After watching the movie Pride and Prejudice last year, I decided to dive into the book this year. While there are a few noticeable differences between the book’s descriptions and the film’s scenes, the book is absolutely worth reading—just as the movie is well worth watching.
“Pride and Prejudice” belongs to the genre of classic literature. Jane Austen was a British writer who lived during the 18th and 19th centuries. This is worth noting, as the way events are recounted in the book reflects the lifestyle of individuals with high social status, or those aspiring to it.
Before describing what I enjoyed about the book and how the narrative unfolds, I want to highlight that this literary work should be read even by those who do not have an affinity for romance-focused literature. Why do I say this? Well, Jane Austen’s works can be appreciated for their innovative literary style, not just for the plot.
The innovations of the writer Jane Austen
Jane Austen was among the first authors to employ the style known as “free indirect discourse.” Essentially, the characters’ thoughts and words are integrated into the narrator’s narrative without the use of speech tags. Beyond this literary innovation, Austen was also a pioneer of the “modern realist novel.” She wrote on a micro level; her accounts of characters and their lives are grounded in reality and reflect a specific social stratum—unlike Honoré de Balzac, who is considered a pioneer of realism on a macro or universal scale, given that he depicts a wide range of social classes, including peasants, the bourgeoisie, and so forth.
The important characters in the book
Elizabeth Bennet is the second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, members of the rural gentry. Her eldest sister, Jane Bennet, is approaching the age associated with the status of an “old maid” having remained unmarried past the customary time. Here, we observe the contrast between the mindset of the early 19th century and that of the present day; in reality, Jane Bennet was twenty-two and a half years old, while Elizabeth was twenty and a half. Besides Elizabeth, also known as Lizzy—the family included sisters Mary, Catherine (Kitty), and Lydia Bennet.
To describe the parents, I should note that the girls’ mother was more narrow-minded than Mr. Bennet; he was quiet by nature but found pleasure in books, whereas she delighted in social outings, especially balls. This fondness for socializing stemmed from her desire to see her daughters marry gentlemen who would ensure their happiness and provide both financial security and an improved social standing.
Another character is Charles Bingley, a wealthy young man from a family of merchants. The author establishes a bond based on mutual affection between him and Jane Bennet—feelings that took root after he arrived in the countryside and rented the Netherfield Park estate, located near the Bennets’ estate at Longbourn.
Charles Bingley had two other sisters, Louisa Hurst and Caroline Bingley. Another key figure is Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, a twenty-eight-year-old who eventually forms a close bond with Elizabeth. Mr. Darcy belongs to the gentry but holds a much higher social standing than Bingley. His sister is Georgiana Darcy, aged sixteen; then there is Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth’s friend. The cast of characters also includes Elizabeth’s cousin, William Collins (an Anglican clergyman), and, last but not least, George Wickham-the young man with whom Darcy grew up.
The novel’s plot, in brief
The Bennet family learns that a wealthy young man named Charles Bingley has arrived in their village. He has rented an estate, and rumors are circulating that his sister will be joining him. Once the rumors prove true, Bingley arrives accompanied by his friend, Mr. Darcy. As they are newcomers, a ball is held, attended by many young women, including the Bennet sisters.
At the ball, Jane and Bingley begin to feel drawn to one another—much to the delight of Mrs. Bennet, who envisions a potential marriage between the young couple. As a brief aside, the author portrays early 19th-century British society with a touch of subtle irony. In other words, it is a society where women require husbands to provide for them, even though they themselves belong to the aristocracy; women who are educated, yet whose sole occupations are managing households—or estates—and keeping up with the latest gossip or fashion trends.
So far, there is nothing unusual here; men were viewed as the heads of their families, though relationships played out differently—specifically, they were regarded as long-term commitments. If a young couple lived together before marriage, the honor of both the young woman and her family would be ruined; in such instances, marriage had to take place immediately.
In addition to Jane, the author also focuses on Elizabeth in the book. At the ball, Elizabeth has the misfortune of seeing Mr. Darcy; although handsome, he comes to be perceived by the crowd—partway through the event—as a proud man with a superior attitude toward others. Elizabeth herself notices this; she watches him, not out of romantic interest, but simply because it is the first time she has seen him at a local ball.
She observes that Darcy does not dance at all, despite the urging of Bingley, who appears to be an agreeable fellow eager to enjoy himself. Bingley suggests that Darcy dance with Miss Elizabeth, but Darcy refuses, pointing out that his friend is already dancing with the most beautiful girl at the ball—Jane. Bingley then suggests that his friend ask Elizabeth to dance; Darcy turns, catches sight of her, and replies curtly:
“She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men.
The way Darcy speaks about Elizabeth stirs up a feeling of antipathy toward him in her heart. After the ball, Elizabeth discusses the events with her sister, Jane; later, she also speaks about Mr. Darcy to her friend, Charlotte.
As a romance seems likely to blossom between Mr. Bingley and Jane, he and Darcy visit the Bennet family home; in return, the Bennet sisters pay a visit to Bingley’s residence—an occasion that also allows Jane to get to know him better. During the visit, conversations took place among the Bennet sisters, Bingley, his sisters, and—last but not least—Mr. Darcy.
Darcy begins to warm to Elizabeth when he notices the beautiful expression in her dark eyes. While he had no interest in her at the ball, things have now changed. Consequently, he chooses to ask her to dance, but she refuses him.
Following this meeting, Jane receives an invitation from Bingley’s sister, revealing her desire to converse with her prospective sister-in-law. Jane decides to accept the invitation and sets out for Bingley’s estate, but the cold journey causes her to catch a chill. Shortly thereafter, the Bennet family learns of their daughter’s condition through a letter, and Elizabeth decides to walk to Mr. Bingley’s house to see her sister.
She arrives there after walking three miles through the mud. Mr. Bingley welcomes her warmly, joined by his sisters. Mr. Darcy is also present. Mr. Bingley’s younger sister fancies Darcy and tries to cast Elizabeth in a bad light, as she has arrived with mud-stained clothes and disheveled hair. She says all this because she likes Darcy and wants to prevent him from developing feelings for Elizabeth (Lizzy). Naturally, Miss Bingley is distant toward Lizzy.
Elizabeth spends a few days there with her sister, yet her antipathy toward Darcy remains unchanged, while he remains cold and indifferent. Cousin Collins appears at the Bennet household; he visits to strengthen ties with the family following his father’s death, but also to find a wife. Shortly thereafter, Lizzy and Jane return home and meet their cousin.
As the story unfolds, the departure of the Bingley family—along with Darcy—is recounted. A melancholy mood settles over the Bennet household, accompanied by the fear that Jane will never marry. Enter Wickham, a handsome officer who grew up alongside Mr. Darcy. Their friendship had ended for reasons that actually reflect well on Mr. Darcy, though Wickham lies to Elizabeth, attempting to cast the blame for the rift on Darcy.
Since the regiment attracts young ladies in search of future husbands, Elizabeth converses with Wickham and begins to feel an affinity for him. Because the officer is on bad terms with Darcy, he succeeds in deepening Elizabeth’s prejudice against him.
The author also mentions another ball, which Cousin Collins will attend and where he will dance with Lizzy. The book also covers the departure of the Bingley family, accompanied by Darcy. A melancholy mood had settled over the Bennet family, along with the fear that Jane would remain unmarried.
Cousin Collins wishes to take Elizabeth as his wife and, after a few days, proposes to her, but she flatly refuses him. About three days after this rejection, Collins turns his attention to Charlotte and proposes to her, to the astonishment of the Bennet family. Charlotte was past the usual age for marriage, being twenty-seven years old. The author describes her as a young woman who was not particularly beautiful and had little chance of ever marrying. Given these circumstances, we can infer that Charlotte chose to marry due to social pressure and to avoid remaining a financial burden on her parents. For her, love was not viewed as a necessity, but rather as a matter of chance.
The book also recounts how Elizabeth is invited to the home of the newlyweds, Collins and Charlotte, to keep her friend company. Mr. Collins is in the employ of Lady Catherine, Darcy’s aunt. As the clergyman of the parish under Lady Catherine’s patronage, he visits her accompanied by his wife and Elizabeth. The couple introduces Lizzy to Lady Catherine, and the visit includes conversation, card games, piano performances, and the like. There is a great distance between the Bennet family home and the Collinses’ residence, as the couple lives in Kent.
While staying with Lady Catherine, Elizabeth discovers that Mr. Darcy is there as well. The two have not seen each other for months, yet there is no real closeness between them—only a few vague conversations. Elizabeth learns by chance from Colonel Fitzwilliam that it was Mr. Darcy who tried to separate Jane and Bingley. Upon hearing this, Lizzy becomes angry; her sister’s happiness was at stake.
Based on this information, she comes to despise Darcy even more and refuses to visit Lady Catherine’s estate again with the Collins family. Noticing Elizabeth’s absence, Darcy goes to the Collinses’ home, where he finds her alone. He proposes marriage, but Elizabeth is struck by the pride he displays; although he is in love with her, he highlights the disparity in their social standing—he being far wealthier than her father, who was a gentleman.
Although Elizabeth harbors prejudices against him—her antipathy running deep enough for her to reject his marriage proposal and confront him about interfering in Jane’s love life and treating Wickham unfairly—Darcy visits her the following day. He hands her a letter explaining his interference in Jane and Bingley’s relationship and revealing that Wickham is not only deeply in debt but also a romantic con artist who had attempted to elope with his sister, Georgiana Darcy.
The connection between the two is severed for four months. When her aunt asks Lizzy to visit the Pemberley estate—owned by Darcy—she initially refuses, preferring to visit the lakes instead; however, upon learning that Darcy is away, she agrees to tour the house. Once at the estate, she discovers that Darcy is a kind-hearted man who treats his servants and the poor well.
Seeing his portraits and realizing she had harbored prejudices against him, she begins to develop deeper feelings for him. By sheer coincidence, Darcy returns home unexpectedly on business and encounters Elizabeth. He behaves impeccably, despite the heated exchange that had taken place the evening Lizzy rejected his proposal.
Over the course of the book, it is revealed that Elizabeth’s youngest sister, Lydia Bennet, has run off with the officer George Wickham, despite not being married to him. This is a serious matter that compromises the honor of the entire family, particularly that of the sisters yet to be married. Elizabeth prepares to break the news to her aunt and uncle. Darcy also enters the picture; upon learning of the incident, he chooses to intervene to save the family’s honor, without the Bennet family finding out.
Meanwhile, Lydia married the officer George Wickham at Darcy’s urging. The latter also paid off the officer’s debts. Elizabeth learns of this later, and her feelings for Darcy grow.
The book concludes with three marriages: Lydia’s, Jane’s to Bingley, and Elizabeth’s to Darcy.
Personal reflections
This book is truly a work of art! I loved the way the author portrayed the characters’ emotions without focusing too heavily on the setting. It is a romance novel, but one without explicit sexual scenes—which is a very important detail. It is the perfect read for those looking for a slow-burn romance filled with deep, unspoken yearning.
The book’s rating is ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
a) Differences between the film and the book
The 2005 film adaptation made a few changes to the scenes from the book to heighten the romance and drama.
- I noticed that in the book, Darcy’s proposal to Elizabeth takes place in the evening, while she is alone at the Collinses’ home. In contrast, the film moves the scene outdoors—amidst a storm and near an architectural structure—where the confrontation feels more impassioned.
- Another significant difference occurs during Elizabeth’s visit to the Pemberley estate. While the book depicts Lizzy looking at a painting of Darcy, the film changes the setting to feature a sculpture of him instead. This alteration likely serves to intensify the attraction Lizzy is beginning to feel toward him.
FAQ
What is the book ”Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen about?
The book is about the romance between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy in the early 19th century, as well as the British gentry. Their love blossoms after Elizabeth sheds her prejudices regarding Darcy’s haughty nature, and after he abandons his pride and sense of superiority.
Who wrote ”Pride and Prejudice”?
The British author Jane Austen, who brought innovations to literature.
During what period does the action of Jane Austen’s novel ”Pride and Prejudice” take place?
The action takes place in villages in Great Britain—specifically in Kent and London—starting in the early 19th century.
What was the book’s original title, before ”and Prejudice”?
The initial version of the manuscript, dating from 1796–1797, was titled First Impressions.
How many pages does the book ”Pride and Prejudice” have?
The book varies by publisher, but as a classic work, it may run to approximately 448 pages. Most classic authors wrote at length because they wanted to be better paid; Jane Austen lived during the era when a book was expected to span three volumes.
Conclusion
“Pride and Prejudice” is an excellent book that helps the reader understand the lifestyle of the British aristocracy in the early 19th century, while also serving as a great read for lovers of romantic literature, featuring drama and hidden longing.
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