The Netherfield Ball In Jane Austen's Pride And Prejudice

In the novel, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, there are several scenes of different balls and dinners and events; however, the most important scene is at the Netherfield ball. This special scene is where Elizabeth and Jane Bennet first meet there soon to be husbands, Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley. This scene contributes to the work as a whole because it shows the values of the characters and the society in which they live. The Netherfield ball is a main contributor to the character Mr. Darcy because he is both directly and indirectly characterized. When Mr. Darcy first walks into the room with Mr. Bingley, “Mr. Darcy soon [draws] the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year” (Austen 8). This direct characterization helps gives insight of the society of this time. With in minutes of Mr. Darcy’s arrival, the

Bingley first meet and their feelings begin to bloom. When Mr. Bingley walks into the ball, he is directly characterized as “good-looking and gentlemanlike; he had a pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners” (Austen 8). Jane and Mr. Bingley had an instant connection even though Jane did not have as many or as great of connections as Mr. Bingley. Even though Mr. Bingley did not care about Jane’s connections, Mr. Darcy’s strong sense of pride did. Mr. Darcy did not want Mr. Bingley, one of higher class, to be associated with someone of lower class, Jane, because both Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy would be brought down in society. This attraction between Jane and Mr. Bingley contributes to the work as a whole because Mr. Bingley’s values of love are displayed when he disregarded Jane’s lower social status for his affection for her. This scene also shows how one’s society standing can easily be changed, either for the good or for the bad, just by a