The Jane Austen hero vote

[Ecurb]

I'm the only person voting for Henry Tilney? I'll grant that Darcy has all the cash (I'm sure that's why he leads the voting), but he's not nearly as cool as Tilney, and neither is Wentworth. Anyone who takes months and months to figure out he should marry Anne Eliot is doesn't deserve any votes. Knightley is fine, but he's sort of a prosey stick-in-the-mud. Edmund Bertram is willing to sanction banishing his own sister to a life with Mrs. Norris, and tells his ex-grilfriend that he's not only breaking up with her, but that he can no longer think well of her, either (she had the temerity to suggest that she might HELP Henry and Maria, instead of fainting in horror at their awful sin).

Of course Brandon, with his arthritis and meloncholia, is no contender, and neither is Edward Ferrars (who is too boring).

That leaves Tilney, who is too reasonable to demand anything more in a girl than ignorance:

The advantages of natural folly in a beautiful girl have been already set forth by the capital pen of a sister author; and to her treatment of the subject I will only add, in justice to men, that though to the larger and more trifling part of the sex, imbecility in females is a great enhancement of their personal charms, there is a portion of them too reasonable and too well informed themselves to desire anything more in woman than ignorance.

[mona amon]

While I voted for Darcy myself, I'm glad to see at least one vote for Tilney, a great favourite of mine.

[kiki1982]

Haha, Ecurb! For me it was Wentworth. Darcy was a close second, although I hadn't actually got acquainted with Mr Tilney yet.

However, Darcy is a bit of a Tilney, only less outspoken. He also desired something more in his wife than imbecility, which is why Caroline couldn't actually claim him, because, apart from singing and walking, there was nothing to her . He only didn't say. And he was really a bit on the quiet side, which didn't help him in society. But, I think, a charming and dutiful man when it comes to it. And cash, but I don't think that is his major good point.

Wentworth is a bit pittiable, I grant you that, but it takes balls to tell a woman you are really... groveling. Ok, it took 'breaking [Louisa?]'s head' and a friend to talk to Anne, but at least he saw his mistake. And he is highly intelligent as well. Saw a program last night about making promotion in the Royal Navy. Up to 5 hour exam, oral, in front of a jury, about what to do in certain situations. If you misjudged one situation, you failed and it took years to be accepted for a new exam. So he has done very well in getting promotion so quickly, although that could be partly due to his brother-in-law.

Can't say anything about Bertram. But, yes, Ferrars is boring. I think people here called him a 'pansy'. That's about right, I think . Brandon is indeed cute, but not really more than cute. A bit of a dreamer, I think. ah

But I agree with you that Tilney is most charming! His joy for life is very engaging, but I think he will turn into a cynical old man if his marriage does not work out very well. A bit like Mr Bennet, maybe.

And I think that that quote is maybe not so gratifying as it seems... Because if he, as a part of that 'too reasonable and too well-informed [portion of his sex]', then '[he] [doesn't] desire anything more in woman than ignorance', which means, he has something against imbecility (which cannot be helped), but has nothing against 'ignorance', which can be helped, but will always keep him as the superior in the reliationship. However, living together with a wife who can't do two plus two, is a bit frustrating. Of course, we want to presume that they were really happy until the end of their lives, Henry ad Catherine Tilney.

[Ecurb]

As far as Tilney demanding nothing more in a pretty girl than ignorance, Austen could be a bit sarcastic at times, couldn't she? I like Darcy, actually, mainly for his own sarcastic talents at polishing off Caroline Bingley. Here's one (rather long) example, the last sentence of which is a good example of Darcy's talents:

.... Mr. Hurst looked at her with astonishment.

"Do you prefer reading to cards?" said he; "that is rather singular."


"Miss Eliza Bennet," said Miss Bingley, "despises cards. She is a great reader, and has no pleasure in anything else."

"I deserve neither such praise nor such censure," cried Elizabeth; "I am not a great reader, and I have pleasure in many things."

"In nursing your sister I am sure you have pleasure," said Bingley; "and I hope it will soon be increased by seeing her quite well."

Elizabeth thanked him from her heart, and then walked towards a table where a few books were lying. He immediately offered to fetch her others -- all that his library afforded.

"And I wish my collection were larger for your benefit and my own credit; but I am an idle fellow, and though I have not many, I have more than I ever look into."

Elizabeth assured him that she could suit herself perfectly with those in the room.

"I am astonished," said Miss Bingley, "that my father should have left so small a collection of books. What a delightful library you have at Pemberley, Mr. Darcy!"

"It ought to be good," he replied; "it has been the work of many generations."

"And then you have added so much to it yourself, you are always buying books."

"I cannot comprehend the neglect of a family library in such days as these."

"Neglect! I am sure you neglect nothing that can add to the beauties of that noble place. Charles, when you build your house, I wish it may be half as delightful as Pemberley."

"I wish it may."

"But I would really advise you to make your purchase in that neighbourhood, and take Pemberley for a kind of model. There is not a finer county in England than Derbyshire."

"With all my heart; I will buy Pemberley itself if Darcy will sell it."

"I am talking of possibilities, Charles."

"Upon my word, Caroline, I should think it more possible to get Pemberley by purchase than by imitation."

Elizabeth was so much caught by what passed as to leave her very little attention for her book; and soon laying it wholly aside, she drew near the card-table, and stationed herself between Mr. Bingley and his eldest sister, to observe the game.

"Is Miss Darcy much grown since the spring?" said Miss Bingley; "will she be as tall as I am?"

"I think she will. She is now about Miss Elizabeth Bennet's height, or rather taller."

"How I long to see her again! I never met with anybody who delighted me so much. Such a countenance, such manners! and so extremely accomplished for her age! Her performance on the pianoforte is exquisite."

"It is amazing to me," said Bingley, "how young ladies can have patience to be so very accomplished as they all are."

"All young ladies accomplished! My dear Charles, what do you mean?"

"Yes, all of them, I think. They all paint tables, cover screens, and net purses. I scarcely know any one who cannot do all this, and I am sure I never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time, without being informed that she was very accomplished."

"Your list of the common extent of accomplishments," said Darcy, "has too much truth. The word is applied to many a woman who deserves it no otherwise than by netting a purse or covering a screen. But I am very far from agreeing with you in your estimation of ladies in general. I cannot boast of knowing more than half a dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance, that are really accomplished."

"Nor I, I am sure," said Miss Bingley. "Then," observed Elizabeth, "you must comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished woman."

"Yes, I do comprehend a great deal in it."

"Oh! certainly," cried his faithful assistant, "no one can be really esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half deserved."

"All this she must possess," added Darcy, "and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading."

[kiki1982]

Oh, yes, I have that in my Commons' Book.

The one where he polishes off Sir William (?), Charlotte's father, is also quite good.

'Dancing, what a fine past-time it is for young people Mr Darcy. Indeed, there is nothing better in polished society!' (or something of the sort)

and then Darcy: 'Unfortunately it also seems to be in vogue amongst the less polished societies of the world.' (walks away).

I find those one-liners of his so great!

[Ecurb]

The screenplay of the 1930s Movie of P & P (starring Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson) was written by Alduous Huxley. IN one review I read, the reviewer quoted the "Every savage can dance" line you mention above, and said that it had obviously come from Huxley, not Austen.

How wrong he was.

[kiki1982]

Oh, my God, that's bad . Did anybody tell him publicly

[Ecurb]

Someone probably told him, but I don't know -- I read about it long after the fact (I assume the review came out in 1939 or whenever the movie was released).

[Three Sparrows]

I voted for Henry Tilney, because he is such a bean. Plus he is a lot more pleasant than all those other fellows; I must admit, it was hard to decide between him and Wentworth though.