1 Mr. Darcy, the Best of the Ball, a.k.a. “First Impressions”
Text
“You are dancing with the only handsome girl in the room,” said Mr. Darcy, looking at the eldest Miss Bennet.
“Oh! She is the most beautiful creature I ever beheld! But there is one of her sisters sitting down just behind you, who is very pretty, and I dare say very agreeable. Do let me ask my partner to introduce you.”
“Which do you mean?” and turning round he looked for a moment at Elizabeth, till catching her eye, he withdrew his own and coldly said: “She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me.”
From Chapter 3 of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Click on the film clip below and mute; then click on the music video below. Return to the film clip to watch while listening to the song.
Thoughts on this Scene + Music
Add your annotations regarding the clip from P&P and/or the music I’ve chosen to accompany it by highlighting and then commenting on the questions that interest you:
- Jane Austen initially called this novel “First Impressions”; how is this concept illustrated in the text and how is it illustrated in the film?
- Contrast the portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the illustration from the novel with the film’s version of him. What do you notice? Does the film version’s portrayal encourage us to view Mr. Darcy in any different ways or is it faithful to the illustration?
- What does pairing this song by AWOLNATION with the text and film add to and/or help to emphasize about either or both?
- What other thoughts do you have after you’ve watched this scene with this music accompanying it?