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In the fashion that orange is the new pink, is Edward Cullen to be touted as the ideal man for future generations in the same manner Mr. Darcy has been glorified? I’m not saying that Edward Cullen is a Darcy Double or Darcy Reincarnated or even a Darcy Sequel. Edward Cullen is as far from Darcy as a literary romantic hero can be – he’s the undead after all.
Women of all ages and ethnicities have fallen at the feet of the passionate and feral Edward Cullen. He is as impossible a character as Mr. Darcy with his moodiness, aloofness, and let’s face it overbearing behavior. Elizabeth Bennet would not have stood for it, but Bella is enchanted by it. What Edward Cullen can get away with on paper no man in his right mind would try in real life. It is one thing to love Edward’s protective stalker tendencies and quite another to experience it first hand. I’ll be the first to admit I love every aspect of Edward Cullen’s character, so by pointing out the obvious I’m not dismissing his infinite appeal.
Edward Cullen watches over Bella Swan in a similar manner that Angel watched over Buffy in season one
Speaking of madness, this brings me to the next point; to be desired as Bella or Elizabeth is every woman’s secret fantasy. Darcy loved Elizabeth ardently; Edward loved Bella fiercely. It is a heady thing to be wanted so much that to be parted from you is sheer agony of spirit and body. Darcy would do anything for Elizabeth, including reunite her sister with the man she loved or patch up one seriously incriminating scandal; Edward would kill for Bella… he would even leave her if he thought it best… and he did. Both. Edward even tolerated the presence of his competition, Jacob, because to do otherwise caused Bella great distress.
Darcy and Edward share many characteristics, being men born to a similar time. They are strong-willed, powerful, imposing and dependable. Despite their good qualities, both literary heroes exhibit some very negative qualities that at the whim of one stroke of a pen or tap of the keyboard could easily have alienated them permanently from their loves. Including a severe lack of the society grace for small talking, Darcy showed the character flaws of pride and prejudice. Also suffering under a lack of social graces, Edward’s more serious flaws are arrogance and a stubborn certainty that he is always right. He is so determined to protect Bella from himself he fails to admit her feelings or opinions have merit. This grossly unacceptable behavior throws the star-crossed lovers into intensely charged conversations and months of grief stricken paralysis, where both are unable to function because of their emotional wounds.
Luckily for both men they get out of their own way and win against all odds love, happiness, and peace. Nothing could be sweeter to readers or more potent. As I’ve demonstrated, Edward while similar to Darcy is distinctly set apart and it’s not just because he’s immortal. His very presence has rocked the foundations of the great romantic literary heroes and they have shifted aside to give him space. It’s yet to be seen if Edward will match Darcy’s fame in the generations to come or perhaps to even eclipse the brooding figure all together.
For those who have read both love stories what are your thoughts on the subject? If you haven't you need to read them right away!
Buy: Pride and Prejudice Novel
Buy: The Twilight Saga Collection
Originally posted 2009-03-14 05:17:20. Republished by Blog Post Promoter
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20 comments ↓
This is very interesting, Keira. I saw somewhere else where a comparison was made between Darcy and Edward. Here I write about the former and am a huge fan of the latter, yet the comparison had not struck me. As you say, there are many differences, yet the similarities are clearly there. I think it does come down to our innate desire to be so loved and to be protected. The modern woman in us shrinks from both, shouting ‘I am Woman!’ at the top of our lungs. But the feminine side of us knows that we want it.
Of course, with both couples, it ends up that Bella and Lizzy are just as necessary to our heroes’ happiness. It isn’t a one way street. Edward and Darcy are completed, if you will, by the presence of Bella and Lizzy. True soulmates. That is the other side of the dream. We want to be wholeheartedly loved, but we want that man to need us to fulfill them. As God intended it, IMHO.
Great essay! Thanks, Sharon
Thanks Sharon! I completely agree with that! It must be an equal equation otherwise the men become pathetic and the women who are their love interests become cold/heartless. There has to be equal love between the protagonists or the situation breaks. Unrequited love is only acceptable under certain instances such as when it becomes requited, or if the current situation does not allow them to be together and even in that instance we project a time and place when the love can be requited.
“Whoever said orange was the new pink was seriously disturbed.” I stand by Elle Woods on this one.
Darcy is simply more classic than Edward. Darcy’s only obstacle is himself, whereas Edward has others to get in his way. While it might be a difference of the time period and social standing (i.e., Darcy and Elizabeth weren’t in high school), it’s just more powerful when your moody male character is moody all on his own. And besides, there’s just something a lot hotter about someone who *isn’t* the undead.
I note, as well, my disappointment that you show the “new” Mr. Darcy, and not the original as played by Colin Firth (mm, hello hotness). That is all.
What can I say? While I love Colin Firth I am so partial to Matthew MacFayden… he’s just my kind of dreamboat.
Of course your points on Edward vs Darcy are all quite valid. High school romance is well high school… does it even stand a chance against a more mature love?
That being said, you shouldn’t judge it by the ages (Darcy 28, Edward 18 and well some change). After all aren’t all fairy tales centered around protagonists who are of the same or similar ages of those in modern day high school? I think 16 is prevalent– amongst princess tales especially and those are all considered classic, well loved stories.
Yes, I have noticed the varying ages of characters – but I think it’s usually more focused on the era’s “marrying age,” which makes Twilight even more of an anomaly, since it’s now very rare for kids to get married right out of (or still in, HA) high school. My understanding of P&P was that Elizabeth (and Jane) were approaching the upper end of the marrying age, which made Darcy that much more important.
Also, I tend to discount the classical value of Twilight because my fifth-grader sister is reading the series.
Haha. Apples and oranges, I know.
Wasn’t though P&P originally one of those penny press novels and accessible to everyone and popular enough to be read by said everyone, including especially all the insensible silly young girls?
To quote wikipedia, Pride and Prejudice was “the fashionable novel.”
I’d say it was so fashionable because of Mr. Darcy’s wet tshirt.
Oh, wait, that wasn’t until 1994… bah. The world was missing out!
Apples and oranges to a degree, yes. And obviously we know where my preference lies!
But, remember that Edward was NOT 17 but well over 100 years with a wealth of experience not usual to most men, even Darcy. Bella was young, but written as a mature soul to some degree (although she acted pretty stupid over the Jacob stuff, IMHO, but that is another essay!)
And don’t discount what a teenager reads, Samanther. I was reading JRR Tolkien at 12, classics like Gone With The Wind, the Iliad and the Odyssey, Le Morte de Artur, and other books 3inches thick while still in grade school. I am not tooting my horn but simply pointing out that the young do not just read comic books! Plus, Twilight is read by all age groups.
Oh you’re right Sharon he was 17 when he was turned wasn’t he?! Shoot there goes my Twilight Trivia Master award pin… lol at least I still have my Harry Potter one.
I totally agree about the Jacob bit. That would make a great essay! I felt like shaking her and saying, “Seriously, Bella, you punched the guy in the face because he was being a pushy snot, broke a hand in the process too, what’s there to think about?”
OO la la. Can’t wait for the movie! I liked this comparison. He certainly fits a need for today, whether for the teen or older scene. After all, Mr Darcy is ‘dated.’
Now if Mr D were turned and was on the scene today in modern dress, that would be Mr D meets Twilight…or Twilight meets Mr. D. I think there could be a story there.
I commend you for your idea and the execution of it, however I find the whole thought creepy.
Mr. Darcy while no sugar coated candy and extremely annoying at times is a man (and an alive one at that), while Edward Cullen is not only dead, but extremely creepy and I can’t help but see him as a child molester.
Now – I’ve only seen the Twilight movie and that was a chore and completely scared me off the books, because I can’t help but think that he is about 100 and she’s 17 – honestly, does no one else see something wrong about it?
Hence I could never see Edward as the new Mr. Darcy even if the fashion were to dictate that dead is good and stalk is sweet.
Haha. I think people accept the mental age differences because Meyer explains that her vampires are frozen where they are… if a child was made a vampire before say it could talk – it would never learn to talk. So Edward may have 100 years worth of knowledge but he’s still 17 in a lot of ways.
That makes it even worse.
Mr. Darcy could grow in his character and change as humans are prone to do while any poor girl or boy fancying Mr. Cullen would be stuck with a mentally challenged boy and I don’t mean to insult anyone truly ill by my remark.
As much as I adore my darling Edward, I don’t think he can replace Mr. Darcy. Pesonally, I feel Edward is the teenage boyfriend I would have wanted to have in some period of time in my life while Darcy is the man I want to find and have.
Who said anything about replacing Darcy? lol
That would be unthinkable!
I have to admit I’ve wondered about this, too. Especially after Twilight the movie came out and I saw all these posts from guys saying, “We not Edward Cullen! Stop expecting us to be him!” It does seem like Edward is the standard by which all men are judged right now… kinda like Darcy.
I think Edward is the Darcy of this generation–but whether Twilight & Edward will last like P&P and Darcy has… well, I have my doubts.
You summed it up nicely, heidenkind! It’ll be the true test of Twilight if remakes or movie marathons or something is still going on in say 50 years… 100 years… etc.
Hey.
Loved your post, what a fun comparison. But I have to pick Mr. Darcy over Edward Cullen any day.
Not that I don’t like Edward, I do.
But I am much more like Elizabeth in real life and I do prefer men to be a little older than me. (I realize Edward is in his 100s but hey, he does go to high school :d) I love period dramas, I love Darcy’s shyness and charisma. Overall, I like Jane Austen better than Stephenie. Pride and Prejudice is much more fun and provides more comic relief. I love intensity when it is more fun.;)
I love them both too! If I had to choose it would be Darcy and Thornton (haha sneaky of me) because they too aren’t younger than me. Robert Pattinson who plays Edward is older than EC the character and therefore just as yummy. I’d take two of him.
Ha, ha, ha!!! This is a pretty good joke!
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