I don't see Darcy as an unhappy, brooding man, or a man wounded by life, but more as a serious-minded man who was thrust at a comparatively early age into heavy responsibilities, and who conscientiously carried out those responsibilities. He was sufficiently agreeable with his relatives and good friends. He was not dissatisfied with himself or his life -- quite the contrary -- re chap 4 --
"Bingley was endeared to Darcy by the easiness, openness, and ductility of his temper, though no disposition could offer a greater contrast to his own, and though with his own he never appeared dissatisfied."
His parents rather spoiled him "being an only son, for many years an only child", but they also taught him good principles. If he had not fallen in love with Lizzy, he would probably have become someone like Sir Thomas Bertram in MP -- a basically decent, responsible man with "principle as well as pride" and "a general wish of doing right", but with "an appearance of harshness", and "not outwardly affectionate". As for Sir T's two sons, Tom the eldest, knowing that he was the heir was selfish, irresponsible and pleasure-loving until his serious illness at the age of 26, when he suffered and learned to think, reflect and reform. It is to Darcy's credit that he was never one of those "dashing representatives, or idle heir-apparents" in society, but managed his responsibilities so well when he became master of Pemberley at only 22 or 23. Henry Crawford, in contrast to Darcy, was "ruined by early independence" (his father died before he was of age, so he became master of his estate as soon as he turned 21), but then he also had a "bad domestic example" in his uncle and guardian, an unprincipled man with sexual vices. Tom Bertram, unlike Crawford, must have been taught good principles by his father, but did not absorb them until his reformation through illness -- unlike his younger brother Edmund.
"Bingley was endeared to Darcy by the easiness, openness, and ductility of his temper, though no disposition could offer a greater contrast to his own, and though with his own he never appeared dissatisfied."
His parents rather spoiled him "being an only son, for many years an only child", but they also taught him good principles. If he had not fallen in love with Lizzy, he would probably have become someone like Sir Thomas Bertram in MP -- a basically decent, responsible man with "principle as well as pride" and "a general wish of doing right", but with "an appearance of harshness", and "not outwardly affectionate". As for Sir T's two sons, Tom the eldest, knowing that he was the heir was selfish, irresponsible and pleasure-loving until his serious illness at the age of 26, when he suffered and learned to think, reflect and reform. It is to Darcy's credit that he was never one of those "dashing representatives, or idle heir-apparents" in society, but managed his responsibilities so well when he became master of Pemberley at only 22 or 23. Henry Crawford, in contrast to Darcy, was "ruined by early independence" (his father died before he was of age, so he became master of his estate as soon as he turned 21), but then he also had a "bad domestic example" in his uncle and guardian, an unprincipled man with sexual vices. Tom Bertram, unlike Crawford, must have been taught good principles by his father, but did not absorb them until his reformation through illness -- unlike his younger brother Edmund.