Violet Crawley and Fitzwilliam Darcy - Essay Example

? Violet Crawley and Fitzwilliam Darcy Introduction The two characters chosen for comparison in how they manifest their pride are Violet Crawley from Downton Abbey, and Fitzwilliam Darcy from My Pride and Prejudice. The two characters, Violet and Darcy, demonstrate their sense of pride in their respective contexts. Downton Abbey: Violet Crawley Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham and is the widow of Patrick Crawley, the fourth Earl of Grantham, mother to Robert Crawley the Earl of Grantham and Lady Rosamund, mother-in-law to Cora Crawley the Countess of Grantham, grandmother to Lady Edith Crawley, Lady Mary Crawley and Lady Sybil Branson nee Crawley. Violet Crawley is from a noble family but her family was impoverished. Her marriage brought her a noble title but little wealth since the Earldom was also impoverished. Her children married into money rather than nobility. She was against Robert’s engagement to Cora. This is because she had pride in nobility and not money (Fellowes, 2011). Violet discriminated people on the basis of social classes. Her granddaughter could not marry Mathew Crawley, the new heir of Earldom, since he did meet her expectations as he was from the upper middle class rather than nobility. She also refused to acknowledge the change in Mary’s inheritance which resulted in her forming an alliance with Cora Crawley, her daughter-in-law. Violet has many quarrels with Isobel Crawley. Violet, president the Downton Hospital, has complete control over the hospital’s chief doctor Richard Clarkson and the whole hospital in general. Mrs. Crawley started intimidating the doctor into applying modern medical practices. One of these practices was curing dropsy by administration of adrenaline. This was contradicting to the Countess of Dowager’s protest against administering adrenaline to cure a local farmer. The Countess pursues Clarkson and Isobel into the operation room to air her protests, where she witnesses the farmer being saved. The doctor is forced to appoint Isobel Chairman of the Board in order to prevent further, forcing pride ridden Violet to share power with Isobel (Fellowes, 2011). Violet remained a strong influence at Downton Abbey throughout World War One. On learning Matthew’s engagement to Lavinia Swire, she reacts in distaste as she watches Matthew, now an army captain, match. Rosamund and Violet scheme to intimidate Lavinia in cancelling her engagement to Matthew. They are especially motivated when Rosamund overhears Lavinia being threatened by Sir Richard about a political scandal. But Violet’s pride does not bear fruits because they both do not succeed in convincing Lavinia to end her engagement. When Isobel proposes to Cora that Downton Abbey be utilized as a convalescent dwelling for wounded soldiers, Violet reacts in disgust and with horror at the prospect of strangers living in the house. Cora phlegmatically reminds Violet that she no longer holds the title of Countess of Grantham. Therefore, Cora is the sole decision maker regarding issues of the house. Violet is accused of inability to communicate between social classes, instigating her to expose that she and Carson always had the first promenade at the servants’ ball. This illustrates Violet’s pride (Fellowes, 2011). At one point during the war, an exceedingly burned Canadian officer named Patrick Gordon goes to Downton to recuperate and impersonates Patrick Crawley, who ostensibly survived the Titanic, recuperated in Canada, and was involved in a deadly explosion in the war. Violet reacts with indignation, displaying her pride. When Sybil plans to push through with her marriage to the family chauffeur, Tom Branson, Violet and Robert attempt to persuade her out of it because it would be scandalous to the elite. After their unsuccessful attempt, Violet makes up details about Branson in order to minimize damages to the aristocracy. These details would seem more acceptable by other members of the aristocracy. This suggests a sense of pride in Violet and the aristocracy in general. Violet throughout the series is a woman who prefers an impenetrable grip on affairs, sometimes beguiling with her dexterousness to change people’s apprehension about matters. She is known to be competitive and sarcastic. Yet, throughout the entire series, Violet develops a more unfathomable side of sensitivity and consciousness. She demonstrates immense love with her family and prioritizes them. For example, Violet acceded to be of any assistance to Mary should she be in the face of a scandal or humiliation. Violet did this because she understands and knows how crucial Mary is to her life, not only as friend but as a Granddaughter as well. Violet is also a cheeky and humorous lady. She is also a fair woman who defends her beliefs (Fellowes, 2011). My Pride and Prejudice: Fitzwilliam Darcy One character that exhibits pride in My Pride and Prejudice is Fitzwilliam Darcy. He is the son of a well-established, wealthy family and he is a master of the distinguished estate of Pemberley. Elizabeth is Darcy’s female counterpart. The narrator associates Elizabeth’s view point of occurrences more than Darcy’s, therefore, she often seems a sympathetic figure. Eventually, the reader realizes that Darcy is her quintessential match. Forthright and intelligent, he has a tendency to judge harshly and hastily, exhibiting pride. His high birth and exceeding wealth make him overly conscious and overly proud of his social status. His haughtiness makes him botch his initial attempt at courtship. When he proposes to Elizabeth, he dwells on how unsuitable a match she is. He does not dwell on her beauty, charms, or anything else complimentary. She rejects his advances and this builds humility in him. He demonstrates his unwavering devotion to Elizabeth despite his distaste of her low social status, when he saves Lydia and the absolute Bennet family from dishonor, and when he does not heed his haughty aunt’s wishes. This is by pursuing Elizabeth. Darcy finally proves himself worthy of Elizabeth. She ends up repenting her overly harsh judgment of him (Morrison, 2005). Though Darcy is honest and intelligent, his exceeding pride results in him looking down on social inferiors. The reader’s perception of Darcy follows Elizabeth’s. His conversion in our eyes and her eyes stems partly from the introduction of new information, which proposes her past judgments were wrong, and partly some discernible transformations in Darcy’s behavior. Darcy commences the book as the very epitome of pride and arrogance. He decides to be the most disagreeable and proudest man in the world. As an inheritor of the grandiose Derbyshire estate of Pemberley, Darcy hails from one of England’s most well-connected and wealthiest families. He arrives in Hertfordshire overly insolent of the society he finds and outwardly disregards Elizabeth as not handsome enough to tempt him (Morrison, 2005). Later, our judgment of his behavior is moderated by further comprehension of his character. Darcy openly illuminates himself as ill-equipped to sanction himself to strangers. His offish disposition can be seen as a partial reflection of his inadequacy in social confidence. He explains to Elizabeth that he was encouraged, allowed and almost trained to be overbearing and selfish by his parents. Darcy obviously suffers in this respect next to his gregarious and charismatic friend, Bingley, with his lively personality and happy manners (Morrison, 2005). Darcy is later impeached of more serious crimes than disparaging lonely ladies at balls. Elizabeth learns of the two offences he is accused of. These transgressions leave him quite irreclaimable in her eyes. However, as the facts and truths of these complications begin to reveal themselves, Elizabeth learns of another side of his temperament from Darcy’s housekeeper of Pemberley, who enunciates a generous and kind man, devoted to the wellbeing and happiness of his young sister (Morrison, 2005). Comparison between Violet Crawley and Fitzwilliam Darcy Both Violet and Darcy exhibit pride in Downton Abbey and The Pride and Prejudice respectively. Their nobility and high social status in their respective societies makes them proud of their position in the society (Morrison, 2005). Their pride isolates them from others in the society. Violet and Darcy both look down on people from low social standings. In the beginning, Darcy despises Elizabeth as illustrated in the book. Violet, for example, looks down on Tom Branson, the family chauffer, who wishes to marry Sybil (Fellowes, 2011). Violet and Darcy are sarcastic, competitive and insolent. Their nobility makes them overly conscious and overly proud of their social status. Darcy is insolent of the lowly society and openly disregards Elizabeth who is of a low social standing. Violet is competitive and sarcastic when she encounters Isobel and Doctor Richard Clarkson. She has no option but to lower her pride when Isobel is appointed as the char of the board. As both storyline progress, Violet and Darcy exhibit positivity and shift in their sense of pride. Elizabeth’s rejection of Darcy’s advances builds humility in him. Violet also develops sensitivity and consciousness towards other people. Darcy demonstrates solid devotion to Elizabeth despite her low social status (Morrison, 2005). Violet also illustrates sensitivity by highly prioritizing and demonstrating immense love to them. She demonstrates her loyalty to her son and she is highly insufferable to her granddaughters and daughter-in-law (Fellowes, 2011). Conclusion The two characters exhibit pride in their societies due to their high social status. Their pride is manifested in their actions, and reactions to different conditions in their societies. Their actions have a direct impact on their immediate environment including their loved ones. Violet and Darcy both have to adjust their views especially their sense of pride. References Fellowes, J. (2011). The World of Downton Abbey. New York, NY: St. Martin’s Press. Morrison, R. (2005). Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice: A Sourcebook. California, CA: Routledge. Read More