Victoria Region: A Vindication of Mr. Darcy

A Vindication of Mr. Darcy

Join the Victoria Region for "A Vindication of Mr. Darcy" by Caroline Winter of the University of Victoria. This event also marks the return of theregion's traditional September tea. 

As much as we all adore Mr. Darcy by the end of Pride and Prejudice, for much of it we might be tempted to agree with Mrs. Bennet’s assessment of him and his “shocking rudeness.” She believes him to be “a most disagreeable, horrid man, not at all worth pleasing. So high and so conceited, that there was no enduring him!” 

We might also agree with Elizabeth and be insulted and offended at the un-“gentlemanlike” nature of his first proposal. In this talk, Winter will offer a vindication of Mr. Darcy’s behavior by viewing the events of the novel through his eyes. She will also consider some of the historical social and cultural contexts in which the novel takes place to explain why he might have behaved as he did toward Elizabeth and the inhabitants of Meryton, and why that behavior was—at least to some extent—justified. Understanding his perspective in this way also leads us to a better understanding of his and Elizabeth’s transformations throughout the novel.

Winter’s love of Austen’s novels inspired her to complete a PhD at the University of Victoria in English literature, with a focus on Romantic fiction. She is currently working as a postdoc in the Electronic Textual Cultures Lab (ETCL) at UVIC, researching ways to make research—including humanities research—more open and accessible.

Admission is $10, cash only, and may be paid at the door.

Tea will be provided by the region. Please bring a sweet or savory plate of goodies if you can. Second-hand books will also be available for purchase.