Pride and Prejudice - P&P #8 and 9 - Confusion About Pride

Many people take Mr. Darcy to be a man whose disposition is one of excessive pride; However, Elizabeth is starting to unravel that Mr. Darcy is not like this at all. Mr. Wickham says that Mr. Darcy "[assumes] the appearance of what is right" (198). This is the impression that has been spread about Mr. Darcy around where Elizabeth lives. When Elizabeth goes to Pemberley, she and her aunt and uncle meet the housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds, who only has propitious words to say about Mr. Darcy. She has known him since he was four and states that how she talks about him is "what everyone will say that knows him" (207). Mrs. Reynolds states that "some people call him proud; but I am sure I never saw anything of it" (208). This description would infer that what Mr. Wickham has spread about Mr. Darcy was being false and his good actions and kind manner was simply a pretense. Of course, people can be viewed wrong, such as is the case with Miss Darcy. She is quite shy and it is written that her shyness "would easily give to those who felt themselves inferior the belief of her being proud and reserved" (223). Mr. Darcy can also be viewed this way, for he does not really know how to handle himself in front of others sometimes and this can be viewed as being overly proud. All in all, the prejudices are starting to be put aside and the truth of the matter is coming to light.