Introduction
The characters in this passage met for the time at the Meryton ball. There all the participants formed
an opinion of their own on the others: some were attracted to each other, others were strongly
prejudiced among whom Miss Bingley who found the society of Longbourn too unrefined for her and
her party and Darcy. Elizabeth was hurt by Darcy’s contemptuous remark about her looks and
conceived a hostility that is now ingrained in her. The passage stages an informal ball at Lucas Lodge
that gathers the same participants, but this time, under the benevolent influence of Sir William and
hostile interference of Miss Bingley, Darcy’s growing and unexpected interest for Elizabeth starts to
emerge and contradicts Miss Bingley’s own intentions.
I -Dancing as a revealing social ritual
1- Assuming one’s social role.
Two faulty class-conscious behaviors:
Sir W. considers himself and his neighbors as belonging to a social circle acceptable to Darcy and
behaves as such in a sort of naïve way that is a little ridiculous, as we know that it is not the case. Sir
W. is fascinated by what he calls “superior society”. It is a very funny remark as it lets the reader
imagine what he means by superior society and how he would behave in it. We know from the
previous chapter that he rather over esteems his position in society (cf beginning ch5: “Sir W. had
been formerly in trade in Meryton[…] and risen to the knighthood by an address to the king, during
his mayoralty. The distinction had perhaps been felt to strongly”) and that Lady Lucas is a gossip that
can be compared to Mrs. Bennet. His remark about the London air that would not agree with Lady
Lucas is also very funny because the narrator places in his mouth a double entendre which he is not
conscious of. (the London air / the fashionable circles would not “agree” with Lady Lucas’s manners).
It contributes to the comedic tone of the passage.
Darcy opposes to him his haughty class-consciousness and his overbearing behavior. His blunt
answers to Sir William stress the difference between himself and the society of Longbourn. As for
Miss Bingley, she is an exaggerated version of Darcy, her scornful remarks define her as a snob and a
hypocrite. The readers’ sympathy cannot but lie with Sir William, in spite of his little weaknesses,
because here he assumes his role as a host while Darcy and Miss Bingley are hardly the guests that
they should be.
2-Dancing: the two antagonistic visions of Darcy and Sir William.
The conversation Darcy and Sir William have aims at revealing two opposed visions of social events
contributing to highlight Darcy’s character.
Darcy’s:
He deems dancing is beneath him; it is not intelligent enough an occupation. He obviously fails to see
the value of sociability and condescension contained in it (in Jane Austen’s time, the term
condescension suggests benevolence and not contempt). Sir William’s remark that dancing at St
James’s “would be a proper compliment to the place” not only acknowledges Darcy’s superior status,
it also highlights his refusal to assume the social duties that his position as an aristocrat requires.
Therefore, the portrait of Darcy that emerges from this exchange is in keeping with what has been
known of him since he was introduced: he embodies pride and unsociability.
2-Sir William’s:
He defines dancing as a charming occupation for young people and he is proved right.
In spite of the reminder that the Lucases are comic characters, here Sir William shows insight in his
assessment of the situation. His speech stresses the fact that the informal ball that is taking place in
his house provides an acceptable social event to people the rank of Bingley, then it should also be
acceptable to his friend Darcy.
Indeed, Sir William’s arguments are sustained by the complying behavior of Bingley. He is praised as
one who can perform and enjoy his social duties. His main function is definitely to establish what the
right behavior should be in such a case. The comparison with Bingley implies that Darcy should model
his behavior on him. Sir William’s remarks also qualify the negative portrait of Darcy: by revealing
that Darcy can dance quite well the potential evolution of the character is introduced.
The ball as a social event provides a most established frame rendering meetings between young
people possible. Sir William’s informal ball gives an opportunity to Elizabeth and Darcy to meet again
after their first hostile exchange (I,3). But now, among the assembly, there are two protagonists, Sir
William and Miss Bingley, whose function is to be agents of the reunion or separation of Elizabeth
and Darcy.
II- Two conflicting agents: Sir William, Miss Bingley.
A-Sir William as the go-between:
He is the medium of the meeting between Darcy and Elizabeth. His effort to convince Darcy to dance
only finds success when Elizabeth appears. But he and Elizabeth are at cross-purposes and he has to
convince her. He meets with the uncompromising behavior of Elizabeth.
His arguments are developed in several ways: Elizabeth’s beauty and her talent at dancing which is a
proof of sociability. So that the arguments to convince Elizabeth to dance are about the same as the
ones he developed to Darcy. He underlines all that should bring them together. The vocabulary and
the play of movement are meaningful and symbolic of his role of an agent of reunion (“desirable
partner”, “so much beauty “ added to his gestures:
—Sir William brings Elizabeth to Darcy; she ‘draws back’ but Darcy does not. It means he does not
refuse Sir’s William’s intercession.
—Then “movement” from Darcy to Elizabeth: he asks her to dance but she draws back again.
Sir William’s attempt fails, yet he rightly expresses Darcy’s inner thoughts. Miss Bingley, who thinks
she can interpret them, and voice them in a witty way, will be proved wrong.
B- Miss Bingley as a dividing force:
She insists on what separates them. Her arguments are based on a series of factual oppositions: city
vs country; different social classes: ‘polished society’ in Sir William’s opinion vs ‘unsupportable’
company in Miss Bingley’s opinion; Mrs. Bennet’s impropriety vs the aristocratic respectability of the
family estate of Pemberley. She gives a theatrical ring to her arguments; she uses hyperbolic,
debunking vocabulary. Her speech is made of binary rhetoric oppositions (“The insipidity and yet the
noise; the nothingness and yet self-importance of all these people !”) underscoring the extent of her
contempt. It enables the reader to measure her hypocrisy. She concludes her speech with an
overwrought, theatrical exclamatory sentence. Her arguments aim at ingratiating herself with Darcy
and at triggering off the same discourse from him: it would confirm that she is his perfect
spokeswoman.
The two agents have implicitly suggested the possibility of Darcy and Elizabeth as a couple: Sir
William’s highly symbolical gesture of joining their hands and Miss B’s sarcastic question: “and pray
when I am to wish you joy.” + the word “mother-in –law”.
III-The comedy of a possible love triangle
The three young people are parties in a possible love triangle: Darcy covets Elizabeth who rejects
him, Miss Bingley engages in some bantering with Darcy that lets the reader think that she actually
covets Darcy who rejects her and this gives way to a scene of light comedy.
Darcy’s change:
Here he plays the potential role of the romantic hero. He is beginning to change his opinion about
Elizabeth. His growing interest is first evinced by a litotes ” he was not unwilling to receive it” [her
hand]. He bestows his best manners to her: “With grave propriety”. Nothing seems to deter him from
being attracted to her “her resistance had not injured her with the gentleman and he was thinking of
her with some complacency”, “My mind was more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the
very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow”. There is an
obvious gradation in the vocabulary evolving from a litotes to an assertive sentence (3 elements of
approval: “very great pleasure”, “fine eyes”, “pretty woman”). He now admires Elizabeth‘s beauty: he
surrenders to Sir William’s arguments that he had ignored so far. A new step has been taken.
Elizabeth:
Contrasting to his new opinion of her, Elizabeth is immovable: the construction of the text reflects his
growing interest cut short by Elizabeth’s stark refusal: she appears as proud and prejudiced as he was
at the beginning of the passage: she refuses to dance with haughty irony.
Miss Bingley’s speech, a laughable strategy:
—At the beginning of their exchange, she thinks that they are natural allies, she will be soon belied.
She is taken aback by Darcy’s straightforward answer but she is not yet aware of the undercurrent in
Darcy’s words: no name has yet been given: a typical situation of comedy: different interpretations
are possible: the one who thinks he knows best is the one who does not interpret the situation in a
right way.
—1st step: His answer is a shock to her: repetition of ‘Miss Bennet’: they are no longer allies, she has
to move on a strategy of conquest by debunking Elizabeth herself. Her two very ironic questions aim
at cornering him: “How long has she been such a favorite—and pray, when am I to wish you joy?”
Her jealousy is perceptible. Elizabeth is clearly her enemy; she poses herself as a rival.
—Failure: Miss Bingley is the trickster tricked: Darcy is definitely the clever one, he can decipher or
read her mind while she cannot. By wanting to wittily handle irony, she has given herself the role of
the wise advisor—a role she is unable to play, she is not clever enough: she is a comedy fool.
—new move: she pretends to take it for granted that they will get married. The awful vision of Mrs.
Bennet as a regular host at Pemberley is meant to be the ultimate argument that should crush his
last resistance but it fails again: it cruelly backfires: “he listened to her with perfect indifference, while
she chose to entertain herself in this manner, and his composure convinced her that all was safe, her
wit flowed long”. Instead of subduing his attraction, she only succeeds in arousing a canny silence
showing the reader she has lost the battle.
Each character keeps pursuing a goal that is not in keeping with the other’s expectations: Miss
Bingley’s laughable strategy in debunking Elizabeth is debunked by Darcy. This possible love triangle
and the twists it entails are typical of light comedy.
Conclusion:
The social ritual of the ball at Lucas Lodge constitutes a lost opportunity for Darcy and Elizabeth to
get over their conflicting relationship. It occurs too early, the characters remain shut in their own
flawed perceptions. They still need evolving and engaging in an introspective process to conquer
their pride and prejudices. This process however will take time and they will have to go through a
number of different and challenging situations in order get closer to each other and eventually make
a truly loving couple.