Pride and Prejudice

Author – Jane Austen

About the book - In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, beautiful and
opinionated Elizabeth Bennet snubs the prideful aristocrat Mr. Darcy — until
he helps her family avoid a potentially devastating scandal. Pride and Prejudice
is Jane Austen's most popular and well-known romance novel, demonstrating
her masterful use of ironic plot twists and flawless prose set against the strict
social environment of Regency England.

Pride and Prejudice, a gentle but witty satire of courtship and marriage, tells the
story of Elizabeth Bennet, one of five daughters of a country gentleman and his
matchmaking wife. At a ball given by the rich young Mr. Bingley, Elizabeth
meets Mr. Darcy. Darcy is rude and arrogant, and he and Elizabeth are
immediately at odds with each other. As they are thrown together in social
situations, they continue to spar. Darcy, however, begins to fall in love with
Elizabeth, despite the fact that he considers her well below his social station—
and has even advised Bingley not to marry Elizabeth's sister Jane. Eventually
he proposes but with great condescension, and Elizabeth angrily refuses him.
Her view of him begins to change, however, when she realizes from a letter he
writes to her that she has badly misinterpreted some of his behaviour. Her
feelings change even more when she discovers he has played a major role in
settling the affairs of her runaway sister, Lydia, and helped avert disgrace for
her family. When Darcy proposes again, Elizabeth accepts.

Summary – "It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in

possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."

The novel is centred on the Bennett family who live at Longbourn in

Hertfordshire, near to the town of Meryton. Mrs Bennett busies herself with
trying to marry off her five daughters; as the estate is 'entailed' it will pass to
his cousin, Mr Collins, when he dies, and his girls will inherit nothing. The
arrival of Charles Bingley at Netherfield nearby excites the neighbourhood. He
is well liked and almost immediately falls in love with Jane, the eldest Bennett
sister. However, his two sisters and friend, Fitzwilliam Darcy, are deemed
proud and disagreeable, and Elizabeth in particular is repulsed by their arrogant
behaviour.

Mr Collins unexpectedly calls on the Bennets and expresses his intention of

marrying one of his cousins. He is opinionated and unpleasant, constantly
pandering to Darcy's aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who presented him with
his living. Meanwhile, George Wickham, a young officer in the Militia
garrisoned in Meryton arrives. Elizabeth is attracted to him and when he tells
her of unjust treatment from Darcy her dislike of the man intensifies. Mr
Collins proposes to Elizabeth, but when refused he turns his attentions to
Charlotte Lucas, and to the surprise of Lizzie she accepts. Soon after the
Bingleys and Darcy leave for London, Elizabeth suspecting this to be a plot to
separate Charles and Jane.

Jane is invited to London to stay with her aunt and uncle, the Gardiners. She
meets with Caroline Bingley but her offhand manner makes it clear that her
acquaintance is undesirable. Elizabeth visits Charlotte and is depressed by her
friend's loveless marriage. Lady Catherine's insolence disgusts Elizabeth and
she is glad when Darcy and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam arrive. Darcy is
bewitched by Lizzie and proposes to her; however, his reference to their
differing rank offends Elizabeth and she accuses him of being ungentle manly,
depriving her sister of happiness and mistreating Wickham. Darcy justifies
himself in a letter, exposing Wickham as a liar, and she is forced to concede the
truth of his remarks, even those concerning her family's vulgarisms.

She returns to Longbourn dismayed that her father has allowed her youngest
sister Lydia to follow the Militia to Brighton. She takes a trip with her aunt and
uncle to Derby shire, only agreeing to visit Pemberley, Darcy's estate, when
told the family is away. She is astonished to hear from the housekeeper how
much the local people love and respect him, and is shocked further when his
unexpected return sees him behave in an amiable and courteous manner
towards herself and her aunt and uncle. Elizabeth begins to warm towards him,
but she then receives news that Lydia has eloped with Wickham, disgracing the
family. It is doubtful they will marry, but these are dispelled by a letter from
Mr Gardiner. When visiting, Lydia lets slip that Darcy was at the wedding, and
when urged to tell all by Elizabeth, Mrs Gardiner explains that he organized the
whole matter. He arrives soon after with Bingley, who makes a successful
proposal to Jane. Lady Catherine unexpectedly visits and demands to know if
the rumour that Darcy and Elizabeth are engaged is true. Although Elizabeth
tells her it is false, to Lady Catherine's annoyance she does not promise never
to accept if he should. Darcy is heartened when he hears of this and is
encouraged to propose again. This time Elizabeth accepts.
Book review
This book is set in the early eighteenth centaury. Time plays a major aspect in
this novel, and makes it all the more intriguing to read as one witnesses the
trials and tribulations of these people, and their extremely simple lives.
Elizabeth Bennet, the heroine of our story, is not one to conform, however.

This book is a book of fine taste. The humour, a delicious spice of ironic satire
and sardonic tone, is evident throughout the whole book, brutally showing the
silliness of the brittle social class. Through all these rules and regulations, a
relationship begins to strike up, a relationship between Elizabeth and Mr.
Darcy, a highly improbable one… for Mr Darcy is high above Elizabeth’s
class, and he thinks he is much too good for her, and she thinks that he is a
horrible, cold man.

This story is about the Prides and Prejudices of these characters, hence the title
of the book. Neither character will ever find their true happiness, together,
unless they can face these faults head on, and learn from them. The
transformation of these characters leads to the conclusion which has made this
story into such a well know classic, and into such a must read for any person
willing to read a story about the journey of two very different people, about a
world that is such a complete contrast to the modern one we now reside in, and
the story of true love, a true love which must conquer all pride and all
prejudice.

With the brilliant writing of the author, one can’t help but sink into the novel.
Ironic tones and delicate wit decorate even the most intense of scenes, and it
would be a hard mission to not emphasise with Elizabeth’s struggles as she
learns just how wrong she might have been.