Pride and Prejudice: Chapter 43

The color-coded bars in this section make it easy to track the themes throughout the work. Each color corresponds to one of the themes explained in the Themes section of this LitChart. For instance, indicates that all five themes apply to that part of the summary.

Summary Analysis Themes

At Pemberley, Elizabeth admires the estate’s beauty. The house is lavish but tasteful, and Elizabeth imagines what it would have been like to be mistress of the place as Darcy’s wife.

Rosings is showy, but Pemberley is tasteful. Pemberley and the high life it represents make Elizabeth fantasize about marriage.

Elizabeth and Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner are escorted around the rooms by a housekeeper who praises Mr. Darcy as a kind and generous man: good to his servants, his tenants, and especially his sister.

Darcy is Austen’s ideal upper class man, balancing power and compassion, community involvement and dedication to family.

Elizabeth notices a portrait of Darcy. As she stares at it, the housekeeper asks if she thinks Darcy is handsome. Elizabeth says yes.

Pemberley makes Elizabeth see Darcy differently.

As they walk, Darcy suddenly appears—he came home a day earlier than scheduled. Elizabeth is stunned and embarrassed, but Darcy is extremely polite to them all. He impresses Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner with his courtesy, offering to take Mr. Gardiner fishing in his streams. Elizabeth silently wonders if he might still love her.

Elizabeth feels like a stalker who just got caught. But Darcy steps in and smooths out the awkward situation—a social skill Elizabeth herself possesses. Pemberley brings out an entirely different side of Darcy.

Darcy says he is expecting guests the next day: Bingley and his sisters, and Georgiana. He asks Elizabeth if he can introduce his sister to her. Elizabeth accepts. The Gardiners, having heard so many negative things about Darcy, leave with an entirely revised opinion of him.

It is now clear that Darcy is still interested in Elizabeth; she’s getting a second chance. Darcy’s bad reputation had prejudiced the Gardiners, but here his real character shines.