#it's most often associated w/ darcy which makes a lot of sense

[anghraine]

I was drafting a much longer post that meandered around, so trying for a shorter version: 

One of the things that I think people sometimes struggle w/ wrt Austen is what she generally calls “consequence.”

Social consequence is related to rank, but it’s not quite the same thing; there are certainly characters in her novels who look down on people who have precedence over them. Rank goes into consequence, but other things do, too. There’s wealth, of course, but you can be wealthy and of fairly low consequence. There’s the origin of whatever wealth you have. There are familial and social relationships with other people that affect it—“connections.” There’s education. There are straightforward power and influence. There are reputation and respectability. It’s really complicated.

It’s interesting that it’s so often mishandled/overlooked/simplified/etc, because the term (in this sense) shows up a lot in P&P.

Winding all the way back to Ch 3, Darcy says:

“I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men.”

We later hear of Lydia:

She had high animal spirits, and a sort of natural self-consequence.

Mr Collins of Anne de Bourgh:

“I have more than once observed to Lady Catherine, that her charming daughter seemed born to be a duchess, and that the most elevated rank, instead of giving her consequence, would be adorned by her.”

Mr Collins and Mrs Phillips:

In describing to her all the grandeur of Lady Catherine and her mansion, with occasional digressions in praise of his own humble abode, and the improvements it was receiving, he was happily employed until the gentlemen joined them; and he found in Mrs Phillips a very attentive listener, whose opinion of his consequence increased with what she heard.

Wickham about Darcy:

“The world is blinded by his fortune and consequence, or frightened by his high and imposing manners, and sees him only as he chooses to be seen.”

Wickham about Darcy again:

“He does not want abilities. He can be a conversible companion if he thinks it worth his while. Among those who are at all his equals in consequence, he is a very different man from what he is to the less prosperous. His pride never deserts him; but with the rich he is liberal-minded, just, sincere, rational, honourable, and perhaps agreeable—allowing something for fortune and figure.”

Charlotte wrt Wickham and Darcy:

When the dancing recommenced, however, and Darcy approached to claim her hand, Charlotte could not help cautioning her in a whisper, not to be a simpleton, and allow her fancy for Wickham to make her appear unpleasant in the eyes of a man ten times his consequence.

Elizabeth wrt Mr Collins and Darcy:

“You are not going to introduce yourself to Mr Darcy!”

“Indeed I am. I shall entreat his pardon for not having done it earlier. I believe him to be Lady Catherine’s nephew. It will be in my power to assure him that her ladyship was quite well yesterday se’nnight.”

Elizabeth tried hard to dissuade him from such a scheme, assuring him that Mr Darcy would consider his addressing him without introduction as an impertinent freedom, rather than a compliment to his aunt; that it was not in the least necessary there should be any notice on either side; and that if it were, it must belong to Mr Darcy, the superior in consequence, to begin the acquaintance.

Elizabeth about Bingley’s sisters and Darcy wrt Bingley:

“They may wish many things besides his happiness; they may wish his increase of wealth and consequence; they may wish him to marry a girl who has all the importance of money, great connections, and pride.”

Darcy’s first proposal:

His sense of her inferiority—of its being a degradation—of the family obstacles which had always opposed to inclination, were dwelt on with a warmth which seemed due to the consequence he was wounding, but was very unlikely to recommend his suit.

Darcy at Pemberley:

Never, even in the company of his dear friends at Netherfield, or his dignified relations at Rosings, had she seen him so desirous to please, so free from self-consequence or unbending reserve

Jane and Elizabeth with Mr Bennet after Lydia’s marriage:

But Jane and Elizabeth, who agreed in wishing, for the sake of their sister’s feelings and consequence, that she should be noticed on her marriage by her parents, urged him so earnestly yet so rationally and so mildly, to receive her and her husband at Longbourn, as soon as they were married, that he was prevailed on to think as they thought

Elizabeth wrt Darcy after her engagement:

she was aware that no one liked him but Jane; and even feared that with the others it was a dislike which not all his fortune and consequence might do away.

I mean ... the complexities around consequence and how it shapes character dynamics are super important to P&P. But I think it really often gets reduced to these very general categories or ranked tables or income equivalencies or whatnot, when there are a lot more factors that go into it and influence the characters’ sense of their social world.

#anghraine babbles #austen blogging #austen fanwank #iiiiiiiish #pride and prejudice #it's most often associated w/ darcy which makes a lot of sense #but i think is also why people struggle so much to grasp what his social position would be? #i keep getting linked to attempts to explain consequence purely in terms of a) income or b) rank and finally was just like ... no #fitzwilliam darcy #lydia bennet #william collins #anne de bourgh #mrs phillips #george wickham #charlotte lucas #elizabeth bennet #caroline bingley #louisa hurst #jane bennet #mr bennet #anghraine rants #long post #jane austen