Lucy

Elinor considers Lucy's marriage to Robert Ferrars as "extraordinary and unaccountable", "completely a puzzle". Is it a complete puzzle to you as well?

Lucy was smart, manipulative, and conniving. I think she could see that Edward was dragging his feet, and he wasn't in a position financially that they could get married in the too near future, and once they did, they'd have next to nothing. Robert was in a better position, having been promoted to the oldest son, and I think she knew if she could just get in the family, she could brown-nose crusty old Mrs. Ferrars until her iron-clad fist (the one with all the money in it) could be pried open. Also, her victory over Elinor couldn't really be complete if A) the only money she and Edward had coming in was because of Elinor and B) if she married Edward and he still loved Elinor and they were both miserable. So she took the closest and most immediate alternative. UGH! I think she's the biggest jerk in the whole book!
-Sanya the Duck

I agree. G-Mama and I just watched the movie a few nights ago. (I'll post pics later) and at first we thought they had made her character in the movie unaware of Elinor's feelings for Edward. This was what I had thought the last times I had seen it. But after reading the book we watched her with more scrutiny and you could see it- that evil little twist in her personality that was pushing things on Elinor that would hurt her. What a meanie.
-Annegirl

That's what made her the villain - pretending to be sincere when she was actually Ms. Wicked Witch. I agree with you too - they did soften her in the movie, if you didn't know from the book how she really was.
-Sanya the Duck

Wow, Sanya, the duck, got it right on! That is how I felt. Lucy was conniving and used people to get what she wanted. Once Edward no longer had favor with his Mom and would lose his part of the Estate he just wasn't attractive anymore. She just had to work on Robert awhile when he was coming to visit her to talk her out of marrying Edward...and then work on "the Mother".
-Bookworm