Elaine Mae Francisco
Tyndale Christian School
High Distinction
Finding Mr. Darcy: Why, after 200 years, are we still looking for him?

“I am a self-confessed incurable romantic and being an avid reader, my ultimate favourite love story is Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Mr. Darcy, the misanthropic, brooding romantic hero of “Pride and Prejudice”, has been the subject of women’s fantasy since he was created nearly two hundred years ago

Pride and Prejudice ranking number 2 in ABC’s “My Favourite Book” survey inspired me to investigate, in a macro level, the enduring relevance and significance of Mr. Darcy in our modern society and culture. How could women want a man and a love story that seems contradictory to our modern-feminist society? I want to know the identity of modern woman in relation to her wants and fantasies in relationships as influenced by societal changes and persistence of universal continuities; as reflected in the changes of romance novels formulaic plots and the changing interpretation and emphasis in aspects of Pride and Prejudice and of Mr. Darcy.

In a micro level, I wanted to know why I am looking for Mr. Darcy. I want to understand how my Filipino culture has directly influenced the part of my identity and perception of self that responds to Pride and Prejudice. Coincidentally, it was the first book that I have ever read in Australia...How did Pride and Prejudice answered my search for continuities and changes in values and perceptions of love, romance and relationships, as I reconciled the differences between the two cultures and re-asserted my beliefs about love and romance; my identity and perception of self”