts few people. This is why Darcy wants to do everything himself. It’s the reason he dons his “armor” (as I call it) to protect himself from Society. His confession to Elizabeth in The Letter proves that not only he loves her, he trusts her. This is enormous.

He is humble and generous.

I have already listed many examples above. But if you think about it, Darcy is constantly generous throughout the novel. He puts up with Bingley’s annoying sisters. He tolerates his rude, demanding aunt Lady Catherine without a whimper of discontent—until she berates him in London over his attraction to Elizabeth. That set-down is off-camera.

Darcy rides off the find Wickham and Lydia, sets him up with a commission in the Regulars rather than turning him in to the Militia, and arranges their marriage, all in secret. He is only upset when Elizabeth discovers his actions.

Yes, he slips in a few (deserved) shots at Mrs. Bennet early in the novel. He is human, after all. His generosity can backfire: he tried to protect his friend Bingley from an unhappy marriage. This uninformed and selfless action almost cost him forever Elizabeth’s love.

He really does not change.

Come on, you think Darcy really changes in the book? I don’t see it. I dismiss what he says; I look at his actions in the past and what I can reasonably expect in the future. He might become a little more polite and open in public—a little more. He’ll learn to put up with the Bennets, though he’ll be biting his tongue a lot. However, I have a feeling he will always seem to have a fireplace poker up his backside in a ballroom. This is his Fatal Flaw.  It is just who he is.

Will Darcy become more honest? Generous? Noble? Will his employees love him more than they do now? Will he and Mrs. Bennet go shopping together? Forgetaboutit!

Sorry, folks. It is Elizabeth who does all the changing, who grows up, who becomes Elizabeth Darcy (as I will show in a future analysis).

So what do you think? Let me know in the comments below. Remember, we’re talking about the novel; what Miss Austen wrote. The adaptations, IMHO, do a poor job with Darcy at the Meryton Assembly, but generally do okay at Pemberley.

Still, Firth nor Macfadyen, even with their excellent performances, are limited by the screenwriters and directors, and fail to truly become the introvert that Austen created. Perhaps if you mixed the two together, with a healthy dose of the dashing Laurence Olivier (P&P 40) and the stoic David Rintoul (P&P 80), you might get close.

But it’s hard being (almost) perfect.

Until next time, this has been the Cajun Cheesehead Chronicles.

It takes a real man to write historical romance, so let me tell you a story…