If Elizabeth Bennet hadn’t met and married Darcy, who would you see her with instead?
I know, I know. It’s impossible to imagine Elizabeth with anyone but Darcy! But a couple of years ago I wrote a short story in which Darcy met the leading ladies of every Austen novel, and it turned out to be a lot of fun! I thought it might be interesting to do something similar with Elizabeth and various men in Austen’s main stories. For the sake of this blog, we’ll stick to only the “good” guys of the novels- no getting together with Wickham or his ilk! And to add to the drama, I’ll rank potential pairings from least likely to most likely. You can tell me if you agree or disagree with my list. Here goes!
Frank Churchill– You weren’t even thinking of Frank Churchill, were you? I’ve often wondered why Austen isn’t harder on Churchill and his hidden engagement to Jane Fairfax. Not only does he keep their relationship secret, he flirts with other women in front of his intended! What is wrong with him? I don’t think Elizabeth would tolerate such behavior for an instant, so if she and Frank ever did get together, their engagement would be short and memorable!
Edmund Bertram – Edmund is just the sort of man Elizabeth would not care for, in my opinion. He is studious and has a strong sense of responsibility, which Elizabeth would appreciate, but he allows himself to be blinded by Mary Crawford’s superficial charm. Plus he never apologizes for the hurt he causes Fanny. Since Fanny has a patience rivaled only by that of Jane Bennet, she forgives him. Elizabeth would probably not be so charitable, so this relationship is a non-starter.
Charles Bingley – The easygoing, compliant Bingley has good qualities, but he would probably bore Elizabeth. She needs someone who can challenge her intellect, flirt with her, and make her doubt her own assumptions all at the same time. Bingley is a good man, but he’s not the man for our Lizzie.
Edward Ferrars – Edward is honorable and possesses a good education, so Elizabeth might find this unassuming clergyman intriguing. But would he tease her, make her laugh, and be different enough from other men to catch her attention? I could be wrong, but I foresee Elizabeth and Edward being just friends.
Colonel Brandon- I know this will hurt all the Colonel Brandon fans out there, but despite his stellar qualities, I have a feeling that Elizabeth would prefer someone younger. Ouch! Sorry, colonel!
Surely you can’t be serious!
George Knightley- This man would definitely capture Elizabeth’s attention! With his good character, maturity, and willingness to speak the truth with compassion, he would clearly earn her respect. But would it turn to love? I’m not sure. The one quality missing in him is a sense of humor, but perhaps Elizabeth’s wit would draw that out. And after all, he’s proven that he can handle eccentric family members!
Frederick Wentworth- This is a tough one. Much like Knightley, Wentworth has impeccable character and a certain maturity. He’s sophisticated, having traveled the world. And we know how Elizabeth responds to a well written letter, so . . . maybe? It’s almost as hard to picture Wentworth with anyone but Anne as it is to picture Elizabeth with anyone other than Darcy!
Henry Tilney- A clergyman with a sense of humor! And likewise blessed with good sense, good morals, and a handsome living! Besides this, Tilney is also just the right age for Elizabeth—about four or five years older. With his understated wit and occasional sarcasm, Tilney’s personality is much like Elizabeth’s own. If she didn’t meet Darcy first, Tilney might well turn Elizabeth’s head and perhaps capture her heart.
And finally, our last candidate: Colonel (Richard, of course!) Fitzwilliam. It goes without saying that if everyone’s favorite colonel had a sufficient income, he would give Darcy a run for his money. Elizabeth is clearly attracted to him, so Darcy might have a serious rival in his less serious cousin. More than one fan fiction has paired up this couple, and I think it’s a good match.
But of course, nobody but NOBODY can ever end up with Elizabeth except Mr. Darcy!!!
So, what do you think of my list of pairings? Did any of them surprise you? Can you think of better matches for Elizabeth than the ones listed above? Let me know who you think would be the most likely to win Elizabeth over if she had never met Darcy!
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