Hrmph
Another op-ed invoking Jane… *fondles Cluebat lovingly*
Can gossip serve an important social function? I will turn to one of my favorite authorities for guidance — novelist Jane Austen. I am embarrassed to say that I have never actually read Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice,” but I am even more embarrassed to admit that I have seen the A&E miniseries version about a million times.
*steps into on-deck circle, takes a few warm-up swings*
In any event, the libertine villain of the story, George Wickham, is only able to wreck his scandalous havoc because the hero, Mr. Darcy, is too proud of his family’s reputation to tell others of Wickham’s conduct and because the heroines, Elizabeth and Jane Bennet, are too polite to disclose the true nature of Mr. Wickham’s character to others. A little gossip may have saved poor Lydia’s reputation (at least temporarily). However, such revelations would have definitely simplified the plot and made for a much shorter and less interesting novel.
Hmm.
Well.
*shrug*
Okay.
June 5th, 2006 at 3:14 am
“Wreck his scandalous havoc”? Is there a cluebat of idiomatic competence lying around anywhere?
June 5th, 2006 at 8:28 am
Elizabeth and Jane Bennet, are too polite to disclose the true nature of Mr. Wickham’s character to others
To ascribe that decision to politeness is really trivialising it, I think. Weren’t Jane and Elizabeth honouring Darcy’s confidence; and refraining from ruining the reputation of a man who they hoped had learned from his mistakes?
June 5th, 2006 at 9:42 am
Geez, guys, you’re making me feel bad for being nice. That’ll learn me, I guess.
June 5th, 2006 at 10:45 am
Not only “refraining from ruining the reputation of a man who they hoped had learned from his mistakes”, but also refraining from ruining the reputation of a very young girl (Georgiana) who came this close to making the one irretrievable female mistake. More than politeness, indeed. And surely Darcy has similar motives in not spreading the word about Wickham.
June 11th, 2006 at 8:58 pm
Not to mention that the one person who does spread gossip is Wickham! After he tells Lizzy he will not disparage Darcy because of the respect he (Wickham) has for Darcy’s father, he tells his story to all and sundry after Darcy leaves Netherfield. Lizzy doesn’t realize how contradictory Wickham’s behavior is until she reads Darcy’s letter. Maybe the author of this piece should have actually read the BOOK before assuming the text would support her argument.