Caroline Bingley attempts to attract Mr. Darcy
Pride and Prejudice’s Caroline Bingley is generally considered, and perhaps rightly so, as a scheming, superior and snooty snob with no redeeming qualities. However, as Jane Austen enlightens us, she is also ‘angry’, ‘jealous’ and full of ‘desperation’. These, I’m sure you will agree, are not enviable emotions.
I felt more than a pang of sympathy when, towards the end of Pride and Prejudice, Caroline Bingley forces Mr. Darcy to profess his opinions of Elizabeth Bennet. Darcy responds that Elizabeth is one of the handsomest women of his acquaintance, leaving Miss Bingley ‘all the satisfaction of having forced him to say what gave no one any pain but herself.’ It is obvious to Elizabeth Bennet, and us, that Caroline Bingley wants desperately to marry Mr. Darcy, but does she love him? The intensity of her emotions and the desperation plain in her behaviour would suggest so. Despite this, Caroline Bingley is hopeless at ‘recommending herself’ to him. Elizabeth’s ‘pert opinions’ and ‘conceited independence’, as described by Caroline, are exactly what attracts Mr. Darcy to her. Caroline’s sycophantic attempts to draw the attention of Mr. Darcy are pathetic and pitiable in comparison. As Elizabeth says to Mr. Darcy at the end of Pride and Prejudice ‘you were sick of civility, of deference, of officious attention.’
Caroline Bingley has hurt no one but herself
However malicious Caroline Bingley is towards our beloved Elizabeth, she is experiencing the pain of unrequited love, intense jealousy and rejection. Am I alone in feeling a little empathy for Pride and Prejudice’s conniving Caroline? Or is she purely the cold hearted snob that Pride and Prejudice adaptations have portrayed?
I am in anticipation of your thoughts,
Lizzy
I think pity rather than empathy would be my description of how I feel towards Caroline. It is certainly difficult to find any redeeming qualities in the character of this unfortunate young lady, and I think she is to be pitied because of this. All her wealth and connections cannot get her her heart’s desire, which leaves her frustrated, distressed, and of course insanely jealous of Elizabeth who wins her man in spite of having none of Caroline’s material advantages.
I do feel pity for her when I consider how it must pain her to see Mr Darcy falling for someone “inferior” to her. However, whenever I think of how she treated Jane when they were in London, I suddenly don’t feel so bad for her after all.