Realism in Pride and Prejudice

Why did Oliver Bacon make the duchess wait ten minutes to see him?

Ans. Oliver Bacon was a man of complexities. He had become the richest jeweller from a very poor boy. He did everything which ensured him his present high position. The Duchess of

Lambourne was the daughter of a hundred Earls. She had a very high social status. But it was only the social status she had. From inside she had become hollow like other dukes and duchesses. Oliver Bacon was her need. He was in the position to give her financial support. Thus, she had come to him to get money. Oliver Bacon asked his employees to make the Duchess wait for ten minutes. She could not see him before ten minutes. She was compelled to wait his pleasure. He felt pleasure to think that the daughter of a hundred Earls, the Duchess of Lambourne was sitting on a chair at the counter. She would wait ten minutes till he was ready to see her. She could neither see him before ten minutes nor go back without seeing him. She needed money which only Oliver Bacon could provide her. Every passing second was giving him more delight. It gave him a feeling that he enjoyed a higher social status than that of the Duchess.

Q. How do you differentiate between Don Juan and Don Mitty (the shrewd bachelor and the meek bachelor)? The Bachelor's Dilemma

Ans. There are two kinds of bachelor. One bachelor is the Shrewd Don Juan while the other is the Meek Don Mitty. Don Juan is quite attractive, capable and efficient. He gets what he wants though he does not want what he gets. He is like a commodity for whom women fight. He can get any girl do his any work. She has a wifely joy in serving him. Later he can move her out of his life and let another move in. There must come another girl, then another and another girl in his life.The position of the Meek Don Mitty is quite different from him. This bachelor mostly builds castles in the air. He imagines