Mr. Darcy Listens Intently, 1800-15

Is there a more iconic romantic figure in modern literature than Jane Austen’s Mr. Darcy? A man who, to quote from Pride & Prejudice “…soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien.” However, he soon shows the world another aspect of his nature and ends up insulting most of the characters through his aloofness, snobbery and selfishness. After he proposes to Elizabeth Bennet she rejects him and lists his character defects. While it takes a while for him to digest her words, he takes them to heart and strives to correct his behavior. “I have been a selfish being all my life, in practice, though not in principle. As a child, I was taught what was right, but I was not taught to correct my temper. I was given good principles, but left to follow them in pride and conceit…Such I was from eight to eight and twenty; and such I might still have been but for you, dearest, loveliest Elizabeth!”