- Title: Pride and Prejudice
- Author: Jane Austen
- Published: 1813 (3 volumes)
- Publisher: Thomas Egerton of London
- Pages: 320
- Genre: Satire
- My Genre Category: Classics
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Spoiler free – only general information
Summary
(Courtesy of Goodreads)
"It
is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good
fortune must be in want of a wife."
So
begins Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen's witty comedy of manners--one
of the most popular novels of all time--that features splendidly civilized
sparring between the proud Mr. Darcy and the prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet as
they play out their spirited courtship in a series of eighteenth-century
drawing-room intrigues. Renowned literary critic and historian George
Saintsbury in 1894 declared it the "most perfect, the most characteristic,
the most eminently quintessential of its author's works," and Eudora Welty
in the twentieth century described it as "irresistible and as nearly
flawless as any fiction could be."
My Review
General comments
Pride and Prejudice became a classic that I loved. I did not
get a chance to read this in school, so I ended up reading it on my own after
graduation. The setting and the characters made me want to sit up
straight with the book in my hands and call people with titles such as Miss
Bennett or Mister Darcy.
Characters
The
characters that stick out the most for me is Elizabeth (Lizzie), Mr. Darcy,
Mrs. Bennett, and Lady Catherine. (A big list, I know.) Elizabeth Bennett is the
main character, so obviously she should be sticking out to the readers, along
with Mr. Darcy. Lizzie is not quite the normal girl for her time. She does not
always follow her mother's wishes, and thus can be more readily associated with
by girls in this time. She is the girl who stands up for herself but with
style. I like the fact that Mr. Darcy, although rich and handsome, has flaws. It makes him more human and not this perfect man that authors like
to write about. Mrs. Bennett (the mother of Lizzie) is quite the character. I am thankful that my mother is not so demanding of my future (especially of
marriage.) However, Mrs. Bennett brings humor to the book. Lady Catherine seems to
have a presence throughout the book because of her wealth and status. Of
course, she is a piece of work as she intimidates the people around her.
This makes her the type of character that I love to hate. [A final note: I do have to say that Mr. Bennett would be a great father.
I have to admit that I feel slightly sorry for the poor man who has to deal
with his wife on a daily basis—usually concerning his daughters.]
Plot
The plot is easy to
follow. The need to marry respectably, securing one's future, the result of
certain parental upbringings, and the complexities of love are rooted in the
book. It is a love story and drama. One learns that it is not an easy path to
find love and marriage in this book or time. In fact, the reader will find marriages
based on convenience.
Writing Style
The style of writing is not so bad to
get through despite the 200 years gap between publication and now. The period
does not have the thee's and thy's in them for anyone concerned. (Those
happened a little father back in history.) I find the style to be witty and
light. It is easy to feel and visualize the characters. The book is written in
third person from Elizabeth Bennett's point of view.
Thinking about
reading the book?
I think for this book
to be enjoyable it helps to have an idea of the time. The roles people played
and why people acted the way they did in the book is more understandable when there is some
slight knowledge of the time period. Reading Pride and Prejudice with a 21st century mind
would make you wonder why there is such a need for marriage (and for that
matter, marrying well or "respectably".) Therefore, don't read the book with a modern mind. (Please note that you don't have to be a history buff to
enjoy the book.) If you enjoy romance and time period books (specifically the
Regency period), this might be a book for you!
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