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Mr. Darcy is arguably not only the most famous of all of Jane Austen’s romantic heroes but one of the most iconic characters in literature. Readers of all kinds have loved the male lead of Pride and Prejudice (1813) for over two centuries. Initially perceived as rude and aloof when he meets heroine Elizabeth Bennet at a dance, Lizzy eventually realizes that Mr. Darcy’s pride is not as egregious as previously believed. She can finally reciprocate his true love. What is it about Mr. Darcy that makes the character so enticing?
Handsome and rich, a devoted brother and benevolent land-owner, Mr. Darcy seems like the total package, and his willingness to accept his faults and change for the better has resulted in centuries of readers labeling him the perfect man. However, in recent years, Austen lovers on social media have praised the character for a different reason: their identification with his perceived social anxiety. This interpretation of the character’s rudeness as a result of social anxiety or fear of social interaction has been controversial; nevertheless, does the original novel suggest Mr. Darcy might be socially anxious?
What Is Social Anxiety?
Social anxiety is a mental health condition characterized by irrational fear and self-consciousness in social settings. (( “NIMH» Social Anxiety Disorder: More than Just Shyness.” 2021. Nih.gov. May 31, 2021. )). People with social anxiety will often fear that others judge them and consistently worry about potential embarrassment, negatively impacting their interactions with others. These extreme fears are often irrational, but to those with social anxiety, they feel painfully real. Social anxiety is much more intense than typical shyness and can manifest differently depending on the person. (( “NIMH» Social Anxiety Disorder: More than Just Shyness.” 2021. Nih.gov. May 31, 2021. )). Social anxiety can hinder sufferers’ ability to interact with new people, participate in social functions, or speak up in large group settings. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (( “NIMH» Home.” 2021. Nih.gov. April 26, 2021. )), about 7% of all Americans have social anxiety. Though this condition is not uncommon, it does not receive a lot of public attention, which can cause people with social anxiety to feel lonely and misunderstood.
The Text Of Pride And Prejudice Displays Mr. Darcy’s Ineptitude
When readers of Pride and Prejudice first meet Mr. Darcy, he soon faces the ire of Meryton’s residents due to his quiet, aloof behavior at the assembly and his refusal to dance with any of the local girls. Though the townsfolk attribute this behavior to pride, Darcy later attempts to justify his reserved demeanor to Elizabeth on the grounds that he did not know anyone outside his group. Readers with social anxiety have connected to Mr. Darcy’s reluctance to socialize at the party, as the fear of meeting new people is one of the telltale symptoms of social anxiety. This interpretation can be supported later in the text. In one of his earliest moments of vulnerability in the novel, Mr. Darcy confesses to the more-extroverted Elizabeth that he cannot easily converse with people he has not met before.
This is a feeling that many with varying degrees of social anxiety can relate to, and sometimes people with social anxiety may unintentionally come across as rude because they do not know how to start conversations. What might look like disinterest stems from a fear of conversing. Mr. Darcy further explains he has trouble picking up on the tone of strangers’ conversations, indicating a degree of social ineptitude often found in those struggling with social anxiety or other disorders that make understanding social cues difficult. When Elizabeth meets Mr. Darcy at his estate, Pemberley, she is surprised by how friendly and easygoing he is and his loving relationship with his little sister, Georgiana. It seems like shyness is a Darcy family trait, as Georgiana is also timid. When Georgiana meets Elizabeth, Elizabeth soon realizes that the teenager — who Mr. Wickham previously labeled as prideful as Darcy — is only embarrassed to be meeting a new person and has trouble holding a conversation.
In Georgiana’s case, her extreme shyness is misrepresented as pride, so some readers say it is not a stretch to think her brother might be the same. Darcy’s housekeeper, Mrs. Reynolds, also attests to his character, telling Elizabeth that she has never known Mr. Darcy to be disagreeable and attributes his reputation for pride to his lack of chattiness compared to other young men. Having known Darcy since childhood, Mrs. Reynolds is, as Elizabeth’s aunt points out, a reliable judge of his character. By all accounts, Mrs. Reynolds’s description of Mr. Darcy supports the interpretation that he is socially anxious.
Pride And Prejudice (( 2005, Joe Wright )) Adds Fuel To The Theory
Joe Wright’s 2005 Pride and Prejudice, a now beloved Austen adaptation, contributed to the fan theory that Darcy has social anxiety. The script and actor Matthew Macfayden’s portrayal made Darcy seem more awkward than he does in the original novel. He often looks uncomfortable in group settings, and there is the infamous scene where he stops by the Collinses’ house to talk to Elizabeth but gets so nervous he fumbles his way through the requisite small talk and leaves in a matter of minutes.
Though this encounter also occurs in the novel, it lasts longer, and Mr. Darcy only falls silent after Charlotte arrives to interrupt the conversation. There is some textual basis for the 2005 film’s portrayal of Darcy, though it further enhances his natural awkwardness, and the film’s choice to frame Darcy’s character in this way has been controversial. While some have applauded the film’s choice, others think it went too far.
Is Mr. Darcy Socially Anxious… Or Just Prideful?
Some Pride and Prejudice fans object strongly to the theory that Mr. Darcy might have social anxiety. Ask any Pride and Prejudice devotee, and they will surely have a vehement opinion about which interpretation of the character is better: Macfadyen’s socially awkward Darcy, or Colin Firth’s dashing-yet-snide (and occasionally scantily clad) Darcy in Pride and Prejudice (1995; Simon Langton), the BBC mini-series adaptation of the novel. Some Austen lovers say that diagnosing Darcy with social anxiety is a flawed interpretation because it ignores the pride Darcy must overcome to earn Elizabeth Bennet’s love.
Mr. Darcy Has A History Of Pride
Darcy tells Elizabeth that his well-meaning parents spoiled him as the only son and heir. Thus he never felt the need to interact with people from the lower classes, believing himself superior until Elizabeth challenged his worldview. Once Darcy learns his lesson, he has no trouble behaving amiably towards Elizabeth’s aunt and uncle, people he probably never would have associated with at the beginning of the novel. Opponents of the social anxiety theory also say that Darcy’s comfort conversing with his best friend Mr. Bingley, Bingley’s sisters, or Georgiana proves that he is not socially anxious. However, people with social anxiety might be more at ease in smaller group settings or talking to people they have known for a long time, so this point does not necessarily disprove anything. Social anxiety is not one-size-fits-all: some people with social anxiety might be able to hide it well, while others may have such an extreme fear of social interaction that it makes them physically ill.
Of course, there is no reason these two interpretations cannot coexist. If Mr. Darcy has social anxiety, but his family never encouraged him to overcome it and get to know people outside of their social circle, that could have resulted in his belief that he did not need to converse with anyone outside his class. Mr. Darcy could be socially anxious and flawed simultaneously, as these attributes are not mutually exclusive. This also does not change the fact that readers with social anxiety have long identified with Darcy’s mannerisms and behavior. Ultimately, does it matter whether Mr. Darcy has social anxiety or not, or is it more important that the character has positively impacted those who have social anxiety?
Mr. Darcy’s Mental Health Representation In Pride And Prejudice
The term social anxiety would not have existed when Jane Austen wrote the character of Mr. Darcy, so it is not a term she would have had in mind when writing Pride and Prejudice. Even if the human race had the power to bring Miss Austen back to life and ask her if Darcy has anxiety or not, the debate would still be ongoing. The truth is the story of Pride and Prejudice has transcended the pages of Austen’s book to become a social and cultural phenomenon. Readers must interpret the meaning of the work for themselves.
Though every reader consumes the same words, their personal life experience and opinions will color their thoughts about the story. That is one of the beautiful things about literary interpretation. Yes, Jane Austen did not write Darcy as socially anxious because such a term was not at her disposal, and not every reader will see his character that way. But if people with social anxiety can see a little bit of themselves in him and feel more assured; as a result, that is valid. Deliberate social anxiety representation in media is rare. If readers can connect with Darcy due to his social awkwardness, no one else can take that connection away from them — nor should they.
Fictional characters are more than just fictional characters: they allow readers to feel like they are, finally, being seen and accepted for who they are. Ultimately, the connection between reader and character is a deeply personal one. Regardless of how you interpret the character of Mr. Darcy, readers can learn from him that we are all worthy of love, utterly imperfect as we are, and it is never too late to make progress on your self-improvement journey. That’s why Mr. Darcy is still timeless in his appeal, two centuries after the novel’s publication and counting.