Plot Summary
Chapter 58 marks the long-awaited second proposal scene between Darcy and Elizabeth. Shortly after Lady Catherine's confrontational visit to Longbourn, Darcy returns with Bingley. The group sets out for a walk, with Bingley and Jane deliberately lagging behind and Kitty departing to visit Maria Lucas, leaving Elizabeth and Darcy alone together. Summoning her courage, Elizabeth thanks Darcy for his secret role in arranging Lydia and Wickham's marriage. Darcy reveals he acted solely for Elizabeth's sake, then asks whether her feelings have changed since his first proposal at Hunsford. Elizabeth confirms that they have, and the two reach a mutual understanding — they will marry.
The couple walks for miles, reviewing the chain of events that brought them to this moment. Elizabeth learns that Lady Catherine's visit to Darcy in London, intended to dissuade him, actually rekindled his hope. Because Elizabeth had refused to promise Lady Catherine she would reject Darcy, he interpreted her silence as a sign her feelings might have softened. They also discuss Darcy's confession to Bingley about having concealed Jane's presence in London and having misjudged Jane's affection — an admission that briefly angered Bingley but ultimately cleared the way for his own engagement to Jane.
Character Development
This chapter represents the culmination of both protagonists' moral growth. Darcy delivers a remarkable self-assessment, acknowledging that he was "a selfish being all my life" — spoiled as an only child, taught good principles but never corrected in his pride and conceit. He credits Elizabeth's sharp rebuke at Hunsford ("had you behaved in a more gentleman-like manner") as the turning point that forced genuine self-reflection. Elizabeth, for her part, displays newfound humility and emotional honesty, admitting she has been "most heartily ashamed" of her earlier harsh words. Both characters demonstrate a willingness to confront their past errors openly rather than deflect blame.
Themes and Motifs
Pride and Humility: Darcy's extended confession about his upbringing and character flaws directly addresses the novel's central theme. His acknowledgment that Elizabeth "properly humbled" him shows pride has been replaced by genuine self-awareness. Elizabeth's gentle philosophy — "Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure" — offers a counterpoint, suggesting that growth need not require endless self-punishment.
The Power of Language: Words spoken in the past reverberate powerfully. Darcy confesses that Elizabeth's phrase about "gentleman-like manner" has "tortured" him for months. Lady Catherine's report of Elizabeth's words, intended to harm, instead inspired hope. Austen demonstrates that language shapes relationships as much as actions do.
Irony and Unintended Consequences: Lady Catherine's meddling produces the exact opposite of her intended effect — a motif that runs throughout the novel, where characters' schemes consistently backfire.
Literary Devices
Free Indirect Discourse: Austen notably withholds the exact words of Elizabeth's acceptance, summarizing it through narration rather than direct speech. This technique preserves the intimacy of the moment while maintaining Austen's characteristic narrative distance and ironic tone.
Dramatic Irony: The reader understands what Lady Catherine does not — that her attempt to prevent the match actually facilitated it. This irony is explicitly acknowledged by the narrator: "unluckily for her ladyship, its effect had been exactly contrariwise."
Parallelism: The walk structure mirrors the first proposal at Hunsford, but with reversed emotional outcomes. Where that scene ended in bitter recrimination, this one concludes in mutual joy — underscoring how profoundly both characters have changed.