---
type: Person
title: Fitzwilliam Darcy
description: Wealthy owner of Pemberley in Derbyshire, close friend of Charles Bingley,
  whose pride alienates Meryton society.
resource: raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt
tags:
- pemberley
- derbyshire
- gentry
- hertfordshire
aliases:
- Mr. Darcy
timestamp: '2026-07-16T18:15:29Z'
citadel_version: 0.3.0
---

Mr. Darcy owns [Pemberley](../misc/pemberley.md) in Derbyshire, worth ten thousand a year — a
figure the narration gives at the Meryton assembly and that
[George Wickham](../persons/george-wickham.md) later confirms as "a clear ten thousand per
annum."[^s1] He is the nephew of [Lady Catherine de Bourgh](../persons/lady-catherine-de-bourgh.md),
whose late sister Lady Anne Darcy was his mother, and he has a younger sister,
[Georgiana Darcy](../persons/georgiana-darcy.md).[^s2] He is close friends with
[Charles Bingley](../persons/charles-bingley.md).[^s3]

At the Meryton assembly he is at first admired for his "fine, tall person, handsome features,
[and] noble mien," but his manners soon give offence: he dances only with Bingley's sisters,
declines other introductions, and is judged "the proudest, most disagreeable man in the
world."[^s4] He tells Bingley that Elizabeth Bennet is "tolerable: but not handsome enough to
tempt _me_."[^s4] He later admits to [Caroline Bingley](../persons/caroline-bingley.md) that he
has been "meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty
woman can bestow," naming Elizabeth.[^s5] Of his own temper he tells Elizabeth directly: "My
temper would perhaps be called resentful. My good opinion once lost is lost for ever."[^s6]
Elizabeth later confirms to him that Wickham "has been so unlucky as to lose your friendship...
in a manner which he is likely to suffer from all his life."[^s7]

According to Wickham's account, Darcy's late father was Wickham's godfather and had intended to
give Wickham a valuable living, but Darcy himself, on his father's death, treated the bequest as
merely conditional and gave the living to another man when it fell vacant; Darcy has not given his
own side of this history within this segment.[^s8]

## Proposal, refusal, and the letter

At the Hunsford parsonage, Darcy calls on Elizabeth alone and proposes marriage: "in vain have I
struggled... how ardently I admire and love you," dwelling at length on the "degradation" the match
represents given her family's inferior connections.[^s9] Elizabeth refuses him, citing his role in
separating [Charles Bingley](../persons/charles-bingley.md) from [Jane Bennet](../persons/jane-bennet.md)
and his treatment of [George Wickham](../persons/george-wickham.md); Darcy answers, "you have said
quite enough, madam. I perfectly comprehend your feelings, and have now only to be ashamed of what
my own have been," and leaves.[^s10]

The next morning he gives her a letter answering both charges. On Bingley and Jane, he admits he
helped detach his friend from her, believing — from her composed manner and from Jane's own want of
visible attachment — that her regard was not serious; he also admits concealing from Bingley that
Jane had been in town, calling this "measures of art" beneath him, though done, he says, for the
best.[^s11]

On Wickham, Darcy's letter gives a full account: Wickham's father managed the Pemberley estates for
Darcy's own father, who supported Wickham at school and Cambridge and, in his will, asked Darcy to
give Wickham a valuable living should he take orders. Wickham instead asked to exchange that claim
for money "as he had finally resolved against taking orders"; Darcy paid him three thousand pounds
and Wickham "resigned all claim to assistance in the church."[^s12] Some three years later, with the
money spent, Wickham applied again for the living itself, and Darcy refused: "you will hardly blame
me for refusing to comply with this entreaty, or for resisting every repetition of it."[^s13] Darcy
also discloses that last summer, at Ramsgate, Wickham — acting with a Mrs. Younge, the companion
placed with [Georgiana Darcy](../persons/georgiana-darcy.md) — persuaded the fifteen-year-old
Georgiana into a planned elopement, chiefly for her thirty-thousand-pound fortune; Darcy arrived
unexpectedly and the elopement was stopped before it happened.[^s14] He offers
[Colonel Fitzwilliam](../persons/colonel-fitzwilliam.md), joint guardian of Georgiana and an executor
of their father's will, as a witness who can corroborate every particular.[^s15]

## Pemberley

Touring [Pemberley](../misc/pemberley.md) with Elizabeth and the Gardiners, the housekeeper
Mrs. Reynolds tells them she has "never had a cross word from him in my life," and calls him "the
best landlord, and the best master... that ever lived."[^s16] Darcy himself arrives a day early and
is markedly altered in manner: civil and attentive to the Gardiners, he invites Mr. Gardiner "to
fish there as often as he chose," and asks Elizabeth's leave to introduce Georgiana to her at
Lambton.[^s17] When [Caroline Bingley](../persons/caroline-bingley.md) disparages Elizabeth's looks
to provoke him, Darcy replies that for many months he has "considered her one of the handsomest
women of my acquaintance."[^s18]

## Lydia's elopement

When Elizabeth, distraught, tells him her youngest sister has eloped with Wickham, Darcy is "fixed
in astonishment," then grieved and shocked; he asks what has been attempted to recover her, offers
what help he can, and promises secrecy, though the news forces him to cancel Georgiana's planned
visit to Elizabeth.[^s19]

## Finding Wickham and Lydia

[Mrs. Gardiner](../persons/mrs-gardiner.md)'s letter to Elizabeth (written after Elizabeth returns
to Longbourn) reveals what Elizabeth had not known: it was Darcy, not [Mr. Gardiner](../persons/mr-gardiner.md),
who found and settled the couple. Believing himself responsible, from his own reserve, for
Wickham's true character never becoming known, Darcy followed [Lydia Bennet](../persons/lydia-bennet.md)
and [George Wickham](../persons/george-wickham.md) to London and, through a Mrs. Younge — a former
governess of Georgiana's, dismissed for some cause of disapprobation and now keeping lodgings in
Edward Street, whom Darcy had to bribe for intelligence — traced them to their lodgings.[^s20] He
saw Wickham and Lydia repeatedly, found Lydia absolutely resolved to stay with Wickham regardless
of marriage, and negotiated the match directly with Wickham himself before bringing
[Mr. Gardiner](../persons/mr-gardiner.md) into the arrangement and letting him appear to manage
it.[^s20] Darcy paid Wickham's debts — "amounting... to considerably more than a thousand pounds" —
settled a further thousand pounds on Lydia in addition to her own share, and purchased his
commission, all done, Mrs. Gardiner writes, so obstinately by Darcy alone that
[Mr. Gardiner](../persons/mr-gardiner.md) was left only "the probable credit of it."[^s21] Mrs.
Gardiner adds her own admiration of Darcy in the same letter: "how much I like him... his
understanding and opinions all please me."[^s22]

## Return to Longbourn and second proposal

Some days after [Lady Catherine de Bourgh](../persons/lady-catherine-de-bourgh.md)'s visit to
Longbourn, Darcy comes back with Bingley; on a walk toward [Sir William Lucas](../persons/sir-william-lucas.md)'s,
Elizabeth thanks him for his "unexampled kindness" to Lydia, and Darcy replies, "if you _will_
thank me, let it be for yourself alone."[^s23] He then asks whether her feelings are "still what
they were last April," and Elizabeth's altered answer leads him to propose again; she accepts.[^s24]
Darcy tells her that [Lady Catherine](../persons/lady-catherine-de-bourgh.md)'s visit and report of
their conversation, meant to extract a promise against the match, instead "taught me to hope."[^s25]
Of his own character, Darcy confesses: "I have been a selfish being all my life, in practice,
though not in principle," spoiled as an only son by parents who "allowed, encouraged, almost taught
me to be selfish and overbearing"; he credits Elizabeth with humbling and reforming him.[^s26]

That evening Darcy asks [Mr. Bennet](../persons/mr-bennet.md)'s consent in the library; Mr. Bennet,
though warning Elizabeth against an unequal marriage without real esteem, gives it once satisfied of
her attachment.[^s27] Telling her father what Darcy had "voluntarily done for Lydia" — arranging the
match, paying Wickham's debts, and purchasing his commission — leaves Mr. Bennet astonished.[^s27]
[Mrs. Bennet](../persons/mrs-bennet.md), on hearing of the engagement, is first struck speechless,
then effusive over Darcy's ten-thousand-a-year fortune, "a house in town," and the prospect of "what
pin-money, what jewels, what carriages" Elizabeth will have.[^s28]

## Marriage

During [Mr. Collins](../persons/mr-collins.md) and [Charlotte](../persons/charlotte-lucas.md)'s
visit to Lucas Lodge, Darcy bears [Sir William Lucas](../persons/sir-william-lucas.md)'s obsequious
compliments on "carrying away the brightest jewel of the country" with "admirable calmness," only
shrugging his shoulders once Sir William is out of sight.[^s29] After the marriage, Darcy can never
receive Wickham at Pemberley, but continues to assist his career for Elizabeth's sake.[^s30]
Pemberley becomes [Georgiana Darcy](../persons/georgiana-darcy.md)'s permanent home, and she and
Elizabeth grow into the close sisterly attachment Darcy had hoped for.[^s31]
[Lady Catherine de Bourgh](../persons/lady-catherine-de-bourgh.md), on learning of the marriage,
sends Darcy an abusive letter and breaks off contact, but is eventually persuaded by Elizabeth to
reconcile and later condescends to visit them at Pemberley.[^s32]

## See also

- [Pemberley](../misc/pemberley.md)
- [Charles Bingley](../persons/charles-bingley.md)
- [Elizabeth Bennet](../persons/elizabeth-bennet.md)
- [George Wickham](../persons/george-wickham.md)
- [Lady Catherine de Bourgh](../persons/lady-catherine-de-bourgh.md)
- [Georgiana Darcy](../persons/georgiana-darcy.md)
- [Colonel Fitzwilliam](../persons/colonel-fitzwilliam.md)
- [Mrs. Gardiner](../persons/mrs-gardiner.md)
- [Mr. Bennet](../persons/mr-bennet.md)
- [Sir William Lucas](../persons/sir-william-lucas.md)

## Sources

[^s1]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 987-989; 3527-3529 — Darcy's ten-thousand-a-year fortune (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s2]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 3762-3765 — Lady Catherine de Bourgh named as Darcy's aunt (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s3]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 1203-1210 — Darcy and Bingley's friendship (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s4]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 985-1010, 1043-1050 — Darcy's reception and remark at the Meryton assembly (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s5]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 1613-1621 — Darcy on Elizabeth's eyes (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s6]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 2818-2830 — Darcy on his own resentful temper (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s7]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 4082-4088 — Elizabeth tells Darcy he has lost Wickham's regard (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s8]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 3606-3630 — Wickham's account of the disputed living, attributed to Wickham (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s9]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 7505-7507; 7514-7518 — Darcy's proposal at the Hunsford parsonage (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s10]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 7658-7660 — Darcy's response to Elizabeth's refusal (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s11]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 7748-7751; 7833-7836 — Darcy's letter on separating Bingley from Jane (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s12]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 7848-7850; 7883-7886 — Darcy's letter on Wickham's father, his own father's will, and the £3,000 settlement (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s13]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 7899-7901 — Darcy's letter on refusing Wickham's renewed claim to the living (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s14]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 7908-7930 — Darcy's letter on the Ramsgate elopement plot against Georgiana (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s15]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 7940-7944 — Darcy offers Colonel Fitzwilliam's corroboration (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s16]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 9440-9441; 9472-9474 — Mrs. Reynolds's account of Darcy's temper and management, at Pemberley (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s17]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 9676-9678; 9715-9718 — Darcy's altered manner, the fishing invitation, and the introduction request at Pemberley (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s18]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 10185-10220 — Miss Bingley's insult and Darcy's defence of Elizabeth's looks (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s19]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 10354-10356; 10392; 10442-10444 — Darcy's reaction to news of Lydia's elopement (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s20]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 12013-12047 — Mrs. Gardiner's letter on Darcy's motive and his tracing Wickham through Mrs. Younge (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s21]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 12096-12107 — Mrs. Gardiner's letter on the settlement figures and Darcy's insistence on acting alone (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s22]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 12138-12141 — Mrs. Gardiner's letter expressing her own liking of Darcy (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s23]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 13653-13658; 13673-13692 — Darcy's return to Longbourn and Elizabeth's thanks on the walk (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s24]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 13698-13708 — Darcy's second proposal and Elizabeth's acceptance (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s25]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 13720-13733 — Lady Catherine's visit gives Darcy hope (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s26]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 13800-13819 — Darcy's self-description of his upbringing and reform (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s27]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 14104-14138 — Mr. Bennet's consent and his astonishment at learning what Darcy did for Lydia (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s28]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 14161-14169 — Mrs. Bennet's reaction to the engagement (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s29]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 14362-14367 — Darcy's composure under Sir William Lucas's compliments (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s30]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 14475-14477 — Darcy never receives Wickham at Pemberley but assists his career (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s31]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 14489-14494 — Pemberley becomes Georgiana's home and her bond with Elizabeth (ingested 2026-07-16)
[^s32]: [raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt](../../raw/pride-and-prejudice.txt), lines 14501-14512 — Lady Catherine's anger and eventual reconciliation (ingested 2026-07-16)
