“I have been used to consider poetry as the food of love,” said Darcy.” (Page 44)
“The food of love” is an allusion to a line from William Shakespeare’s play, Twelfth Night. This particular comedy includes the major theme of mistaken identity. In the play, the female protagonist, Viola, disguises herself as a man. In doing so, she becomes involved in a love triangle between her master, Duke Orsino, and his love interest, Olivia. Because, in the Duke’s eyes, Viola is a man, he only sees her for her outward appearance. Elizabeth views Darcy in a similar fashion. Rather than seeing his true, compassionate self, Elizabeth only sees the egotistical air that Darcy outwardly displays. Austen makes this reference in order to point out that first impressions are often false. This novel is filled with instances where certain characters are misled by first impressions. First impressions are so heavily emphasized throughout the story that Jane Austen even considered naming the book First Impressions rather than Pride and Prejudice.
"Twelfth Night Synopsis." Shakespeare Resource Center. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. http://www.bardweb.net/plays/twelfthnight.html.
Twelfth Night. Digital image. Web. 11 Mar. 2010. http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/21/Orsino_and_viola_Frederick_Richard_Pickersgill.jpg.
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