Fitzwilliam Darcy

Also known as: Darcy / Mr Darcy / Mr. Darcy / her Derbyshire friend / his friend / that gentleman / the former · Family: Darcy · Role: Bingley's friend · First appears: Chapter 3

At the assembly, Fitzwilliam Darcy arrived with Charles Bingley and the Bingley family, but his manners soon turned the room’s admiration into dislike. He danced only once with Louisa Hurst and once with Caroline Bingley, while maintaining with Charles Bingley “a very steady friendship, in spite of a great opposition of character”. At Sir William Lucas’s, he grew interested in Elizabeth Bennet, sought chances to converse with her, and identified her as the woman whose eyes had occupied his thoughts; she refused his request to dance and regarded him as the man who had not found her handsome enough to ask. His attraction deepened despite her connections, while Caroline Bingley tried to turn him against Elizabeth.

His relations with George Wickham were marked by an old family connection and growing enmity. Wickham had been raised with Darcy under the care of the late Mr. Darcy, but Darcy refused him the church living, and later exposed his designs against Georgiana Darcy. Darcy was also Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s nephew, Miss de Bourgh’s cousin, and, with Colonel Fitzwilliam, a guardian of Georgiana. At Rosings he visited the Parsonage with Colonel Fitzwilliam, then came repeatedly to see Elizabeth; after separating Charles Bingley from Jane Bennet, he proposed to Elizabeth, was refused, and gave her a letter explaining his conduct. The letter vindicated him regarding Jane and Wickham, and Elizabeth’s opinion changed.

At Pemberley, Darcy treated Elizabeth and the Gardiners with marked civility, invited Mr. Gardiner to fish, and asked to introduce Georgiana to Elizabeth. He later kept Lydia Bennet’s elopement secret, found her and Wickham, arranged their marriage, paid Wickham’s debts, settled money on Lydia, purchased Wickham’s commission, and attended the wedding. He returned to Hertfordshire with Charles Bingley, and after Lady Catherine’s opposition and report revived his hope, he and Elizabeth renewed their understanding. Elizabeth told Jane Bennet, “He still loves me, and we are engaged.” They married, remained on intimate terms with Mr. Gardiner and Mrs. Gardiner, and made Pemberley home to Georgiana Darcy, whose attachment to Elizabeth was exactly what Darcy had hoped to see.