Sue Birtwhistle and Susie Conklin interviewed Firth to find out how he was able to portray Jane Austen’s character of Darcy in such a clear light. Birtwhistle and Conklin ask Firth questions ranging from how he tried to communicate the dynamic of Darcy’s character, to how he felt about Darcy in certain instances, to how certain scenes affected Firth, and finally to how Firth approached certain scenes.
Colin Firth’s thesis about Darcy is that Darcy is truly an unpredictable character. He has a lot going on inside, but reads differently on the outside.
For example, in one part of the interview Firth states, “nobody ever knows quite what Darcy’s thinking.” Furthermore, when referring to Darcy’s love of Elizabeth, Firth says that, “Darcy’s emotional and doesn’t want her to know it, he hates her because he fancies her.” Thus, Darcy appears to be a misunderstood character, however this is his own fault, as, through his actions, he makes people confused as to what his true intentions are. Firth states, “so there are a million things going on inside him, yet he has to keep himself together and not show that he is in the slightest but ruffled.” Darcy masks his feelings and emotions, which ultimately lead to him being hurt because he is not true to others, but most of all he is not true to himself.
Firth goes on to explain that triggers that led to Darcy falling in love with Elizabeth. Firth states, “in Darcy’s case, very little had ever attracted his attention…the first trigger is the moment when Elizabeth rejects him so impertinently…Darcy was used to looking at other people like that, but was not used to being looked at like that himself.” Psychologically, this concept is true. People often want what they can’t have. When Elizabeth rejects Darcy, the rejection only makes him want her more. This rejections leads to “bewilderment” and “curiosity” of Elizabeth; it is the first time that Darcy becomes “the pursuer rather than the pursued; it’s irresistible.” Firth says, “what starts off as intriguing becomes profoundly erotic for him.”
Firth further remarks that, “to begin with, it was a bit of sport. And then suddenly [Darcy] is feeling vulnerable and resents it bitterly…his behavior becomes rather confusing and paradoxical–he’s pursuing and rejecting Elizabeth at the same time…[For example,] he waits in places where he knows he’ll find her walking and then doesn’t speak to her…”
Furthermore, Darcy acts one way, but wants Elizabeth to think he’s the opposite. Firth proves this by stating as Darcy, “I’m going to put to you a proposal that may make me seem rash, irresponsible, and even, possibly, juvenile, but I don’t want you to believe I’m those things.” This truly shows that Darcy is a misunderstood and confused character.
One question in the interview was, “Does Lizzy’s rejection effect any real changes in Darcy, then?”
Firth responded, “Oh, yes…The fact that he writes her a letter explaining himself…is ostensibly a tremendously out-of-character thing to do…”
Finally, Firth declares, “[Darcy’s] real crime, I think, is silliness.”
I believe this is true. Everything that happened to Darcy is entirely his fault. He and Elizabeth play silly games with each other, and one or the other often end up getting hurt, but in the end, had Darcy not been the “conductor” of these games, they would never have existed. Yes I agree wholeheartedly with Firth. Darcy is a misunderstood character, and that is his own fault. The relationship that he shares with Elizabeth, although it is very unusual, makes sense given the causes of such a relationship. Darcy made things the way they were. Had he been honest and upright in the first place with her, things might have been different.
The knowledge that Firth stated about Darcy’s character helped me to understand the man. At first, I thought Darcy was arrogant and conceited, but after reading Firth’s thesis, I realize that Darcy is just a misunderstood man. He kind of puts on a show for everyone, and for Elizabeth especially. He comes off differently to people; however, being misunderstood is his own fault.
Therefore, I believe reading this interview truly helped me to get a further insight in to Darcy’s character as a whole.
