Lindsay Lowe

Paper #2
5-4-07
That Charming Amusement: The Narrative Signifcance of Balls
and Dancing in Pride and Prejudice
"What a charming amusement for young people this is, Mr. Darcy!---There
is nothing like dancing after all.---I consider it as one of the frst
refnements of polished societies."
--- ir William !ucas, "ride and "re#udice
Jane Austen delighted in a ball. An energetic and agile dancer she
re!eled in the "oys o# physical e$ersion and release. %n a letter to her
sister &assandra she recounted one particularly en"oyable e!ening' ()here
were twenty dances and % danced the* all and without any #atigue...in
cold weather and with a #ew couples % #ancy % could "ust as well dance #or a
wee+ together as #or hal# an hour, -.oods/. %t co*es as no surprise then
that #re0uent re#erences to balls and dancing crop in each o# Austen1s
no!els. 2early all o# her heroines ta+e pleasure in the physical act o#
dancing and *oreo!er they !iew balls as an arena #or *a+ing delicate
social *aneu!res. At an Austenian ball *en and wo*en #orge and se!er
alliances e$change gossip and #all in and out o# lo!e.
%n ter*s o# narrati!e techni0ue a ball a3ords an author the rare
opportunity o# situating all the no!el1s characters in one place and then
letting their interactions play out. %n this way a ball ser!es as a narrati!e
de!ice that allows the author to establish characters1 relations to one
another in swi#t econo*ical stro+es. Austen e*ploys this de!ice to so*e
e$tent in all her wor+s notably in $mma and %orthanger &''ey but
nowhere does she e$ploit the narrati!e potential o# the ball *ore
e3ortlessly and *aster#ully than in "ride and "re#udice. %n that wor+
Austen establishes the ball as a *icrocos* o# her characters1 interactions
and attitudes in wider society and she i*plies that a character1s beha!ior
at a ball re!eals his or her o!erall *oral disposition. Austen also uses
descriptions o# balls and dancing to ad!ance the progression o# 4li5abeth1s
and 6arcy1s relationship7 she situates so*e o# their *ost signi8cant
e$changes in a ballroo* because only on the dance 9oor #or a !ariety o#
social and narrati!e reasons can a #ull understanding de!elop between
the*.
2u*erous critics and readers ha!e described "ride and "re#udice as
a co*edy o# *anners and no doubt they draw this conclusion largely #ro*
the ball se0uences. :or though the entire no!el portrays characters
na!igating the co*ple$ rigorous social codes o# the ti*e (it was precisely
in the ballroo* that ladies and gentle*en best de*onstrated their
*astery o# these rules o# eti0uette and social intercourse( -Aldrich $!ii/. %n
#act (;t<he ballroo* was a *icrocos* o# the society at large....general
e!eryday social beha!ior was distilled and #ocused *ore intensely than
nor*ally occurred elsewhere( -Aldrich $!ii/. %n the ball se0uences o# "ride
and "re#udice each character plays out a *ore condensed potent !ersion
o# hi*- or hersel#. %n *any cases a character1s actions at a ball are
indicati!e o# his or her general attitudes and patterns o# beha!ior in the
wider world.
=r. 6arcy1s beha!ior at the >ert#ordshire asse*bly the 8rst ball in
the no!el is a pri*e e$a*ple o# this. 6arcy abhors the idea o# dancing
with country girls insisting that (at an asse*bly such as this it would be
insupportable. )here is not another wo*an in the roo* who* it would
not be a punish*ent #or *e to stand up with( -Austen ?/. >is a!ersion to
dancing with a girl beneath his social standing represents his general
conte*pt #or associating with persons he dee*s beneath hi* both in
wealth and in understanding. .ith "ust these #ew care#ully worded lines o#
dialogue Austen re!eals =r. 6arcy1s character. As readers we sense that
i# 6arcy beha!es so abo*inably at a ball---which was a#ter all the
pinnacle o# eti0uette and ci!ili5ed beha!ior---he *ust approach the whole
o# ci!ili5ed society with this sa*e condescending attitude.
Just as 6arcy1s rudeness at the >ert#ordshire asse*bly hints at his
o!erall proud disposition so does 4li5abeth1s treat*ent o# hi* in that
scene set a precedent #or her attitude and beha!ior toward hi*
throughout the no!el. At the >ert#ordshire ball @ir .illia* introduces
4li5abeth to 6arcy and suggests they share a dance. >e presents
4li5abeth as a (!ery desirable partner.( 4li5abeth re#uses e$plaining she
has not (the least intention o# dancing( and she insists she does not *ean
to (beg #or a partner.( %n this e$change o# dialogue Austen *a+es cle!er
use o# wordplay #or while the word 1partner1 can re#er to a dancing
co*panion it also alludes to another *ore signi8cant type o# partner' a
partner in *arriage. .hen one ta+es into account the possible
connotations o# the word 1partner1 this e$change o# dialogue begins to
operate on a deeper *ore sophisticated le!el. 4ach re#erence to 1partner1
ta+es on new signi8cance. :or instance 4li5abeth1s insistence that she
does not wish to (beg #or a partner( suggests her general attitude toward
*arriage7 despite her precarious 8nancial situation she has too *uch
dignity to *arry #or wealth and stability alone. @he does not sche*e to
secure a rich husband--in other words to (beg #or a partner(--as &harlotte
Lucas does.
4li5abeth1s re#usal to dance with =r. 6arcy also #oreshadows her
re#usal o# his *arriage proposal later on. .hen she declines his o3er to
dance 6arcy is shoc+ed7 as one o# the wealthiest gentle*en in Aritain he
is not accusto*ed to anyone denying his wishes. >e wonders as @ir
.illia* puts it (who could ob"ect to such a partner( -Austen BC/. .hen
6arcy proposes to 4li5abeth he approaches her in the sa*e arrogant
o!erly sel#-assured *anner. As readers we recall the re#usal at the
>ert#ordshire ball and are not surprised by 4li5abeth1s reaction to his o3er
o# *arriage7 we +now she will con#ront his e$cessi!e pride with as *uch
spirit and wit as she did re#using his o3er to dance. As discussed abo!e
Austen establishes her characters1 interactions on the dance 9oor as a
*icrocos* o# their wider social beha!iors and attitudes. At the
>ert#ordshire ball 6arcy with his arrogant *anner o# pursuing her and
4li5abeth with her #ran+ re#usal o# his ad!ances play out a condensed
!ersion o# their *onths-long ro*ance.
=r. &ollins1s beha!ior at the >ert#ordshire ball li+ewise re9ects his
character. 4!en be#ore they arri!e at the asse*bly he solicits 4li5abeth1s
hand #or the 8rst two dances. %n Austen1s ti*e a wo*an could not dance
*ore than two dances with any one *an7 dancing *ore would e$pose her
to co**ent #ro* other guests. %# a wo*an did dance twice with a *an it
was a sign she had singled hi* out as her particular #a!orite -@ulloway
B4?/. =r. &ollins in de*anding the 8rst two dances with 4li5abeth
undoubtedly *eans to hint at his ro*antic intentions toward his cousin.
>is re0uest is also re*inscent o# his aggressi!e o!erbearing *anner o#
pursuing her7 at the dance as in daily li#e he tries to *onopoli5e her ti*e
and attention. =oreo!er his pretentious blundering on the dance 9oor
*irrors his ir+so*e *anneris*s in daily li#e. Austen describes his two
dances with 4li5abeth as (dances o# *orti8cation. =r. &ollins aw+ward and
sole*n apologising instead o# attending and o#ten *o!ing wrong without
being aware o# it ga!e her all the sha*e and *isery which a disagreeable
partner #or a couple o# dances can gi!e( -Austen D2/. En the dance 9oor
=r. &ollins1s character 9aws -- his aw+wardness his sole*nity his
delusions o# grandeur which ho!er between co*edy and tragedy -- are
concentrated and indeed *agni8ed in his dance with his cousin.
%t is use#ul to understand how people in Austen1s ti*e *ight ha!e
!iewed =r. &ollins1s blunders on the dance 9oor. )oday people *ight
si*ply write hi* o3 as a bad dancer but in early nineteenth-century
4ngland poor dancing was considered a (gross species o# Fudeness(
-Aldrich B0C/. %n his B?BD (ompanion to the )allroom )ho*as .ilson
wrote that (no :igure ;dance step< can be altered or any Part o# it without
consulting the lady who called it' there#ore i# any Person should 8nd a
:igure too diGcult #or the* to per#or* they *ust withdraw #ro* the @et
as it is not only the 6isrespect shewn to the lady but it is calculated to
throw a whole &o*pany into contention and con#usion( -B0C/. =r. &ollins
then not only *orti8es 4li5abeth but also insults the entire asse*bly. >is
abo*inable beha!ior acts as a *icrocos* o# his actions in wider society7
in daily li#e as in the dance he consistently blunders postures and steps
on toes.
Austen also uses dancing as a narrati!e de!ice that allows the
ro*ance between 4li5abeth and 6arcy to blosso*. :irst dancing together
gi!es the* a prete$t #or con!ersing alone. Ene o# their *ost crucial
e$changes H the scene in which 4li5abeth atte*pts to *a+e out 6arcyIs
character H ta+es place while they dance. Austen re!eals that in her ti*e
the typical country dance lasted thirty *inutes' ti*e enough #or a
*eaning#ul con!ersation. 6arcy and 4li5abeth ta+e ad!antage o# this hal#-
hour away #ro* intruding guests and odious relati!es to di!ine one
anotherIs characters. )hey understand that only while dancing can they
ha!e such a long con!ersation without it see*ing i*proper. Ene pri*ary
social #unction o# dancing then see*s to ha!e been to gi!e couples the
chance to be Jalone togetherI #or an e$tended period o# ti*e in a socially
acceptable #ra*ewor+. 4li5abeth understands the !ital i*portance o# the
dance telling 6arcy that Ki# % do not ta+e your li+eness now % *ay ne!er
ha!e another opportunity, -Austen D4/. Austen li+e 4li5abeth uses the
social apparatus o# dance to her ad!antage7 writing a pri!ate dance scene
#or 4li5abeth and 6arcy allows her to de!elop their relationship through
the use inti*ate dialogue and physical descriptions.
Austen also places Darcy and Elizabeth in a dance setting to establish their equality.
Because Darcy is so superior to Elizabeth in terms of wealth and social rank, many characters
in the novel, namely iss Bingley, assume that he must also be Elizabeth!s superior in taste
and understanding. "his, as we know, is far from the truth, and to reinforce their
compatability, Austen establishes them as equals on the dance floor. #n Jane Austen and the
Province of Womanhood, Alison $ulloway e%plained that &'dancing( placed the two se%es in
positions of relative equality, since the steps of the dances were already patterned, and so the
partners faced one another in positions of similar spacial dignity in the same public event)
*+,-.. "his /spacial dignity,! which becomes especially apparent in the various film
adaptations of the novel, ensures that while they are dancing, r. Darcy cannot claim any
superiority over Elizabeth. 0owever, their equality does not stem merely from the inherent
conventions of the country dance1 $ir 2illiam reveals that they are equally e%cellent dancers.
&$uch very superior dancing is not often seen,) he tells Darcy, &#t is evident that you belong to
the first circles. Allow me to say, however, that your fair partner does not disgrace you)
*Austen 3-.. .hen 6arcy and 4li5abeth dance they are on e0ual #ooting so
to spea+.
Austen includes descriptions o# dancing to allude to =r. 6arcyIs
desirability as a marriage partner. As $ir 2illiam reveals, Darcy is capable of &very
superior dancing.) #n The Province of Womanhood, $ulloway mentions Austen!s habit of
&making a man4s fitness as a dancing partner an emblem of his potential fitness as a husband)
*+,5.. "hough Elizabeth does not recognize it until later in the novel, Darcy!s grace and
assuredness on the dance floor hint at the highly attractive qualities he will likely possess as
marital partner. $ome Austen scholars have suggested that when Darcy and Elizabeth dance,
they are acting out the roles they will play in their future marriage. Austen assigned powerful
symbolic significance to the dance1 in Northanger Abbey, 0enry "ilney says that &a country
dance 'is( an emblem of marriage) *$ulloway +-5.. oreover, the intimate physical nature of
dance linked it to se%ual e%perience. During Austen!s time, the only way a man and woman
could come into prolonged physical contact6societally acceptable contact, that is6was
while dancing. Dancing, then, adopted significant se%ual overtones, and, as a consequence,
took on a very real association with the marriage state. #n Emma, Austen refers to the
&felicities of rapid motion) inherent in dancing. 7ommenting on the suggestive se%ual
undertones of this wording, 8obert 9olhemus argues in The Jane Austen Companion that &all
dances are essentially mating dances, and the end, as well as the means, of dancing, is the
felicity of rapid motion: *$ulloway +,;.. Based on the symbolic significance Austen granted
to dancing, coupled with her se%ually<charged references to dancing in other works, it is safe
to assume that Elizabeth!s and Darcy!s remarkable compatability on the dance floor serves as
a metaphor for the se%ual tension between them.
$till, however significant to the narrative and to the main characters! relations, dance
has a limited function in Pride and Prejudice. Although we as readers can make assumptions
about Darcy!s moral goodness, or r. 7ollins!s pretensiousness, from their behavior on the
dance floor, we can only deduce so much from appearances. Dancing, though often
suggestive of character, cannot reveal truth. "hough Darcy!s e%cellent dancing hints at his
worth as a gentleman and future marital partner, neither Elizabeth nor the reader fully
understand his character until the details of his interactions with 2ickham are revealed. And,
although Austen builds se%ual tension between Darcy and Elizabeth at the 0ertfordshire
assembly, they themselves cannot possibly know they are playing out the se%ual roles of their
future marriage. 2hile dancing, characters may play out their attitudes and interactions in
wider society1 however, the act of dance must not be confused with what it represents. #n
Pride and Prejudice, dance always plays a purely symbolic role. "he powerful societal
significance and implicit se%uality of dancing may aid Elizabeth and Darcy in falling in love,
but ultimately, they must rely upon e%plicit conversation and moral transparency to come to a
full understanding of one another!s characters.
2orks 7ited
Austen, =ane. Pride and Prejudice. >ew ?ork@ 2.2. >orton and 7ompany, A;;+.
Aldrich 4li5abeth. *rom the )allroom to +ell, -race and *olly in
%ineteenth-(entury Dance. 4!anston' 2orthwestern Lni!ersity Press
BCCB.
$ulloway, Alison. Jane Austen and the Province of Womanhood. 9hiladelphia@ Bniversity of
9ennsylvania 9ress, +5C5.
2oods, Daren. "It is a Truth .ni/ersally &ckno0ledged", Dance and the Truth
in T0o %o/els 'y 1ane &usten. @pring BCCC. )he Austen Muarterly. N
April 2007.
Ohttp'PP#acsta3.uww.eduPhipchenePJAustenPdanceBa.ht*Q.