Depending on who answers the question, Elizabeth is either perceived as a romantic victor or as a failed feminist because, ultimately, she agrees to Darcy's proposal. There's no doubt that her decision was in part influenced by a desire to stick it to Lady Catherine, who literally made a special trip to the Bennet home just to tell Elizabeth to refuse Darcy. With such an easy burn available, who wouldn't take that chance? In reality, though, the reasons she accepts Darcy's hand in marriage are probably a lot closer to her own heart. In a one-two punch, her erstwhile lover wrote a detailed letter that shed light on Wickham's true nature, although it would have been better if he'd simply explained it when Elizabeth first threw the rakehell's lies in Darcy's face.
Secondly, and more importantly, Darcy exercises his powers of persuasion over Wickham, forcing him to marry Lydia. By doing so, he procures her a more stable (although still rocky) future. He also returns a modicum of propriety and honor to the entire Bennet house with his actions. Again, this is the 18th century, and honor is a pretentious form of currency with which the upper crust trade. To Elizabeth, family is dearly important, so when Darcy brings them peace, he shows her a willingness to care for what matters to her.
Here's where the arguments begin: Should Elizabeth have accepted Darcy? This debate goes back to the source material, and indeed, as The Economist assessed, views on Mr. Darcy have varied tremendously over the decades. Here's one conclusion: Elizabeth does not position herself as a rebel, but as a woman with standards. Darcy changes himself to meet her standards. Honestly, that's a win.
