The Look of Love
Mr. Darcy’s
account for his having fallen in love with Elizabeth—it’s not quite love at
first sight. Then again, what exactly is love at first sight? A Wikipedia
article defines the phenomenon as an instantaneous attraction; a literary
trope, in which one suffers an immediate romantic connection with a stranger
upon first seeing him or her.
The article goes on the cite numerous instances in literary fiction,
including Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet
where the hero Romeo falls in love with the heroine Juliet when he first sees
her and Hans Christian Andersen’s The
Little Mermaid in which the headstrong Ariel falls in love with the human prince
named Eric when she first sees him. Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility is also cited. Captivated by Miss Marianne
Dashwood’s voice, Colonel Brandon sees her playing the pianoforte and falls in
love with her.
Of course, not all great
literary loves are formed on the basis of love at first sight. In Margaret
Mitchell’s Gone With the Wind, Rhett
Butler practically was headed out the door when Scarlett finally realized she
loved him.
This brings me back to
my favorite literary couple, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth.
“She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me …”
“She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me …”
Who
would blame Elizabeth for disliking the gentleman after he uttered those famous
words? Later, when asked by her sister Jane how long she had loved Mr. Darcy, she
first spoke in jest.
“It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley.”
“It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began. But I believe I must date it from my first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley.”
Love
at first sight whether in life or in fiction is far from requisite for a
powerful, enduring love. As much as I adore Mr. Darcy, I was well into the 2005
film before I realized my fascination for him.
By the end of the film,
I was hopelessly and incandescently moon-struck.
What about you? Do you
believe there is truly such a thing as love at first sight?
Remember to
visit Darcyholic Diversions. As part of a month long celebration of its first
anniversary, Barbara Cole is giving away a Kindle with some of your favorite authors’
stories, including my own Bewitched, Body
and Soul, to one lucky winner. Stop by and take part in the festivity.
Happy One Year Anniversary Darcyholic Diversions
&
Happy Valentine's Day to All!
I don't think there's a thing such as love at first sight. Liking at first sight yes, even strong liking, but love is more complex than just seeing someone and being struck with the thought "he's my soulmate"; it has to be built in time.
ReplyDeleteYes, strong liking or infatuation--which may be fleeting. :-D
ReplyDeleteGreat observations! Thanks so much for stopping by.