- “Fitzwilliam”
- “Just As She Is”
Today’s contestants: Mr. “Fitzwilliam” Darcy, of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, and and Mark “Just as She Is” Darcy, pugilist extraordinaire from Helen Fielding’s Bridget Jones’s Diary. It’s not to be missed!
In their corners:
Mr. Darcy does really, really nice things and doesn’t tell anybody. He spoils his little sister. He rides and shoots and reads and writes. He has ten thousand a year and a sweet pad (with trout pond!) to show for it. He’s loyal to his goofy best friend. He’s faithful even when there’s nobody to be faithful to.
Mark Darcy likes Bridget Jones just as she is. He’s handsome; he’s wealthy; he’s helpful in the kitchen. He’s a lawyer AND a do-gooder. He’s awkward, but nice, and he has the good sense to be ashamed at his own social ineptitude. He’s a nice boy, but he kisses like that.
Handicaps:
Mr. Darcy says rude things too loudly at parties. He barges in on his lady love, proposes marriage while also implying that marrying her would be a huge cramp on his swingin’ social style, and then gets pissy when she says no. He also hangs out with his friend’s appalling relatives.
Mark Darcy wears reindeer jumpers and should seriously rethink the length of his sideburns. He allows himself to be bullied by his business partner, Natasha. He always says exactly the wrong thing in every situation, and I believe we find out later that he doesn’t vote Labour. Horrors!
Decision
Mr. Darcy. Mark Darcy’s foibles take place on a smaller scale–he often says the wrong thing, for example, but generally comes through when the stakes are high, like when the soup is blue–and so he seems the kinder, gentler Darcy. And that’s exactly why he loses this battle: Mr. Darcy the Elder goes big or goes home. He declares passionate love…in the most insulting way possible. He stomps off, angry, and then gallops around in the middle of the night, out-nice-ing himself entirely. He is “violently in love,” and shows it, given the chance. Plus, we all know Mark Darcy can’t fight.
Ding ding ding ding ding! Knockout for Mr. (Fitzwilliam) Darcy!
Tagged: Bridget Jones's Diary, Colin Firth, Mark Darcy, Mr. Darcy, Pride and Prejudice on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 · 4 Comments »
“He also hangs out with his friend’s appalling relatives.”
And his *own* appalling relatives! Anyone who hasn’t killed Lady Catherine already is probably a saint in disguise.
NB: Why are aunts always the demons of British literature?
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
To be fair, though, Mark also declares love, or at least Like, in the most insulting way possible, as his ‘just as you are speech’ is a watered-down version of Mr Darcy’s ill-fated proposal. (I believe I read once that Andrew Davies, who penned Darcy’s speech in the 1995 BBC P&P, also penned Mark’s speech too.
But you’re right: Fitzwilliam can handle a sabre, while Mark fights like a girl (though he does throw a mean punch in the Greek restaurant)…
And yes, Mark is revealed, at least in the books, to vote Tory. Scandal!
Mark Darcy is the winner hands down! No contest. He is handsome, smart, and rich. Willing to accept for who or what your are. His only requirement is he wants to someone to truly love him as he loves her. And there is nothing wrong with being a Tory! I am very conversative and not ashamed to say it outloud. Bravo Mark for being conservative. I don’t know why people think because you are conservative it is a scandal. Everyone has a right to believe what they choose.
They certainly do–it’s just that, in the second Bridget Jones book, Bridget discovers that Mark votes Tory and is completely horrified about it, because she doesn’t know any other Tories. It’s just as much a comment on her as it is on him.
Welcome, and thanks for speaking up!