They finally dance together at Netherfield Ball.
People in
Austen's novels are constantly dancing at non-dancing events. Members of
small house parties are continually pushing back the rugs, sending
someone--like Anne from Persuasion--to the piano, and dancing a few reels. Dancing appears to have
been the equivalent of asking, "So, what's on television?" or "Got any board games?" And it would
have been far more similar to watching an hour-long drama or playing Monopoly than to
jitterbugging for the duration of a single, five-minute song.
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| Harker is second from Ehle after Davis. |
One of my favorite scenes in the BBC Pride & Prejudice takes place at the Netherfield ball: during one of the dance scenes, you can see Susannah Harker (Jane Bennet) counting the beats. I think the actor rather than the character is doing the counting, but the bobs of her head add a neat touch of realism. The dances and reels at both balls and house parties would have involved an extensive number of steps and some could get rather complicated. They also would have lasted for twenty or more minutes.
Hence, the ongoing conversations during dances--especially as partners separate and then get back together again. It is reminiscent of House marching around hospital corridors, trailed by his interns. It provides action to VERY talky scenes.
Unlike diagnosing complicated medical issues, everybody in Austen's world knows how to dance. However, they did have to be trained. Darcy knows this. His famous remark to Sir William Lucas,
"Every savage can dance," I propose as a hopeless attempt (on Darcy's
part) to stem the tide of dance-related small-talk.
For an example of the kind of small-talk Darcy loathes, check out Data from Star Trek: TNG in "Spaceship Mine."
In fact, Commander Calvin Hutchinson, played by the magnificent David Spielberg, is a perfect Sir Williams: he loves company, he will talk about anything, and he is ultimately a kindly man.
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| Christopher Benjamin plays the period piece Sir William. |
