It is at Pemberly
-by Arielle Markiewicz
It is at Pemberly
Where we find ourselves
intrigued by Mr. Darcy-his life
We find ourselves delving deeper
Discerning Darcy’s character further.
It is at Pemberly
Where Lizzie confronts her fears
for she herself is lost.
Lizzie’s life has overturned
for Darcy’s proposal and letter
has shattered her self-confidence
in herself.
It is at Pemberly
where we find Lizzie and Darcy growing closer
where Lizzie acknowledges her stupidity
(after seeing Darcy’s mansion, of course!).
Where Lizzie admits to loving Mr. Darcy.
It is at Pemberly
Where this story her story has ended
but theirs has just begun.
It is at Pemberly.
Lizzie only enters Pemberly because she learns that Mr. Darcy is not going to be at his home. And as she is taking a tour led by Mrs. Reynolds, his housekeeper, she learns insightful things about Mr. Darcy from his maid. Mrs. Reynolds’ account of Mr. Darcy clashes with the ideas that Lizzie holds to Mr. Darcy. It is found that contrasting to Lizzie’s belief, Darcy does not have a short temper, that Darcy is not a cruel master, but one who lovingly takes care of all those that he can. It is where Lizzie learns that his sister, Miss Darcy, is neither arrogant nor cruel like Mr. Wickham had described, but timidly shy and scared to even talk or look at people in the eye.
I find it very interesting that Caroline purposefully insults Lizzie and nags at Mr. Darcy to join in on her Lizzie bashing, but all she gets is Mr. Darcy telling her that “Lizzie is one of the most handsomest women of his acquaintance.” It’s even more ironic when all she wanted to do was hurt him, but instead she ends up hurting herself.
Then we learn that Mr. Wickham and Lydia have run off, but have not married yet? No one can find them, and when Lizzie learns Mr. Darcy has come into the room as she is reading. I find it very stupid that Lizzie blames herself for Lydia running off with Mr. Wickham because Lydia has always been foolish and would never listen to anyone. Lydia would never change, and her follies are even more blazoned because of Mrs. Bennet’s approval of Lydia’s actions.
And then, after Lizzie tells Mr. Darcy the truth about Lydia and Wickham, Lizzie admits to herself that only now has she acknowledged her love, does the actions of her family drag Mr. Darcy further away.