miss-jane-bennet

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Jane... Shall Be Well

In episode 4 of the 1995 BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, Jane Bennet hopes to reassure her sister Elizabeth that she is resolved to move on from Mr Bingley and be happy again:

“I’m resolved to think of him no more. There, enough. I shall be myself again, as if I had never set eyes on him. Truly, Lizzy, I promise I shall be well; I shall be myself again; I shall be perfectly content.” 

Here Jane’s phrasing - her positive resolve, her list of three, her repetition of “shall” - reminds me of Julian of Norwich’s. In her Revelations of Divine Love (14th century), Julian describes Jesus informing her:

“All shall be well, and all shall be well and all manner of thing shall be well.”

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Jane the Prudent

Towards the end of Pride and Prejudice, Mr Bennet congratulates and teases his eldest daughter on her engagement to Charles Bingley. He foretells of their marriage:

“...You are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy, that every servant will cheat you; and so generous, that you will always exceed your income.” - Mr Bennet. Volume III, Chapter XIII

To this teasing, Jane replies:

“I hope not so. Imprudence or thoughtlessness in money matters would be unpardonable in me.” - Jane Bennet. Volume III, Chapter XIII

I have always found this line interesting. Why does Jane believe imprudence or thoughtlessness in money matters would be especially unpardonable in herself? 

In David M. Shapard’s The Annotated Pride and Prejudice (2012), Shapard looks at this sentence:

“Jane does not explain why financial prudence should be so particularly incumbent on her. It is possible her feeling reflects the great disparity between her own fortune and Bingley’s: she could think that any profligacy on her part would mean she was wasting his resources, and that she, being unable to contribute much money to their marriage, should contribute thriftiness instead.”

American author Susan Coolidge was a fan of Austen. In Coolidge’s What Katy Did Next (1886), the above scene between father and daughter regarding money may be argued to be echoed between protagonist Katy Carr and her father Dr Carr:

“You’ll be wiser and greedier before the year is out, my dear,” he replied. “Three hundred dollars won’t go far, as you’ll find. But it’s all I can spare, and I trust you to keep within it, and not come home with any long bills for me to pay.”

“Papa! I should think not!” cried Katy, with unsophisticated horror.

The responses of both Jane and Katy express earnestness and prudence.

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Charles the Unaffected

Charles Bingley is noted for being unaffected (without artificiality or insincerity).

When the Hertfordshire society meet Mr Bingley for the first time at the Meryton assembly, he is introduced as unaffected:

“He had a pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners.” - Volume I, Chapter III

Mr Bingley is absent from the story for several months, but when Elizabeth Bennet meets him again in Derbyshire, he remains as unaffected as ever:

“The unaffected cordiality with which he expressed himself on seeing her again.” - Volume III, Chapter II

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Charles the Easy-Tempered

Charles Bingley is noted for his sweet and easy temper.

Austen describes early on how an easy-tempered Mr Bingley is contented in his choice of home:

“As he was now provided with a good house and the liberty of a manor, it was doubtful to many of those who best knew the easiness of his temper, whether he might not spend the remainder of his days at Netherfield” - Volume I, Chapter IV

Although very different in character, Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy have a steady friendship. This is partly due to Mr Bingley’s easy temper:

“Bingley was endeared to Darcy by the easiness, openness, ductility of his temper” - Volume I, Chapter IV

When describing Mr Bingley to Mr Wickham, Elizabeth Bennet cites the former’s sweet temper:

“He is a sweet-tempered... man.” - Elizabeth Bennet. Volume I, Chapter XVI

Yet Elizabeth later laments on easy-tempered Mr Bingley, when his sisters and Mr Darcy persuade him to leave her sister Jane:

“She could not think without anger, hardly without contempt, on that easiness of temper, that want of proper resolution which now made him the slave of his designing friends, and led him to sacrifice his own happiness to the caprice of their inclinations.” - Volume II, Chapter I

After Mr Bingley and Jane eventually become engaged, Mr Bennet teases his eldest daughter about the similarities of her and her fiancé's tempers:

“I have not a doubt of your doing very well together. Your tempers are by no means unlike. You are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy, that every servant will cheat you; and so generous, that you will always exceed your income.” - Mr Bennet. Volume III, Chapter XIII

In the end, their is a limit to even Mr Bingley’s easy temper:

“Mr Bingley and Jane remained at Netherfield only a twelvemonth. So near a vicinity to her mother and Meryton relations was not desirable even to his easy temper” - Volume III, Chapter XIX

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Charles the Modest

Charles Bingley is noted for his modesty.

Austen notes early on that Mr Bingley’s modesty often leads him to rely on his friend Mr Darcy’s judgement:

“On the strength of Darcy's regard Bingley had the firmest reliance, and of his judgment the highest opinion.  In understanding, Darcy was the superior. Bingley was by no means deficient, but Darcy was clever.” - Volume I, Chapter IV

Mr Bingley freely admits to his faults, such as the careless appearance of his letters, leading Elizabeth Bennet to say:

“Your humility, Mr Bingley, must disarm reproof.” - Elizabeth Bennet. Volume I, Chapter X

Mr Darcy takes advantage of his friend’s modesty to convince him that he is mistaken in Jane Bennet’s returning his affection:

“Bingley has great natural modesty, with a stronger dependence on my judgement than on his own. To convince him, therefore, that he had deceived himself, was no very difficult point.” - Mr Darcy. Volume II, Chapter XII

Although Mr Bingley loves Jane, this persuasion of her being indifferent to him prevents him initially returning to her. Elizabeth notes:

“He made a little mistake to be sure; but it is to the credit of his modesty.” - Elizabeth Bennet. Volume III, Chapter XIII

Mr Darcy later corrects his interference, assuring Mr Bingley that Jane does in fact return his affection:

“Bingley is most unaffectedly modest. His diffidence had prevented his depending on his own judgment in so anxious a case, but his reliance on mine made everything easy.” - Mr Darcy. Volume III, Chapter XVI

Jane praises her fiancé's diffidence:

“a panegyric from Jane on his diffidence, and the little value he put on his own good qualities” - Volume III, Chapter XIII

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Charles the Amiable

Charles Bingley is noted for his amiability (having/displaying a friendly and pleasant manner).

Mr Bingley’s sociability at the Meryton assembly marks out his amiability:

“Mr Bingley had soon made himself acquainted with all the principal people in the room; he was lively and unreserved, danced every dance, was angry that the ball closed so early, and talked of giving one himself at Netherfield. Such amiable qualities must speak for themselves.” - Volume I, Chapter III

Elizabeth Bennet believes Mr Bingley to be truly amiable:

“Mr Bingley... is, I really believe, truly amiable” - Elizabeth Bennet. Volume I, Chapter XVI

“He is a sweet tempered, amiable, charming man.” - Elizabeth Bennet. Volume I, Chapter XVI

“Such an amiable man as Mr Bingley” - Volume II, Chapter XIII

And when Mr Bingley leaves Hertfordshire, Jane Bennet says she will remember him as the most amiable man:

“He may live in my memory as the most amiable man of my acquaintance” - Jane Bennet. Volume II, Chapter I

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Charles’ Ease

Charles Bingley is noted for his ease.

At the beginning of the novel, Jane Bennet admires Mr Bingley’s ease:

“He is just what a young man ought to be... I never saw such happy manners! - so much ease” - Jane Bennet. Volume I, Chapter IV

Some nine months later, her sister Elizabeth, meeting Mr Bingley in Derbyshire, finds he still possesses ease:

”[Mr Bingley] looked and spoke with the same good-humoured ease that he had ever done” - Volume III, Chapter II

When Mr Bingley returns to Hertfordshire, his ease makes him an agreeable visitor to the Bennet family:

”His ease and cheerfulness rendered him a most agreeable addition to their evening party” - Volume III, Chapter XIII

After Mr Bingley and Jane become engaged, Mr Bennet teases Jane about their virtues, including their ease:

”I have not a doubt of your doing very well together. Your tempers are by no means unlike. You are each of you so complying, that nothing will ever be resolved on; so easy, that every servant will cheat you; and so generous, that you will always exceed your income.” - Mr Bennet. Volume III, Chapter XIII

Yet, at the end of the novel, there proves a limit to even Mr Bingley’s easy temper:

“Mr Bingley and Jane remained at Netherfield only a twelvemonth. So near a vicinity to her mother and Meryton relations was not desirable even to his easy temper, or her affectionate heart.” - Volume III, Chapter XIX

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Immediately, Readily Charles

Whatever Charles Bingley does, more often than not he does it immediately; however, as the novel develops, Austen describes him as acting less with immediacy and more with readiness. 

One of Mr Bingley’s very first actions in the novel is immediately agreeing to take Netherfield Park:

“[Mr Bingley] was so much delighted with it [Netherfield] that he agreed with Mr Morris immediately” - Mrs Bennet. Volume I, Chapter I

We soon learn that Mr Bingley looked at his new home for only half an hour before agreeing to take it:

“He did look at it [Netherfield] and into it for half an hour... and took it immediately.” - Volume I, Chapter IV

Austen reiterates that this action was one performed “immediately”.

When they meet at the Meryton assembly, Mr Bingley’s attraction to Jane Bennet is immediate:

“He seemed quite struck with Jane as she was going down the dance. So, he enquired who she was, and got introduced, and asked her for the two next [sets of dances]” - Mrs Bennet. Volume I, Chapter III

It is reported that, when Mr Robinson asks Mr Bingley which is the prettiest girl at the Meryton assembly, Mr Bingley answers immediately Jane Bennet:

“Mr Robinson's asking him [Mr Bingley]... whether he did not think there were a great many pretty women in the room, and which he thought the prettiest? and his answering immediately to the last question - “Oh! The eldest Miss Bennet beyond a doubt, there cannot be two opinions on that point.” - Charlotte Lucas. Volume I, Chapter V

Also at the Meryton assembly, Mr Bingley is quick to acquaint himself with his new neighbours:

“Mr Bingley had soon made himself acquainted with all the principal people in the room” - Volume I, Chapter III

Some time later, Elizabeth stays at Netherfield to care for an ill Jane. On her first evening there, she joins the company in the drawing room, but instead of joining them at their card game, she says she will read. Mr Bingley replies with an immediate offer to fetch more books for her from his library:

“He immediately offered to fetch her others; all that his library afforded” - Volume I, Chapter VIII

Elizabeth soon checks on Jane and finds she had grown worse. Learning this, Mr Bingley urges for the doctor, Mr Jones, to be sent for immediately:

“Elizabeth joined them again only to say that her sister was worse, and that she could not leave her. Bingley urged Mr Jones's being sent for immediately” - Volume I, Chapter VIII

The next day, Mrs Bennet visits Netherfield to check on Jane. Afterwards she joins the rest of the party in the breakfast parlour. In their conversation, Mr Bingley acknowledges his habit of acting immediately or in a hurry:

“Whatever I do is done in a hurry... and therefore if I should resolve to quit Netherfield, I should probably be off in five minutes.” - Mr Bingley. Volume I, Chapter IX

Mr Bingley and Elizabeth soon begin a conversation about character. Mrs Bennet interrupts, chastising Elizabeth, but Mr Bingley continues the conversation immediately: 

“I did not know before,” continued Bingley immediately, “that you were a studier of character.” - Mr Bingley. Volume I, Chapter IX

In another conversation, Mr Bingley admits there are faults to his rapidity:

“My ideas flow so rapidly that I have not time to express them - by which means my letters sometimes convey no ideas at all to my correspondents” - Mr Bingley. Volume I, Chapter X

Later his best friend, Mr Darcy, questions Mr Bingley’s immediacy in the earlier proposed case of his leaving Netherfield. He believes Mr Bingley’s actions more dependant on chance or a friend’s advice: 

“I am by no means convinced that you would be gone with such celerity. Your conduct would be quite as dependant on chance as that of any man I know; and if, as you were mounting your horse, a friend were to say, “Bingley, you had better stay till next week,” you would probably do it, you would probably not go - and, at another word, might stay a month.” - Mr Darcy. Volume I, Chapter X

Still, even in Mr Darcy’s at that point theoretical situation, Mr Bingley reactions are immediate.

A few weeks later, at the end of the Netherfield Ball, Mrs Bennet invites Mr Bingley to a family dinner at Longbourn. He readily accepts:

“He readily engaged for taking the earliest opportunity of waiting on her [Mrs Bennet], after his return from London, whither he was obliged to go the next day for a short time.” - Volume I, Chapter XVIII

Mr Bingley will months later repeat this phrase and reveal again his readiness to visit the Bennets:

“He should be particularly happy at any time, &c. &c.; and if she would give him leave, would take an early opportunity of waiting on them.” - Volume III, Chapter XIII

Soon Mr Darcy acts upon his earlier theory that Mr Bingley readily takes his friends’ advice: in London, he persuades Mr Bingley not to pursue Jane Bennet. Thus Mr Bingley is absent from the story for above eight months, until Elizabeth meets him on her visit to Derbyshire. She finds him as quick and as ready as ever:

“She [Elizabeth] had barely time to express her satisfaction, and prepare for such a visitor, when Bingley's quick step was heard on the stairs, and in a moment he entered the room.” - Volume III, Chapter II

“Bingley was ready” - Volume III, Chapter II

Mr Bingley returns to Netherfield not long after, again it seems readily following his friend’s advice. Before Mrs Bennet can even send him an invitation, Mr Bingley visits Longbourn:

“She [Mrs Bennet] counted the days that must intervene before their invitation could be sent; hopeless of seeing him [Mr Bingley] before. But on the third morning after his arrival in Hertfordshire, she saw him, from her dressing-room window, enter the paddock and ride towards the house.” - Volume III, Chapter XI

In their conversation, Mrs Bennet states that Mr Bingley has been away a long time. He readily agrees this fact:

“He readily agreed to it.” - Volume III, Chapter XI

The next Tuesday, Mr Bingley joins the Bennet family for a dinner party. There his behaviour persuades Elizabeth that:

“If left wholly to himself, Jane's happiness, and his own, would be speedily secured.” - Volume III, Chapter XII

A few days later, Mrs Bennet again invites Mr Bingley to dine with them. He accepts the invitation with alacrity (a brisk and cheerful readiness):

“Her invitation was accepted with alacrity” - Volume III, Chapter XIII

Soon Mr Bingley and Jane are left alone together in Longbourn’s drawing room. When Elizabeth unexpectedly joins them, there is speed to all of Mr Bingley’s actions:

“They [Jane and Mr Bingley] hastily turned round and moved away from each other... Bingley, who as well as the other had sat down, suddenly rose, and whispering a few words to her sister, ran out of the room. - Volume III, Chapter XIII

When he returns to the drawing room, he speaks still with hast:

“Said he hastily” - Volume III, Chapter XIII

So energised by his engagement to Jane, Mr Bingley’s readiness morphs into haste.

Around this time, Mr Bingley makes a habit of hastening to Longbourn:

“He came, and in such very good time that the ladies were none of them dressed.” - Volume III, Chapter XIII

“Bingley was punctual to his appointment” - Volume III, Chapter XIII

“Bingley, from this time, was of course a daily visitor at Longbourn; coming frequently before breakfast” - Volume III, Chapter XIII

About a week after Mr Bingley and Jane become engaged, an unexpected visitor arrives at Longbourn. Wishing to avoid the intrusion, Mr Bingley acts with characteristic speed:

“As it was certain, however, that somebody was coming, Bingley instantly prevailed on Miss Bennet to avoid the confinement of such an intrusion, and walk away with him into the shrubbery.” - Volume III, Chapter XIV

As once before, Mr Bingley is capable of acting faster than Mrs Bennet. A few days later, when he and Mr Darcy arrive at Netherfield, before she has time to tell them of Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s visit, he proposes their all going for a walk:

“Before Mrs Bennet had time to tell him of their having seen his aunt, of which her daughter sat in momentary dread, Bingley, who wanted to be alone with Jane, proposed their all walking out.” - Volume III, Chapter XVI

In a later conversation with Elizabeth, Mr Darcy shares that Mr Bingley, though at first angry when he admitted concealing that Jane had been in London, quickly forgave him:

“He was angry. But his anger, I am persuaded, lasted no longer than he remained in any doubt of your sister's sentiments. He has heartily forgiven me now.” - Mr Darcy. Volume III, Chapter XVI

Bingley is also quick to express his pleasure at Mr Darcy and Elizabeth’s engagement:

“As soon as they entered, Bingley looked at her [Elizabeth] so expressively, and shook hands with such warmth, as left no doubt of his good information” - Volume III, Chapter XVII

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Charles the Lively

Full of life and energy, active and outgoing, Charles Bingley is a lively chap.

The first time the Bennet girls see Mr Bingley, he is riding his horse:

“The ladies... had the advantage of ascertaining, from an upper window, that he... rode a black horse.” - Volume I, Chapter III

In the 1995 BBC adaptation, the first time the audience see Mr Bingley he is again horse-riding. This first image implies he is an active and lively young man. 

Mr Bingley proves himself active and lively at the Meryton assembly, by dancing every dance:

“He was lively and unreserved, danced every dance, was angry that the ball closed so early” - Volume I, Chapter III

Interestingly, one of the first qualities Jane Bennet admires in Mr Bingley is his liveliness:

“He is just what a young man ought to be, sensible, good-humoured, lively...” - Jane Bennet. Volume I, Chapter IV

Mr Bingley doesn’t seem to be one for sitting down quietly and reading a book:

“Though I have not many [books], I have more than I ever look into” - Mr Bingley. Volume I, Chapter VIII

Although Mr Bingley does play cards, the reader finds him more often engaging in lively conversation, or in lively activities such as dancing, riding, walking and shooting.

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Jane Gathers Honey from the Weed

Elizabeth Bennet says of her elder sister Jane:

“To be candid without ostentation or design - to take the good of everybody's character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad - belongs to you alone” - Elizabeth Bennet. Volume I, Chapter IV

Elizabeth’s description of Jane’s seeing the best in everyone reminds me of a speech from William Shakespeare’s Henry V, in which the king encourages such an attitude:

“There is some soul of goodness in things evil, Would men observingly distil it out. For our bad neighbour makes us early stirrers, Which is both healthful and good husbandry: Besides, they are our outward consciences, And preachers to us all, admonishing That we should dress us fairly for our end. Thus may we gather honey from the weed, And make a moral of the devil himself.” - Henry V. Act IV, Scene I

Interesting, William Cowper, Jane Austen’s favourite poet, borrowed the second to last line to end his poem ‘The Pineapple and the Bee’:

“They whom truth and wisdom lead, Can gather honey from a weed.”

Jane Bennet appears to practise what Shakespeare and Cowper preached - she distils, takes the goodness of everybody’s character and betters it. She gathers honey from the weed.

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Charles the Good-Humoured

Charles Bingley is noted for being good-humoured.

Jane admires Mr Bingley’s good humour:

“He is just what a young man ought to be, sensible, good-humoured...” - Jane Bennet. Volume I, Chapter IV

Elizabeth views Mr Bingley as the personification of good humour:

“Mr Bingley, who seems good humour itself” - Elizabeth Bennet. Volume I, Chapter XVI

When Elizabeth meets Mr Bingley again, some months later in Derbyshire, she finds him just as good-humoured as ever:

“He [Bingley]... looked and spoke with the same good-humoured ease that he had ever done.” - Volume III, Chapter II

Mr Bingley’s good humour survives to the novel’s final chapter:

“With the Bingleys they both of them [Lydia and Wickham] frequently stayed so long, that even Bingley's good humour was overcome, and he proceeded so far as to talk of giving them a hint to be gone” - Volume III, Chapter XIX

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Charles the Agreeable

Charles Bingley is noted for being very agreeable.

One of Mr Bingley’s first actions in Pride and Prejudice is agreeing “immediately” with someone:

“He [Bingley] came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place [Netherfield Park], and was so much delighted with it that he agreed with Mr Morris immediately” - Mrs Bennet. Volume I, Chapter I

Sir William Lucas is one of the first members of the local community to meet Mr Bingley. He finds his new neighbour “extremely agreeable”:

“Sir William had been delighted with him [Bingley]. He was... extremely agreeable” - Volume I, Chapter III

At the Meryton assembly, agreeable Mr Bingley contrasts acutely with his friend Mr Darcy, who is declared to be the:

“Most disagreeable man in the world” - Volume I, Chapter III

After the Meryton assembly, Jane and Elizabeth privately praise Mr Bingley. In their tête-à-tête, Elizabeth notes his agreeableness:

“He [Bingley] certainly is very agreeable” - Elizabeth Bennet. Volume I, Chapter IV

Bingley’s agreeable character makes him an agreeable guest, such as at Longbourn towards the end of the novel:

“His [Bingley’s] ease and cheerfulness rendered him a most agreeable addition to their evening party” - Volume III, Chapter XIII

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Charles the Handsome

Charles Bingley is noted for being handsome.

Sir William Lucas is one of the first to meet Mr Bingley. He reports on the new neighbour’s handsomeness:

“Sir William had been delighted with him. He [Bingley] was... wonderfully handsome” - Volume I, Chapter III

When the Bennet females and other neighbours meet Mr Bingley for the first time at the Meryton assembly, his appearance is first noted:

“Mr Bingley was good looking” - Volume I, Chapter III

However, Mr Bingley is seen by many as less handsome then Mr Darcy:

"Mr Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien...The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr Bingley.” - Volume I, Chapter III

But as Elizabeth points out about the praise of Mr Darcy in episode 1 of the 1995 BBC adaptation:

“He wouldn’t be quite so handsome, if he was not quite so rich.”

Nevertheless Mr Bingley continues to be described as handsome.

Mrs Bennet’s opinion of Mr Bingley and his handsomeness mirrors Sir William’s:

“I am quite delighted with him. He [Bingley] is so excessively handsome!” - Mrs Bennet. Volume I, Chapter III

Elizabeth also notes Mr Bingley’s handsomeness, adding the quality to Jane’s praise of him:

“He [Bingley] is also handsome” - Elizabeth Bennet. Volume I, Chapter IV

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Would Jane have married Mr Collins?

If it wasn’t for Mr Bingley’s timely move to Netherfield Park, would Jane Bennet have married her cousin Mr Collins?

When Mr Collins visits Longbourn in November, his aim is to choose a wife from his five young cousins. He initially prefers Jane, as she is the eldest and most beautiful of the sisters; however, when he expresses his preference for Jane to Mrs Bennet, she cautions him against it:

“A conversation... leading naturally to the avowal of his hopes that a mistress... might be found at Longbourn, produced from her... a caution against the very Jane he had fixed on... her eldest daughter, she must just mention - she felt it incumbent on her to hint, was likely to be very soon engaged.” - Volume I, Chapter XV

But what if Mr Bingley wasn’t on the scene, would Mrs Bennet have been agreeable to a match between Jane and Mr Collins? Would Jane herself have accepted a proposal from him, or rejected him like Elizabeth later does?

Unlike Elizabeth, Jane is sensible to Charlotte Lucas’ pragmatic decision to marry Mr Collins:

“Consider Mr. Collins's respectability, and Charlotte's prudent, steady character. Remember that she is one of a large family; that as to fortune, it is a most eligible match” - Jane Bennet. Volume II, Chapter I

Yet, though sensible like Charlotte, Jane is also concerned by feelings. She cannot see Charlotte’s decision as a purely logical one:

“Be ready to believe, for every body's sake, that she [Charlotte] may feel something like regard and esteem for our cousin.” - Jane Bennet. Volume II, Chapter I

In episode 1 of the 1995 BBC adaptation, Jane declares her opinion on marriage:

“A marriage where either partner cannot love or respect the other - that cannot be agreeable to either party.”

Jane hopes Charlotte feels something positive for Mr Collins as she want her to be happy.

In marriage, Jane hopes all couples are happy...

She says to Elizabeth, regarding Charlotte and Mr Collins:

“I must think your language too strong in speaking of both, and I hope you will be convinced of it, by seeing them happy together.” - Jane Bennet. Volume II, Chapter I

Regarding Lydia and Mr Wickham:

“I hope and trust they will yet be happy... Their mutual affection will steady them” - Jane Bennet. Volume III, Chapter VII

And when Elizabeth informs her of her acceptance of Mr Darcy’s second proposal, Jane’s first concern is for her sister’s future happiness:

“Are you quite certain that you can be happy with him?” - Jane Bennet. Volume III, Chapter XVII

Whilst Jane hopes Charlotte marries at least out of “regard” or “esteem” for Mr Collins, she implores Elizabeth not to marry without “love” and “affection”:

“And do you really love him quite well enough? Oh, Lizzy! Do anything rather than marry without affection. Are you quite sure that you feel what you ought to do?” - Jane Bennet. Volume III, Chapter XVII

In episode 1 of the 1995 BBC adaptation, Jane declares her personal desire to marry for love:

“I would wish - I would so much like to marry for love.”

It appears Jane overall hopes to marry someone she feels “affection”, “love” and “respect/regard/esteem” for, but she is also sensible 3 out of 3 may not be achievable. Still, I feel Jane would struggle to marry someone she did not feel for.

So if she did not know Mr Bingley, and Mr Collins proposed to her, what would be Jane’s reaction?

I believe Jane, so determined everyone is happy in their match, would not marry Mr Collins if she believed he or herself would not be happy, though she would be saddened by any unhappiness caused to her family with such a decision.

Indeed, I do not see hopeful Jane giving up her hopes easily, no matter how pressured by say Mrs Bennet, as Elizabeth is. After all:

“Jane was firm where she felt herself to be right” - Volume I, Chapter XII

Thankfully Jane does not have to think about marrying Mr Collins. She gets her happy ending and marries Mr Bingley.

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Jane and Letter Writing

Throughout the course of Pride and Prejudice, Jane Bennet writes at least eleven letters - the most letters written by one character.

This is pointed out in The Bedside, Bathtub & Armchair Companion to Jane Austen (2008) by Carol J. Adams, Douglas Buchanan and Kelly Gesch.

Jane’s letters are written to her sister Elizabeth (at least 7), her ‘friend’ Caroline Bingley (2), and her aunt Mrs Gardiner (2).

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Jane and Books

What are Jane Bennet’s connections to books?

In Austen’s novel, when Lydia runs away with Mr Wickham, she leaves a note for Mrs Forster, which Jane later stores in her pocket-book:

“Jane then took it [Lydia’s note] from her pocket-book” - Volume III, Chapter V

A pocket-book is another word for a notebook. What does Jane write about in her pocket-book?

Does she keep a diary? In a 1957 Italian adaptation, she does. In it, she writes about the happiness Mr Bingley brings her:

Jane: Lizzy, can you tell me another word for ‘happiness’?

Elizabeth: Why?

Jane: Because I’ve already used it three times in my diary.

Elizabeth: Another word for happiness... Bingley! Easy!

On the other hand, Jane’s pocket-book may simply be for notes. Perhaps notes of household management, for, when her mother is indisposed or her father absent (as is the case after Lydia runs away), Jane is left to run the household.

From writing back to reading...

In the 2005 adaptation, Jane says to Mr Bingley at the Meryton assembly:

“I wish I read more, but there always seems to be so many other things to do.”

However, Jane evidently finds time to read in the 1995 BBC adaptation, as she is often shown carrying a book. In fact, when we first see her, she is holding a book.

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Jane’s Sensibility

Elizabeth Bennet feels her elder sister Jane possesses:

“Great sensibility” - Volume II, Chapter XIII

What is sensibility?

The concept of sensibility emerged and was popular in eighteenth century Britain. Originally, as stated on Wikipedia, “this reactivity was considered an indication of a sensible person's ability to perceive something intellectually or emotionally stirring in the world around them”.

A person of sensibility may, like Samuel Johnson’s Miss Gentle (The Idler, ‘The good sort of woman’, 1760), be found “pitying every misfortune” and “lamenting that so many poor wretches should languish”.

But what about Jane and her sensibility?

Jane’s sensibility may be observed in her deep feeling:

“[Jane has] great strength of feeling” - Volume I, Chapter VI

“Jane’s feelings… [are] fervent” - Volume II, Chapter XIII

For an example of this sensibility and feeling see Jane’s lengthy dispiritment in reaction to Mr Bingley’s removal and apparent withdrawal of affections:

“Though Jane always struggled to support her spirits, there were periods of dejection” - Volume II, Chapter IV

“[Elizabeth was] re-perusing Jane’s last letter, and dwelling on some passages which proved that Jane had not written in spirits” - Volume II, Chapter X

“Elizabeth… chose for her employment the examination of all the letters which Jane had written to her since her being in Kent… In all, and in almost every line of each, there was a want of that cheerfulness which had been used to characterize her style… Elizabeth noticed every sentence conveying the idea of uneasiness” - Volume II, Chapter XI

“Jane was not happy… all her good sense, and all her attention to the feelings of her friends, were requisite to check the indulgence of those regrets which must have been injurious to her own health and their tranquillity.” - Volume II, Chapter XVII

Jane, possessing sensibility, also feels great pity and compassion for others. Such causes Elizabeth to declare:

“My regret and compassion are all done away by seeing you so full of both. I know you will do him [Mr Darcy] such ample justice, that I am growing every moment more unconcerned and indifferent. Your profusion makes me saving; and if you lament over him much longer, my heart will be as light as a feather.” - Elizabeth Bennet. Volume II, Chapter XVII

When others suffer misfortune, Jane laments and repeatedly gives them the epithet “poor”:

“Poor Mr Darcy!... Only consider what he must have suffered... It is really too distressing.” - Jane Bennet. Volume II, Chapter XVII

“Poor Wickham” - Jane Bennet. Volume II, Chapter XVII

“Poor Lydia” - Jane Bennet. Volume III, Chapter IV

“My poor mother” - Jane Bennet. Volume III, Chapter IV

“Poor Kitty” - Jane Bennet. Volume III, Chapter IV

(For more on Jane’s compassion, see Jane the Compassionate)