P&P 13

"The Bennets were speedily pronounced to be the luckiest family in the world, though only a few weeks before, when Lydia had first run away, they had been generally proved to be marked out for misfortune"'(Austen 267)

This passage shows who quickly things change in the setting of the novel. The line is definitely a critique of something, and my guess is that it is a critique of how in the society of the novel, a family member marrying into money can change the whole town's perspective on the family despite what the family had been involved in previously. Forgiveness is not a bad thing, but changing your view of someone simply because they have switched classes is a bit ridiculous. This quote is also interesting because it states that anything good or bad that has happened to the Bennets has been a matter of luck. Therefor, it is the luck of one member of the family that saves the names of the others. At least, that is what many in the society of the novel appear to think.

"'I will not be intimidated into anything so wholly unreasonable. Your ladyship wants Mr. Darcy to marry your daughter; but would my giving you the wished-for promise, make their marriage any more probable?'"(273)

Elizabeth should be given credit for holding her ground in this situation. However, the way she goes about defending her stance makes her appear to enjoy denying Lady De Bourgh(which she probably does, but it does not seem like a good idea to make that obvious). Elizabeth insinuates that the relationship between Darcy and the daughter of Lady De Bourgh is not as meant to be as Lady De Bourgh would like to think. While that is true, it makes little sense for Elizabeth to say such a thing. She was right in refusing to promise anything, but seemed to enjoy tormenting Lady De Bourgh a bit too much.