Pride and Prejudice has many ways to make you laugh, but at the same time this novel makes you think. The character that I thought caused the most thoughtful laughter was Miss Bingley and her admiration of Mr. Darcy. When she was first introduced into the story she thought she was so much better than the families in the area, but it was at the second dance that she made her feelings known to Mr. Darcy, who by this time already had his eye on Elizabeth. “ I was never more annoyed!
The insipidity and yet the noise; the nothingness and yet the self-importance of all these people! 19)*. I laughed when I thought of Miss Bingley’s family and how they started out as working class people, they were just more successful at it than most. Miss Bingley makes many personal attacks on Elizabeth’s character, most of which are disregarded by Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth walking to Netherfield to visit Jane when she was ill gave Miss Bingley occasion to make one of her nasty comments to Darcy, “I am afraid, Mr. Darcy,… that this adventure has rather affected your admiration of her fine eyes. ”(26)* Darcy told Miss Bingley how wrong she was, as well as praising Elizabeth .
Miss Bingley works very hard on complimenting Darcy on everything he does, she makes quite a silly fool of herself by doing so. Mr. Darcy brushes aside her attentions as frequently as she gives them. When he is writing a letter to his sister during he first stay at Netherfield, she showers him with praise and he seems most annoyed with her continuous talking. From this readers point of view she tries so hard to attain her goal of acquiring his affections, that in fact she earns his disdain. Miss Bingley continues in her assaults on Elizabeth’s appearance and character, and in doing so lowers herself in Darcy esteem even further.
How very ill Eliza Bennet looks this morning…I must confess for my own part I could never see any beauty in her…and in her air altogether, there is a self-sufficiency without fashion, which is intolerable… ‘She a beauty! -I should have soon have called her mother a wit. ’ But afterwards she seemed to improve on you, and I believe you thought her rather pretty at one time. ”(200-201)* This was not the best method of recommending herself to Darcy, but angry and jealous people are not always insightful when it comes to others feelings. Mr. Darcy’s reply caused her all the pain she had intended to inflict on Elizabeth.
Yes, but that was only when I first knew her, for it is many months since I have considered her as one of the handsomest women of my acquaintance. ” (201)* As a character, it is Miss Bingley’s job to make the reader laugh, but at the same time ponder how her actions affect the reader. By trying to persuade Darcy not to like Elizabeth, she actually pushes him further away from herself. If she loved Mr. Darcy or even had the slightest real affection for him, it could be considered a sad event that he does not care for Miss Bingley, but since she only wants him for status and wealth I feel no remorse in laughing at her antics.
