Miss Bingley and Mr. Darcy

          When people think of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, the stereotypical love story often comes to mind. The eventual love shared between protagonists Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy has captured the hearts of many readers over the decades. The less successful relationships in the novel tend to be forgotten, however, as all is resolved between Lizzy and Darcy. One of such relationships is between Miss Bingley and Mr. Darcy. After reading the novel, one will not wonder why such a pair never worked out. Interestingly enough, several literary devices are utilized by Austen to highlight the overall failure of the relationship.

            Although readers are not informed of how the relationship between the two began, besides assuming that it was the association between Bingley and Darcy, it can be presumed that Darcy never had much admiration for Miss Bingley. One of the mains reasons factoring into  their failed intimacy is her incessant jealousy of Lizzy, and her premeditated efforts to tarnish Darcy's opinion of her. Her personal attacks on Lizzy often fall to her physical appearance and social status. Such malevolent, rather catty behavior is observed quite often throughout the novel. For example, after Lizzy's novel arrival at Netherfield, colored from exercise and dirtied from the long journey, Miss Bingley is described as "abusing her as soon as she was out of the room" (Austen 36). Austen appropriately utilizes diction and syntax to provide emphasis on such rude mannerisms. For example, Austen chooses to not include the majority of Miss Bingley's gossiping, instead providing a brief overview of her points- that Lizzy's "manners were pronounced to be very bad," and that "she had no conversation, no style, no taste, no beauty" (Austen 36). The lack of direct quotations in this scene perhaps emphasizes how unnecessary and rather unimportant Miss Bingley's voiced opinions are. Seeing no encouragement from Darcy, she speaks directly to him, assuming that Elizabeth's condition had affected his admiration of her eyes. Darcy's reply is rather short, and curt- "Not at all," followed by, "they were brightened by the exercise" (Austen 37). The usage of syntax exemplified by brief sentences  shows Darcy's overall disapproval of Miss Bingley's malicious behavior, and unwillingness to contribute to such banter.

            However, Miss Bingley does not just resort to rude, secretive comments - she also makes several snide remarks directly to Lizzy, while feigning a friendly disposition. While visiting Pemberley, for instance, Miss Bingley noticed Lizzy's attempts to become friendly with Miss Darcy, and angrily comments, "Pray, Miss Eliza, are not the -shire militia removed from Meryton? They must be a great loss to your family" (Austen 262). Austen uses italicized words to create emphasis on the true intentions of the speakers. In this case, Miss Bingley is indirectly insulting Lizzy's lower social status, and intends to introduce Wickham into the conversation, "to whom she believed her partial, to make her betray a sensibility which might injure her in Darcy's opinion" (Austen 262). One knows how poor Miss Bingley's decisions are when even the narrator of the story shows bias on the situation. While again voicing her dislike for Lizzy and attempting to get Darcy to admit that his admiration of her was ruined, it is mentioned that "this was not the best method of recommending herself; but angry people are not always wise" and after Darcy disproves her attempts angrily, it is also mentioned that "Miss Bingley was left to all the satisfaction of having forced him to say what gave no one any pain but herself" (Austen 264). Her actions in this scene ultimately resolves their relationship, by eradicating its possibility entirely. Additionally, while contributing to a conversation between Lizzy and Darcy, she is even referred to by the narrator as "his faithful assistant" (Austen 40). Although novels are often opinionated, their views are often created by the views and actions of the characters. The fact that the narrator of Pride and Prejudice has a clear opinion of Miss Bingley's behavior only strengthens the idea that the relationship will be unsuccessful.

            In addition to her tendency to gossip, Miss Bingley's obsessive behavior also adds to her flawed character. Such obsessions are an example of situational irony in the novel. For example,  while at Netherfield, the party is trying to pass the time by activities such as playing cards, walking, and reading. Miss Bingley is reading next to Darcy, and her "attention was quite as much engaged  in watching Mr. Darcy's progress through his book, as in reading her own; and she was perpetually either making some enquiry, or looking at his page" (Austen 55). One normally would expect her to be absorbed into her own book, but it is actually quite the contrary. She makes her admiration of him apparent by her incessant interest after what he is doing. She additionally watches him as he writes a letter to his sister, and often makes comments about the length of the letter, his handwriting, and wished of regard to his sister; and receives curt, if any, replies. In this scene, Austen deviated from her previous technique of avoiding detail by including every comment Miss Bingley makes, and every reply she receives. This selection of detail by the author emphasizes just how annoying this behavior is to Darcy. She never fails to be by his side and striving to receive his good opinion. Such behavior is as irritating as it is curious, and it is no wonder that Darcy showed no admiration towards her.