English II PreAP Volume III, Chapters 7-10
Lydia’s Marriage: What the Letters Reveal
1. Based on Mr. Gardiner’s first letter to Mr. Bennet in Vol. 3 chapter 7 (or ch. 49),
what does Mr. Gardiner want the Bennets to believe about Wickham’s conditions
for marrying Lydia?
2. Despite what Mr. Gardiner writes, what does Mr. Bennet suspect? Why?
3. How does Mrs. Bennet respond to Mr. Bennet’s suspicions?
4. What really prompted Wickham to marry Lydia?
5. How does Elizabeth discover the real truth?
6. What reasons do you think Mr. Gardiner and Mr. Darcy have for being so
secretive?
7. What reason does Mr. Darcy give the Gardiners for his “obstinate” insistence on
assisting with the marriage? The Gardiners, however, suspect that he has another
motive. What is it? Why do they suspect such?
8. Most of the information about the marriage is provided in letters. Formulate
several possible reasons why Austen may have chosen to use letters rather than a
more direct form of narration.
9. Discuss how Elizabeth’s knowledge of the true circumstances surrounding
Lydia’s marriage affects her expectations.