Pride and Prejudice

For films named Pride and Prejudice, see Pride and Prejudice (film).

Pride and Prejudice

Author	Jane Austen (originally published under the pseudonym, "a lady.")
Language	English
Genre	Romance novel
Publisher	T. Egerton, Whitehall
Publication date	28 January 1813
Publication place	United Kingdom
Media type	Print (Hardback & Paperback)
ISBN	NA
Preceded by	'Sense and Sensibility
Followed by	'Mansfield Park

Pride and Prejudice, first published on 28 January 1813, is the most famous of Jane Austen's novels and one of the first romantic comedies in the history of the novel.

Its manuscript was first written between 1796 and 1797, initially called First Impressions, but was never published under that title. Following revisions, it was first published on 28 January 1813. Like both its predecessors, Sense and Sensibility, and Northanger Abbey, it was written in Steventon, Hampshire, where Austen lived in the rectory.

Plot summary

The novel opens with the famous line, "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife". The arrival of such a single man "of considerable fortune" in the neighbourhood greatly excites Mrs. Bennet. Mrs Bennet's sole interest in life is to see her five eligible daughters well settled and happily married to fine men of 'considerable fortune'. Mr. Bingley, the man in question, leased the Netherfield estate where he plans to temporarily settle with his two sisters, Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst, and his sister's husband, Mr. Hurst. Soon after moving in, Mr. Bingley and his party, which now includes his close friend Fitzwilliam Darcy, attend a public ball in the village of Meryton. At first, Mr. Darcy is admired for his fine figure and income of £10,000 a year and is far more the subject of attention than Mr. Bingley. However, he is soon regarded contemptuously as the villagers become disgusted with his pride. This is brought home to the Bennet family when Elizabeth Bennet overhears Mr. Darcy decline Mr. Bingley's suggestion that he dance with her because she is not handsome enough to tempt him. Mr. Bingley, on the other hand, proves highly agreeable, dancing with many of the eligible ladies in attendance and showing his decided admiration for Jane Bennet.

Bingley's sisters invite Jane for an evening at Netherfield which turns into an extended stay when Jane catches a bad cold. Elizabeth comes to nurse her sister and stays at Netherfield, engaging Darcy's guarded attention and Miss Bingley's not-so-guarded scorn.

Shortly after the ball, Mr. Collins—a cousin who, because of an entail, will inherit the Bennet estate—visits the family. Mr. Collins, a pompous buffoon of a clergyman whose idea of a pleasant evening is reading to his female cousins from Fordyce's Sermons, delights in dropping the name of his great patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, with great frequency. Following Lady Catherine's imperious suggestion that he marry, Mr. Collins has decided to make amends for his role in the Bennets' future impoverishment by marrying one of his cousins. Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth but she refuses him point-blank. Although Mrs. Bennet tries to promote the marriage, Elizabeth, supported by her father, will not have him. Meanwhile, Elizabeth is introduced to Mr. Wickham, a pleasing, amiable officer in the regiment. Mr. Wickham informs her that he had known Mr. Darcy his entire life, but was dealt a serious wrong after the death of Mr. Darcy's father. After the tale is told, Elizabeth begins to harbour a strong prejudice against Mr. Darcy.

After Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collins, he hurriedly marries her best friend, Charlotte Lucas, and Elizabeth is invited to visit the newlyweds. While she is staying with them, Mr. Darcy visits his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, at the adjoining estate, Rosings. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are therefore thrown daily into each other's company. Elizabeth's charms eventually entrance Mr. Darcy, leading him to finally declare his love for her "against his own will" and his desire to marry her in spite of her objectionable family. Surprised and insulted by Mr. Darcy's high-handed method of proposing, as well as having recently learnt that Mr. Darcy convinced Mr. Bingley to sever ties with Jane and still contemptuous of Mr. Darcy's supposed wrongs against Mr. Wickham, Elizabeth refuses him in no uncertain terms, saying that he is "the last man in the world whom [she] could ever be prevailed on to marry." The next day, Mr. Darcy intercepts Elizabeth on her morning walk and hands her a letter before coldly taking his leave. In the letter, Mr. Darcy justifies his actions regarding his interference in Mr. Bingley and Jane's relationship, and reveals his history concerning Mr. Wickham and Mr. Wickham's true nature. The letter sheds a new light on Mr. Darcy's personality for Elizabeth and she begins to reconsider her opinion of him, particularly in the case of Mr. Wickham.

Later, while on holiday with her aunt and uncle, the Gardiners, Elizabeth is persuaded to visit nearby Pemberley, Mr. Darcy's estate, but only goes because she is told he is away. She is therefore mortified when she bumps into him unexpectedly while on a tour of the grounds; however, his altered behaviour towards her - distinctly warmer from their last meeting - and his polite and friendly manner towards her aunt and uncle begins to persuade Elizabeth that underneath his pride lies a true and generous nature. Her revised opinion of Mr. Darcy is supported through meeting his younger sister Georgiana, a gentle-natured and shy girl upon whom Mr. Darcy lovingly dotes.

Just as her relationship with Mr. Darcy starts to thaw, Elizabeth is horrified by news that, in her absence, her headstrong younger sister Lydia has attracted Mr. Wickham's attentions and eloped with him. When the family investigates, they learn that Mr. Wickham resigned his commission to evade gambling debts. When told of this by Elizabeth, Mr. Darcy takes it upon himself to find Mr. Wickham and bribe him into marrying Lydia, but keeps this secret from Elizabeth and her family. Elizabeth accidentally learns of Mr. Darcy's involvement from Lydia's careless remarks, later confirmed by Mrs. Gardiner. This final act completes the reversal in Elizabeth's sentiments, and she begins to regret having turned down Mr. Darcy's earlier proposal of marriage.

Lady Catherine discovers Mr. Darcy's feelings for Elizabeth, threatening her long cherished ambition for him to marry her own daughter. She pays Elizabeth an unannounced visit and brusquely tries to intimidate her into refusing such an engagement. Unfortunately, Catherine's visit serves to consolidate Elizabeth's intentions. Furthermore, Lady Catherine visits Mr. Darcy later, and relates the entire conversation to him, leading Mr. Darcy to the conviction that if he proposes to Elizabeth again, she may accept him. After ensuring that Mr. Bingley and Jane Bennet's relationship is rekindled, Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth become engaged.

The book ends with two marriages: Jane and Bingley's, as well as Darcy and Elizabeth's. Both couples are assumed to live happily ever after?

Role of women in the 18th century

In late-18th-century England, women were relegated to secondary roles in society with respect to property and social responsibilities. For example, women were not permitted to visit new arrivals to the neighbourhood (such as Mr. Bingley in Pride and Prejudice) until the male head of their household had first done so. Women were under enormous pressure to marry for the purpose of securing their financial futures and making valuable social connections for their families. Therefore, marriage, though romanticised, was in many ways a financial transaction and social alliance rather than a matter of love. "In 85% of culture, love has not been the basis for marriage during the colonial period. Marriages were arranged based on economic need". Although Jane Austen did not condone loveless marriages (she stayed single all her life), she did approve of matches having equality in various respects, including wealth, social status, love and character. In Pride and Prejudice, wealth, social status, chastity (and the perception of chastity) and physical attractiveness are depicted as factors affecting a woman's chances for a good marriage.

Characters in Pride and Prejudice

The following is a list of the more significant characters of the novel.

Elizabeth Bennet

Main article: Elizabeth Bennet

Elizabeth (Lizzy) Bennet is the core of the family. Elizabeth is the second of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet's five daughters, and is an intelligent, bold, attractive twenty-year-old when the story begins. In addition to being her father's favourite, Elizabeth is characterized as a sensible, yet stubborn, woman. Misled by his cold outward behaviour, Elizabeth originally holds Mr. Darcy in contempt. However, she finds that Mr. Darcy improves on acquaintance, more so than she would expect. In the end she fights all obstacles and falls in love with Darcy. Elizabeth is filled with prejudice towards Mr Darcy in the beginning as she believes what Mr Wickham says about him and also when Mr Darcy "wounds[her] pride"... She is also witty as Mr Collins pointed out in his proposal to her.... Lizzy is very like Darcy as they are very contrasting to their friends and close ones(Jane and Mr Bingley respectively)... In the end they put their pride and prejudice behind them and when Darcy helps with the Lydia incident Elizabeth feels gratitude towars him and this was the basis of her affection towards him...

Mr. Darcy

Main article: Fitzwilliam Darcy

Fitzwilliam Darcy (commonly known as Mr. Darcy) is the central male character and Elizabeth's second love interest in the novel. He is an intelligent, wealthy, extremely handsome and reserved 28-year-old man, who often appears haughty or proud to strangers but possesses an honest and kind nature underneath. Initially, he considers Elizabeth his social inferior, unworthy of his attention, but he finds that, despite his inclinations, he cannot deny his feelings for Elizabeth. His initial proposal of marriage is rejected because of his pride and Elizabeth's prejudice against him; however, after their relationship has a chance to blossom, he proposes again and is accepted by Elizabeth, who has grown to love him.

Mr. Bennet

Mr. Bennet is the father of Elizabeth Bennet and head of the Bennet family. An English gentleman with an estate in Hertfordshire, he is married to Mrs. Bennet and has five daughters. Unfortunately, his property is entailed to a male descendant, meaning, "it", can only be inherited by his closest male heir, Mr. Collins. Mr. Bennet is a very amiable and somewhat eccentric man, but he has a bitingly sarcastic humour and can only derive amusement from his "nervous" wife and three "silly" daughters--Mary, Kitty and Lydia. He is closest to his daughter Elizabeth but is also attached to his eldest daughter, Jane, both having won this approval by possessing a greater amount of sense than their three sisters. Mr. Bennet prefers the solitude of his study, neglecting the raising of his children, which leads to near-disaster.

Mrs. Bennet

Mrs. Bennet is the querulous, excitable and ill-bred wife of Mr. Bennet and mother of Elizabeth and her sisters. She is particularly indulgent towards Lydia. Her main concern in life is seeing her daughters married well to wealthy men, so that they will be taken care of following Mr. Bennet's death. However, her foolish nature and frequent social faux pas often impede her efforts towards this end. Her single-minded pursuit of future husbands for her daughters can also blind her in several ways to their welfare and best interests in the present. Mrs Bennet can be very two-faced in her opinions of people.

Jane Bennet

Jane Bennet is the eldest Bennet sister. She is twenty-two years old at the start of the novel, and is generally considered to be the most beautiful of her sisters. The depth of her feelings is difficult to discern by those who do not know her well, due to her reserved manner and pleasantness to all. Seeing only the good, she is incapable of suspecting the worst of people. She falls in love with Charles Bingley, and is devastated when he abruptly breaks off their developing relationship without explanation. Eventually however, the misunderstanding on his part is cleared up and she accepts his hand in marriage.

Lydia Bennet

Lydia Bennet is the youngest of the Bennet sisters. Fifteen years old when the narrative begins, Lydia is extremely flirtatious, naive, headstrong and reckless. She is described as the favourite of her mother, who indulges her and encourages her idleness and folly. Lydia and Catherine (Kitty), who despite being the older of the two is dominated by Lydia, are wrapped up in frivolous pursuits, especially chasing after the officers stationed at Meryton. Her father often calls Lydia 'silly'. She is seduced by Mr. Wickham and runs away with him without much thought for the consequences to her family, but Mr. Darcy bribes Mr. Wickham to marry her.

Charles Bingley

Charles Bingley is the closest friend of Mr. Darcy, despite the differences in their personalities. He is an outgoing, extremely good-natured, and wealthy young man who leases property near the Bennets' estate at the beginning of the novel. Unlike many of those in his circle, he is approachable and mingles easily in company the others consider beneath them. He is attracted to Jane Bennet, who reciprocates his feelings but is too shy and reserved to fully express them.

William Collins

William Collins is the 25-year-old cousin of Mr. Bennet. A clergyman, he is the closest male relation to the Bennet family, and as such stands to inherit Longbourn on Mr. Bennet's death. Mr. Collins is a pompous, narrow-minded sycophant who is excessively devoted and flattering to his patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Advised by Lady Catherine to find a wife, he initially eyes Jane, only to instantly transfer his affections to Elizabeth upon learning of Jane's impending match with Mr. Bingley. After being rejected by his second choice, he proposes to Charlotte Lucas, who accepts him.

George Wickham

George Wickham is the enemy of Mr. Darcy. He is a dashing, charming and handsome young soldier who attracts the attention of Elizabeth Bennet. His father was the manager of the Darcy estate, so squandered his share of the late Mr. Darcy's inheritance intended for his schooling in the priesthood. He initially deceives Elizabeth into believing Mr. Darcy was at fault in order to win her over, but once she hears the whole story she is quick to realize his true nature. He later runs off with Lydia Bennet, but is tracked down by Mr. Darcy and he marries her when Mr. Darcy pays for the marriage.

Mary Bennet

Mary Bennet is the most serious of all the Bennet girls, almost to the point of pompousness, partly because she is the least attractive sister. She enjoys performing for people on the piano, but otherwise she is not very interested in local society, seeing balls as a duty rather than a pleasure. On the other hand she is interested in social theory and especially with regards peoples idea on vanity and pride. Much of her time is spent in studying, and she tends to sermonize about many subjects in a fashion not unlike Mr. Collins. She is rather dull and around the age of 18 in the beginning of the novel.

Kitty Bennet

Catherine (Kitty) Bennet, although two years older than her sister Lydia at age 17, is somewhat of a sidekick to her. She follows everything that Lydia does, and becomes very jealous when only Lydia is invited to go to Brighton with the troops, as she wishes to go herself. After Lydia elopes with George Wickham, she frequently invites Kitty to stay with her, but their father will not permit it. However, once Jane and Elizabeth marry Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, respectively, Kitty is allowed to stay often with them. By this marked elevation in the society she keeps, and the removal of Lydia's influence, Kitty's personality improves dramatically.

Charlotte Lucas

Lucy Scott as Charlotte in Pride and Prejudice (1995 TV serial)

Charlotte Lucas is the neighbour and best friend of Elizabeth. She is 27 years old and when Mr. Collins, having been rejected by Elizabeth, proposes to her, she instantly accepts him, as this is probably her final opportunity to get married. Her husband dotes on her in his peculiar way, usually calling her "my dear Charlotte." She enjoys her marriage by staying away from Mr. Collins as much as possible and taking care of her household. Shortly before Elizabeth and Darcy are engaged, it is announced in a letter from Mr. Collins to Elizabeth's father that Charlotte is pregnant with her first child.

Georgiana Darcy

Georgiana Darcy is Fitzwilliam Darcy's younger sister. She is immensely pretty and, at 16 years old, more than 10 years his junior. Georgiana is quiet and shy, but amiable and good-natured, and shows great skill at playing the pianoforte. Mr. Wickham stole her affections some time ago, at age 15, hoping to gain possession of the great fortune which she will inherit when she comes of age. However, Mr. Darcy saves her from an imprudent elopement with Mr. Wickham. Georgiana takes a strong liking to Elizabeth soon after the two meet.

Lady Catherine de Bourgh

Lady Catherine de Bourgh is Mr. Darcy's aunt and Mr. Collins' patron. Despite her self-conscious sophistication, she is inconsistent and arrogant. She doesn't play a musical instrument, yet boasts of being a musical expert. Another example of her "ill breeding" is her announcement (in the drawing room of her manor house Rosings, at Hunsford) that Charlotte Collins may play on the piano in the Mrs. Jenkinson's room (Mrs. Jenkinson is a permanent resident at Rosings), saying, "She would be in nobody's way, you know, in that part of the house." Later, Lady Catherine shows up at the Bennets' home to forbid Elizabeth from marrying Darcy. That ill-advised action actually encourages Elizabeth and Darcy to pursue their courtship. Ultimately, Lady Catherine's main purpose is to be an example of the upper-class snobbery which the novel satirizes. Lady Catherine de Borough was representative of women in the eighteenth century who were often “contrasted in unflattering ways with middle class women who were starting to organize in the mid-1800s.”

Caroline Bingley

Caroline Bingley is one of Charles Bingley's two sisters. She ruthlessly aspires to marry Mr. Darcy and is not deterred by his dislike for her. She is conniving and two-faced, professing great friendship and affection for Jane Bennet when in fact she does not like the Bennet family. She wants her brother to have nothing to do with them, despite his attraction to Jane, and she and their other sister, Louisa Hurst, do their best to prevent the match. Mr. Darcy is quickly annoyed by her every time she makes conversation with him.

Interrelationships

A comprehensive web showing the relationships between the main characters in Pride and Prejudice

Artistic depictions of and related to Pride and Prejudice

Main article: List of artistic depictions of and related to Pride and Prejudice

Film, television, and theatrical adaptations

Pride and Prejudice has engendered numerous adaptations. Some of the notable film versions include that of 1940 starring Greer Garson and Laurence Olivier, and that of 2005 starring Keira Knightley (in an Oscar-nominated performance) and Matthew Macfadyen. Notable television versions include two by the BBC: 1995 version starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth, and a 1980 version starring Elizabeth Garvie and David Rintoul. First Impressions was a 1959 Broadway musical version starring Polly Bergen, Farley Granger and Hermione Gingold. In 2007, a new musical by Lindsay Warren Baker and Amanda Jacobs, based on the book and sharing its title, received a staged reading in New York City, with the hopes of bringing it to Broadway in the future.

Related works of film and literature

Pride and Prejudice has inspired a number of other works. Bride and Prejudice, starring Aishwarya Rai, is a Bollywood adaptation of the novel, while Pride and Prejudice: A Latter-Day Comedy (2003) places the novel in contemporary times. Books inspired by Pride and Prejudice include: Mr Darcy's Daughters and The Exploits and Adventures of Miss Alethea Darcy by Elizabeth Aston; Pemberley : Or Pride & Prejudice Continued and An Unequal Marriage: Or Pride and Prejudice Twenty Years Later by Emma Tennant; The Book of Ruth by Helen Baker; and Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll. The novel Bridget Jones's Diary by Helen Fielding (and the film made of it) were inspired by the then-current BBC adaptation. Bridget Jones's Diary and the 1995 BBC Pride and Prejudice share Mr. Darcys of similar dispositions, both played by Colin Firth. Also, in Bridget Jones's Diary, Bridget's mother tries to make a match for her, while her father remains detached, mirroring the roles of Mrs. and Mr. Bennet in Pride and Prejudice. The Off-Broadway Musical I Love You Because is an adaptation reversing the gender of the main roles, set in modern day New York City.

Awards and nominations

• In 2003 the BBC conducted the largest ever poll for the "UK's Best-Loved Book" in which Pride and Prejudice came second, behind The Lord of the Rings.

External links

• Pride and Prejudice at Project Gutenberg
• Pride and Prejudice free downloads in PDF, PDB and LIT formats
• Free audiobook from LibriVox
• Original line by line commentary of Pride and Prejudice
• A new approach to literary criticism from Humanscience wikia

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