Letting Mr Darcy remain where he belongs

The new Bridget Jones film, which is due to release in September this year, will see the ever loveable and clumsy Bridget pit good old Darcy yet again, against a challenging adversary. The loose plot of Bridget Jones films is always faithful to the original inspiration: Pride and Prejudice. Except that this is a 21^st century film, so Darcy has evolved quite a bit from his grand old days.

And can I just say: Thank god for that.

Across the world, Mr Darcy is the quintessential romantic hero for women, with an appeal across ages. I get this appeal –at least to some extent – but this is 2016, ladies. Can we really find ourselves some more modern day, contemporary pin up gentlemen? In other words, isn’t it time to just let Darcy be?

Sure, the original had his unique brand of charm. He expresses the purest form of love for Elizabeth by ensuring that her family can keep its self-respect – being concerned only for her happiness, irrespective of whether she is by his side or not. This is an especially loving gesture given how rudely she rejects him, after all he is the last man she would ever choose to marry.

Grand gestures of love apart, though, what beats me every time is this: How can you live an everyday life with this guy?

Consider this: He loves you dearly, but finds it hard as hell to express it. The only way he will express it, is when so much emotional pressure has built up inside him that he just cannot keep himself from saying it. And when he has to say it, then he can’t figure out if you are ready to hear it or not. In a nutshell: Darcy is emotionally blocked. And the justification of those times doesn’t quite cut it. I mean, just look at Bingley, he is gregarious enough.

Lucky for Darcy, there is enough therapy available today to help him get over his emotional challenges. Unlucky for him, though, that many women today are probably far more demanding than those in the original times. And if there is one challenge that women face with men today, it is inadequate emotional expression. (Question: Have you *ever* heard a man say that his woman is not emotionally expressive enough?) Now imagine Darcy trying to make his way through a modern day relationship maze.

Also, imagine yourself expecting emotional fulfillment with a partner like that. Essentially, he represents the partner whose deep love can only be brought out in case of a crisis. Fortunately for the original Darcy, a crisis indeed presented itself, where he was able to help, and thus prove his worth. He also carried out the whole process quite elegantly, which no doubt, earned him his lady love. But in the real world, it is unlikely that such sweeping opportunities for crises resolutions will present themselves. As you can well imagine, that does not make for a life time ripe for dramatic romances.

But he is wealthy, did you say? Well, if wealth is that important, what stops you from trying to make some yourself? This is, the modern day, you know. No one can rightfully keep a girl from working well, and making her mark. And hopefully, finding their right partner(s), even if an original Mr Darcy is feeling lost in this day and age.