Favourite Scene in P&P - Zhi Min, 08S303

Volume 3 Chapter 1

Elizabeth, as they drove along, watched for the first appearance of Pemberley Woods with some perturbation; and when at length they turned in at the lodge, her spirits were in a high flutter.
The park was very large, and contained great variety of ground. They entered it in one of its lowest points, and drove for some time through a beautiful wood stretching over a wide extent.
Elizabeth's mind was too full for conversation, but she saw and admired every remarkable spot and point of view. They gradually ascended for half a mile, and then found themselves at the top of a considerable eminence, where the wood ceased, and the eye was instantly caught by Pemberley House, situated on the opposite side of a valley, into which the road with some abruptness wound. It was a large, handsome, stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills; and in front a stream of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance. Its banks were neither formal nor falsely adorned. Elizabeth was delighted. She had never seen a place for which nature had done more, or where natural beauty had been so little counteracted by an awkward taste. They were all of them warm in their admiration ; and at that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something !
They descended the hill, crossed the bridge, and drove to the door ; and, while examining the nearer aspect of the house, all her apprehension of meeting its owner returned. She dreaded lest the chambermaid had been mistaken. On applying to see the place, they were admitted into the hall; and Elizabeth, as they waited for the housekeeper, had leisure to wonder at her being where she was.
The housekeeper came; a respectable looking elderly woman, much less fine, and more civil, than she had any notion of finding her. They followed her into the dining- parlour. It was a large, well-proportioned room, handsomely fitted up. Elizabeth, after slightly surveying it, went to a window to enjoy its prospect. The hill, crowned with wood, from which they had descended, receiving increased abruptness from the distance, was a beautiful object. Every disposition of the ground was good; and she looked on the whole scene, the river, the trees scattered on its banks, and the winding of the valley, as far as she could trace it, with delight. As they passed into other rooms, these objects were taking different positions; but from every window there were beauties to be seen. The rooms were lofty and handsome, and their furniture suitable to the fortune of their proprietor ; but Elizabeth saw, with admiration of his taste, that it was neither gaudy nor uselessly fine,—with less of splendour, and more real elegance, than the furniture of Rosings.
" And of this place," thought she, " I might have been mistress ! With these rooms I might now have been familiarly acquainted ! Instead of viewing them as a stranger, I might have rejoiced in them as my own, and welcomed to them as visiters my uncle and aunt. But, no," recollecting herself, " that could never be ; my uncle and aunt would have been lost to me; I should not have been allowed to invite them."
This was a lucky recollection—it saved her from something like regret.


This passage depicts the feeling of Elizabeth as she first steps foot in Pemberley, revealing her affections for Darcy. This passage is important as it shows us how regretful Elizabeth was for treating Darcy the way she previously had. This scene is also highly significant as it causes Elizabeth to realise her true feelings towards Darcy and eventually allows her to meet Darcy unexpectedly, eventually leading to their union.

Elizabeth reveals her affections towards Darcy in this scene as she realises how “beautiful” Pemberley is and “admired every remarkable spot and point of view”. She was so enthralled that her mind was “too full for conversation”. The beautiful image of Pemberley is actually a parallel and metaphor of the character of Darcy. Hence, the fact that Elizabeth was so “delighted” by the “large, handsome, stone building” and thought that it was “neither formal nor falsely adorned” already reveals to us that her feelings of Darcy have already changed drastically and that she actually admires him greatly now. Elizabeth continued to enjoy the “prospects” of Pemberley and feels that “every disposition” “was good”, suggesting to us that she really admires Darcy’s character and disposition. She also realises that Darcy is different from Lady Catherine as Pemberley was “neither gaudy nor uselessly fine” and consisted of “real elegance”. This is significant in showing the change in Elizabeth as she used to treat Darcy with contempt, thinking that he was as proud as Lady Catherine. Therefore, this scene is significant as it reveals the extent of adoration that Elizabeth had for Darcy at this point of time.

Elizabeth also feels regretful for her previous behaviour towards Darcy. Upon arriving at Pemberley, Elizabeth watched on with “some perturbation” and her “spirits were in high flutter”, suggesting to us that Elizabeth was greatly disturbed about the idea of visiting Pemberley as it was the home of Darcy. It also shows us that she felt awkward and was afraid to face Darcy. She reveals her regret when she thinks that “to be mistress of Pemberley must be something” after seeing how beautiful Pemberley was. Even though she was enthralled by Pemberley, “her apprehension of meeting (Darcy) returned” and this shows us again that she felt sorry for what she had done and no longer had the courage to face Darcy. As Elizabeth reflects and thinks that she “might have been mistress” and “rejoiced in (the rooms) as (her) own”, we see that she was actually upset and wanted to be the mistress of Pemberley. This shows the difference in her affections for Darcy as Mr. Collins had previously tried to make her regret not marrying him by showing off his property to her. In that situation, she did not feel the least bit of regret. However, at Pemberley, she actually regrets and even wished that she was the mistress. With the parallel between the property and the owner, we can also infer that her attachment and longings for Pemberley actually reflects her inner desires to be with Darcy.

This scene also plays an important role as Elizabeth still has some misconceptions towards Darcy and his unexpected arrival later on actually allows those misconceptions to be corrected, hence allowing the eventual marriage between Darcy and Elizabeth. At this point of time, Elizabeth still believes that her “aunt and uncle would have been lost to (her)” if she had married Darcy. She is unaware that Darcy had changed and no longer minded her connections. When she meets Darcy later, she realises the change and falls completely in love with him. Therefore, this scene is important in allowing the correction of Elizabeth’s misconceptions towards Darcy.

In conclusion, this scene is highly important to the progression of the novel as it causes Elizabeth to realise her love for Darcy through her adoration of Pemberley. It also gives us a reflection of Darcy’s true character, that he is not proud and disagreeable. This trip to Pemberley also allows Elizabeth to meet Darcy unexpectedly, hence enabling her to find out how much Darcy had changed, thus catalysing the relationship and marriage of Elizabeth and Darcy.