The Mr. Darcy Test

            It is a truth universally acknowledged that we are all looking for a Mr. Darcy of our very own. He is handsome, caring, and passionately in love with Elizabeth Bennet. He lives in a country estate, rides a brown mare, and dresses with an ascot. Plus, his name is Fitzwilliam. Who doesn’t love that? He is the perfect man. So, when I give advice about finding the right guy, I measure their potential with the Mr. Darcy Test.

1.      How does your Mr. Darcy act with his friends?

      When we first meet Mr. Darcy, he has come to Hertfordshire to hang out with his friend, Mr. Bingley. He’s a better person around Mr. Bingley because they are such good friends that they bring out the best in each other. When Mr. Bingley begins to show an interest in Jane, we are all rooting for it, but Mr. Darcy’s first priority is making sure that it is the best arrangement for his friend. Now, that may seem harsh to judge Jane before he even got to know her, but wouldn’t you do it if you thought you were protecting a friend? He values his friend’s happiness, which is a good quality in a boyfriend. Is he loyal, does he make time for them, and does he want what’s best for them? How he treats his friends is a good indicator of how he’ll treat you.

2.      How does your Mr. Darcy treat your family?

      Let’s face it, family is forever. You can pretend that your family will learn to love him, or that he’ll warm up to them someday, but if your family is important to you, then they need to be important to him. Mr. Darcy loved Elizabeth Bennet enough to have the Bennet’s as his in-laws. He married into a family with a meddling mother, scandalized younger sister, and a father trying to keep from drowning in estrogen. Even then, Mr. Darcy worked to organize a wedding to Mr. Wickham for Lydia. This wasn’t because he was Superman in disguise; it’s because he wanted nothing more than Elizabeth’s happiness and that meant helping her family. No matter how crazy they were, Elizabeth still loved them. Because of this, Mr. Darcy loved them, too. Well, tolerated them.

3.      Is your Mr. Darcy a romantic deep down?

      Boys aren’t really that good at expressing their feelings. Mr. Darcy is no exception. However, we shouldn’t expect them to wear their hearts on their sleeves.  We can only reasonably expect that those who love us should be able to show that love when we need it. Mr. Darcy at first appears gruff and he’s not one to express his emotions. However, when it really counts, he is able to express himself eloquently: “In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.” If you needed to know how he really felt about you, would he be able to tell you? Will he tell you every day that he loves you? Because if it’s love, then telling you should be the easy part.

4.      Most importantly, how does he act when no one is looking?

      My friends always ask me, why Mr. Darcy? What makes him so special? My answer is: he’s a good man even when nobody’s watching. He gives money to persuadeMr. Wickham into marriage with Lydia, he looks out for Mr. Bingley, and he does it all without seeking credit. This maybe the hardest question of the Mr. Darcy test, but what your boyfriend does when no one is there to catch it is the truest statement about his character. When he thinks he’s not being watched, does he look at you with love? Is he going to do the right thing, regardless of the consequences? Your Mr. Darcy shouldn’t be concerned with public appearances, only loving you. And when it comes down to it, your Mr. Darcy should make you happy. My Mr. Darcy passed the test, will yours?