Sunday, May 1, 2011

Caroline Bingley: Are we Missing Something?

In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice we are introduced to Caroline Bingley as the desperate woman intent on snaring Mr. Darcy and his fortune. In her defense she was only behaving how many around her were and single women did not have many options but the hope of marrying well. Unfortunately, she is everyone’s favorite villain.



I spoke of Caroline Bingley in an earlier blog post with little warmth, yet I have always felt she was misunderstood. Caroline has her faults, but you have to believe that even when she is being despicable to Elizabeth Bennet that some good lays within her. We just are not always sure what. So I ask: Are we missing something about Caroline Bingley?

It is with great anticipation that I await the release of what is sure to be another fine novel by Jennifer Becton. She is set to release a book about Caroline Bingley. I was fortunate to see a sneak peak of Chapter 1 and I can already tell it is going to be a wonderful read. I am curious as to how Miss Becton will make me see Caroline and what journey we will be treated to. In other words will I see what I have always initially missed about Caroline Bingley before?


Here is the beautiful cover for Caroline’s story below.





In the meantime, if you have not already, you should read Jennifer Becton's debut novel Charlotte Collins.







What are your thoughts on Caroline Bingley? Is she misunderstood or is she just all around bad?

3 comments:

Jessica said...

I think we are missing something . . . mostly, that I think most women would act pretty similarly in the such a situation in that time period. Caroline wants to advance her families interests and secure a good husband for herself - that kind of would have been her JOB ;)

I am dying for Jennifer's book to get released. So excited. Charlotte Collins was the best Austenesque I've read thus far.

Nancy Kelley said...

I think Jessica is on to something. Of course we're not supposed to sympathize with Caroline in Pride and Prejudice. Jane set her up as one of the barriers to the couple's happiness.

However, it's not her desire to marry well and advance her family that makes her the bad guy. We can't understand those things today because women are supposed to make their own way, not count on a man to provide for them. Two hundred years ago, that simply wasn't possible.

I'm definitely eager to read Caroline Bingley!

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