I'm starting this thread after reading the threads below on adaptations' Darcy and Elizabeth as Mary Sue.
I won't repeat my criticisms of P&P3's Darcy and Elizabeth except the main points -- soft Darcy, bratty Elizabeth, exaggerated social difference -- but I wonder if some fanfics' soft Darcy and bratty Eliz that I find rather irritating are based on P&P3's instead of JA's.
As has been commented by mariak in a thread below, Darcy was handsome with aristocratic connections and 10,000 a year --certainly a very elegible prospect for women of the middle gentry. But for the upper gentry and nobility he would not be the best catch, to them he would be rich, but not super rich. He also lacked a title, and a wealthy and influential Duke's daughter may regard Darcy as nothing more than a respectable suitor. I think if Darcy presumed to address the proud daughter of a wealthy duke as an equal (instead of perhaps saying he was aware that she was above him), and dismissed someone in Eliz's position as a degrading match for him, the duke's daughter might regard him as Emma regarded Elton when he proposed to her and insulted Harriet -- "so well understanding the gradations of rank below him, and be so blind to what rose above". But some fanfics seem to exaggerate Daryc's wealth and rank as though he was a prince, and everyone else (including Col Fitz, who actually as an earl's younger son, took precedence over him) into his subjects!
Then there are fanfics that turn everything done by Eliz as perfect, and as mentioned in a comment below demonising any characters who expressed even the slightest doubts about the match, with Darcy immediately throwing over any of his relations that don't admire Elizabeth at first sight. And yet some of the Elizabeths are quite unlikeable to me, and unlike JA's Eliz! I'm particularly annoyed by Elizabeths who married Darcy for financial security without loving him and made all sorts of conditions about him not consummating the marriage or touching her until she expressly allowed him to (as though he was beneath her touch!). And Darcy meekly and slavishly accepting all her conditions, providing generously for her mother and sisters as well as for her in his new will, and not making any further provision for his own sister or relatives! (It's different if Eliz accepted Darcy mainly for financial security, but tried her best to do her duty and love him and be a charming companion and not set any condition on him -- as in Suzanne's Unequal Affections. And Darcy not going so far as to disinherit his sister or her heir in Eliz's favour if he did not have children -- he could provide sufficiently for Eliz with a widow's jointure without completely disinheriting Georgiana).
There are also stories where both D and E behave badly, but it's right because they are D & E. There was some story where Darcy had imprudently married Caroline, was disappointed in his marriage, neglected his wife, met Eliz, they fell in love and she became his mistress, and Darcy plotted to divorce his wife, with Bingley's support, because Bingley cared more for his friend's happiness than his sister's! I can understand Darcy being disillusioned if he had foolishly married Caro, but as an honourable Regency gentleman, he should put up with it, and at worst, turn into a Mr Bennet or S&S's Mr Palmer in his attitude towards his wife. To divorce his wife would be to ruin her completely in that era. (Of course it would be very different in a modern story -- divorce would be the sensible option). But in Regency -- what dishonourable conduct! And what a terrible brother Bingley would be, to contrive his own sister's ruin, a worse brother even than John Dashwood!
I won't repeat my criticisms of P&P3's Darcy and Elizabeth except the main points -- soft Darcy, bratty Elizabeth, exaggerated social difference -- but I wonder if some fanfics' soft Darcy and bratty Eliz that I find rather irritating are based on P&P3's instead of JA's.
As has been commented by mariak in a thread below, Darcy was handsome with aristocratic connections and 10,000 a year --certainly a very elegible prospect for women of the middle gentry. But for the upper gentry and nobility he would not be the best catch, to them he would be rich, but not super rich. He also lacked a title, and a wealthy and influential Duke's daughter may regard Darcy as nothing more than a respectable suitor. I think if Darcy presumed to address the proud daughter of a wealthy duke as an equal (instead of perhaps saying he was aware that she was above him), and dismissed someone in Eliz's position as a degrading match for him, the duke's daughter might regard him as Emma regarded Elton when he proposed to her and insulted Harriet -- "so well understanding the gradations of rank below him, and be so blind to what rose above". But some fanfics seem to exaggerate Daryc's wealth and rank as though he was a prince, and everyone else (including Col Fitz, who actually as an earl's younger son, took precedence over him) into his subjects!
Then there are fanfics that turn everything done by Eliz as perfect, and as mentioned in a comment below demonising any characters who expressed even the slightest doubts about the match, with Darcy immediately throwing over any of his relations that don't admire Elizabeth at first sight. And yet some of the Elizabeths are quite unlikeable to me, and unlike JA's Eliz! I'm particularly annoyed by Elizabeths who married Darcy for financial security without loving him and made all sorts of conditions about him not consummating the marriage or touching her until she expressly allowed him to (as though he was beneath her touch!). And Darcy meekly and slavishly accepting all her conditions, providing generously for her mother and sisters as well as for her in his new will, and not making any further provision for his own sister or relatives! (It's different if Eliz accepted Darcy mainly for financial security, but tried her best to do her duty and love him and be a charming companion and not set any condition on him -- as in Suzanne's Unequal Affections. And Darcy not going so far as to disinherit his sister or her heir in Eliz's favour if he did not have children -- he could provide sufficiently for Eliz with a widow's jointure without completely disinheriting Georgiana).
There are also stories where both D and E behave badly, but it's right because they are D & E. There was some story where Darcy had imprudently married Caroline, was disappointed in his marriage, neglected his wife, met Eliz, they fell in love and she became his mistress, and Darcy plotted to divorce his wife, with Bingley's support, because Bingley cared more for his friend's happiness than his sister's! I can understand Darcy being disillusioned if he had foolishly married Caro, but as an honourable Regency gentleman, he should put up with it, and at worst, turn into a Mr Bennet or S&S's Mr Palmer in his attitude towards his wife. To divorce his wife would be to ruin her completely in that era. (Of course it would be very different in a modern story -- divorce would be the sensible option). But in Regency -- what dishonourable conduct! And what a terrible brother Bingley would be, to contrive his own sister's ruin, a worse brother even than John Dashwood!