Nick Hardcastle
A new, historically accurate portrait of the most admired and revered romantic leading man in literary history, Fitzwilliam Darcy, has been unveiled for the first time, following new research co-led by QMUL's Professor Amanda Vickery. The new portraits paint a very different picture of the literary heartthrob when compared to modern day TV depictions, portrayed by Hollywood actors such as Colin Firth, Elliot Cowan and Matthew MacFadyen. Instead of tall, dark and handsome, research reveals that Jane Austen's fictional character, Mr Darcy from Pride and Prejudice, would have been pale with powdered white hair. He would also have had a long nose, sloping shoulders and pointy chin - a far cry from muscular modern day TV representations. The study, The Real Mr Darcy - a dramatic re-appraisal carried out by Amanda Vickery, Professor of Early Modern History at QMUL's School of History and John Sutherland, Lord Northcliffe Professor Emeritus of Modern English Literature at University College London highlights how the qualities considered attractive have dramatically changed over the past two centuries. The researchers conducted a month-long study, investigating Austen's personal life and relationships, drawing conclusions on who may have been the inspiration for Mr Darcy. Researchers looked into the existing descriptions and illustrations of the character, along with the socio-economic and cultural factors that would contribute to Darcy's background, appearance and lifestyle.
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