Pre-meditated Contempt

 Jane Austen's Elizabeth Bennet is one of the most interesting characters in the whole of the world (of) literature. Why is she so very special? Is she a raging beauty? Luckily she herself does not suffer from any such silly vanity. Does she belong to a wealthy family? Well, to quote her own response, she is a "gentleman's daughter", and hence equal to anyone, lesser than none

Indeed what exactly is her appeal? She is always herself, comfortable in her own skin, however much others may choose to despise, to hate, to belittle her.  She never allows the social status, position, wealth, bitter jealousies and viciousness-es of anyone else to define her own worth. More than that, she can comfortably show them the mirror, without getting agitated herself.

In the early stages of the plot, what in technical terms, as per the Gustave Freytag model, would be known as the 'rising action', there is a very interesting scene. There is a dance party. Elizabeth perfectly very well guesses that the Darcy-n-Bingley Sisters kind of  'elites' are, behind their perfumed hankies, laughing at the crude provincial life, and basically want to belittle the local. Sure, as yet, she does not know, neither guesses, Darcy's interest in her.

She grandly, nay, royally rejects his proposal to dance with her. In that context, she comes up with this term that makes the title of our blog today. Sure she is wrong there. Prescient, however, is her intellectual and emotional quotient.

Indeed in this small little life span of ours, we do meet any number of pompous fools, wicked, nay, even malignant creeps of all sorts and varieties who have such "premeditated contempt" coursing, nay, bursting in their thickened (with self-important prejudices) veins and arteries. Absolutely necessary it is to know them for what they are. Still more important it is to let them know that you know them, and their premeditated contempt!

Pratima@ It is important to respect others. Equally important it is that they (learn to) respect you. Still more important is the fact that no amount of anybody's 'premeditated contempt' disturbs your equanimity nor withers your self-respect!