Why Has Mr. Darcy Been Attractive to Generations of Women?
By Sarah Emsley | On January 20, 2014 | Updated August 25, 2024 | Comments (15)
“Darcy is Still the Ultimate Sex Symbol” is the title of an article by Katy Brand in The Telegraph. The article features a photograph of Colin Firth and his famous wet shirt from the 1995 A&E/BBC Pride and Prejudice series.
But now that I have your attention, I want to ask for your help in identifying what it is that makes Mr. Darcy so attractive — in the novel. Early in the story, he happens to accompany Mr. Bingley to the first assembly.
Within a few lines he becomes a “sex symbol,” with his “fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien; and the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance of his having ten thousand a year.”
He’s attractive because he’s handsome and rich. The men at the assembly judge him to be “a fine figure of a man,” while “the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley.”
Elizabeth’s immediate prejudice
Elizabeth Bennet’s prejudice against Darcy after he has refused to dance with her stops her from seeing other things about him that she might find attractive. Like her, he is a reader, who values books and libraries. As Miss Bingley says of him, he is “always buying books.”
He thinks highly of women who improve their minds “by extensive reading.” He is also open to taking advice from Elizabeth.
At the end of their argument at Netherfield about whether it’s wise “to yield readily – easily – to the persuasion of a friend,” Elizabeth offers advice – and Darcy takes it. She has only to say, “Mr. Darcy had much better finish his letter,” and he does as she asks: “Mr. Darcy took her advice, and did finish his letter.”
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Miniseries and film adaptations of Pride and Prejudice
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Meeting the Gardiners at Pemberley
One of my favorite passages in the novel is the scene in which Mr. Darcy meets Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner for the first time at Pemberley, and both Elizabeth and the reader gradually realize that through his behavior to the Gardiners, he is showing that again he has listened to Elizabeth’s advice – this time about practicing talking to people he doesn’t know.
At Rosings, in response to Darcy’s claim about not having the “talent” of “conversing easily with those I have never seen before,” Elizabeth has argued it’s her own fault she doesn’t play the piano very well, “because I would not take the trouble of practicing.” At Pemberley, Darcy demonstrates that he has learned from her metaphor, and that he is practicing.
What ultimately makes Darcy attractive
Yes, he later rescues her sister’s reputation and her family’s reputation. He does have a large estate, “his beautiful grounds at Pemberley,” and enough money to give Elizabeth, in her mother’s words, “pin-money,” “jewels,” “carriages,” “A house in town!” and “Every thing that is charming!”
According to his housekeeper, “He is the best landlord, and the best master … that ever lived.” He’s handsome, and he can offer Elizabeth social status – in Mrs. Bennet’s words again, “how rich and how great you will be!”
All these things make him attractive, but I would argue that one of the main things Elizabeth finds attractive is that he listens to her, and learns from her. He does so early on, when he finishes his letter, and he does so at Pemberley, when he shows he can learn how to talk to new acquaintances – and how to respect people whose social status is not equal to his own.
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Catching Elizabeth Bennett by surprise
I can’t leave the famous Pemberley chapter behind without looking at what happens, in Austen’s own words, when Darcy suddenly appears and catches Elizabeth by surprise. There’s no description of a clinging wet shirt, but there is certainly sexual tension in the scene:
“As they walked across the lawn towards the river, Elizabeth turned back to look [at Pemberley] again; her uncle and aunt stopped also, and while the former was conjecturing as to the date of the building, the owner of it himself suddenly came forward from the road, which led behind it to the stables.
They were within twenty yards of each other, and so abrupt was his appearance, that it was impossible to avoid his sight. Their eyes instantly met, and the cheeks of each were overspread with the deepest blush. He absolutely started, and for a moment seemed immoveable from surprise; but shortly recovering himself, advanced towards the party, and spoke to Elizabeth, if not in terms of perfect composure, at least of perfect civility.” (Volume 2, Chapter 1).
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Memorable Quotes from Pride and Prejudice
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Desire and passion
We now live in a world that relies heavily on visual images, which is part of why “Colin Firth in a wet shirt” signifies passion and desire in Pride and Prejudice.
Yet in the novel, Austen makes clear that this moment is significant not because Elizabeth is looking at Darcy and admiring his handsome face or figure, but because there is such a strong connection between the two of them already that “their eyes instantly met,” and they simultaneously blush at meeting in such circumstances.
They’re looking at each other. It isn’t that the heroine and readers or audience are gazing at Darcy. Colin Firth as Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth look at each other, too, but that isn’t the main part that viewers remember after watching this scene.
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Is Darcy ultimate literary sex symbol?
Is Darcy “the ultimate sex symbol” in the novel as well as in pop culture? Or is it impossible to separate his reputation in Austen’s novel from the way he has been represented by Laurence Olivier, David Rintoul, Colin Firth, Matthew Macfadyen, and others on film, on stage, and in pop culture generally?
See how hard it’s been for me in this post to talk about Pride and Prejudice without bringing in comparisons from outside the novel?
Contributed by Sarah Emsley. Sarah is the author of Jane Austen’s Philosophy of the Virtues and editor of Jane Austen and the North Atlantic. She blogs about Austen and other women writers at Sarah Emsley.
This is fourth in a series of ten articles on ‘Rereading Pride and Prejudice’ — find all ten here.
Not just that he takes criticism and amends his behavior but he also displays utter vulnerability when professing his feelings. I believe this to the reason he’s so loved.
Mr. Darcy is the ultimate “Love will change a man”. Men have been told “feeling is weakening for men”. Darcy however seems to have see a genuine love. His choice of male friend, whose eternal optimistic seems to a antpdote to his sense of betrayal by Mr. Wickham. He watches what people do helps him to take time to reconcile for the best friend and discover what he realizes who he really is. In other words an emotionally mature adult.
Thank you for this perceptive comment!
Well said, Frances!
You ask “is it impossible to separate his reputation in Austen’s novel from the way he has been represented” by various actors in various mediums.
I must tell you that it emphatically is not. I read Pride and Prejudice and became enamored of Fitzwilliam Darcy many years before I knew that there existed any alternative to the original written word.
When I did discover the film starring Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson in the classics section of Blockbuster Video, I was in heaven. Olivier was handsome enough to play Darcy and Garson was plenty witty enough for Elizabeth!
Thank you for this interesting perspective! Casting is so important to whether a film is successful in representing a classic book. I thought that the later versions were so miscast! I like Kiera Knightly, for example, but she’s not Elizabeth Bennett. And the actor who played Darcy opposite her was kind of bleh.
I enjoy very much the scene where he repeats “I love, love, love you!” That is so touching. This is towards the end. I also enjoyed the book very much.
Juanda, it’s the dream of all women to be loved like that, right?
Mr Darcy is a gentleman. He is attractive for retaining composure and treating people with dignity and respect. Apart from having an air of authority and commanding respect and admiration from other people, Mr Darcy was willing to make sacrifices to protect Elizabeth’s family from loss of reputation and performed his favour quietly and gallantly. Mr Darcy is socially awkward but is willing to be vulnerable and open to win Elizabeth’s interest and affection.
Thank you for your insightful comment, Chris!
I agree that the sexiest thing about Darcy is the fact that he listens and changes. Captain Wentworth’s letter in Persuasion is still tops with me.
What touches me about this fiction character is the “All I did, I did for you only” or sort of that. He blindly helps her sister Lydia to save the family reputation while he already has been rejected. Not giving up out of love. I dream of portraying such characters in my own novels too!
Thanks so much Miss Jane Austen.
And I dream that there should be men like him, of all ages and backgrounds, in real life! Thanks so much for your comment, Louisa.
This is great. And, yes, he is the ultimate classic lit sex symbol. 🙂
I don’t see it, but millions have proven me wrong! Thanks for the comment, Karen.