Britannica Sources used in this answer

Why does Mr. Darcy discourage Charles Bingley from marrying Jane Bennet?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet in period costumes stand outdoors in a scene from the 1995 television series Pride and Prejudice. — Pride and Prejudice Colin Firth as Darcy and Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet in the BBC TV miniseries *Pride and Prejudice* (1995).

In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Mr. Darcy discourages his friend Charles Bingley from pursuing a relationship with Jane Bennet primarily because he does not believe that Jane truly returns Bingley’s affection.1

Darcy’s interference is rooted in his own pride and his belief in the superiority of the landed gentry. Because he perceives the Bennet family’s social standing and the behavior of Jane’s mother and younger sisters as inferior, he is predisposed to view the match as unsuitable. However, when confronted by Elizabeth Bennet, Darcy explicitly justifies his actions by stating that he separated the couple because he was convinced of Jane's indifference toward his friend.21

Ultimately, after Elizabeth learns the truth about Darcy’s character and his role in resolving the scandal involving her sister Lydia, Darcy encourages Bingley to return to Hertfordshire. Bingley and Jane subsequently become engaged.1