Pride and Prejudice

Jane AustenJun 2015

4.6

Word count: 144K words
Chapters: 62

Summary

Pride and Prejudice is the story of Mr and Mrs Bennet (minor gentry), their five daughters, and the various romantic adventures at their Hertfordshire residence of Longbourn. The parents' characters are greatly contrasted: Mr Bennet being a wise and witty gentleman; while Mrs Bennet is permanently distracted by the issue of marrying off her daughters at any cost. The reason for Mrs Bennet's obsession is that their estate will pass by law after Mr Bennet's death to his closest blood relative: his cousin, the Reverend William Collins (a fatuous, tactless and pompous man). Austen's tale is spurred on by the arrival of the young and wealthy bachelor Charles Bingley and his friend Fitzwilliam Darcy. It is the story of the various affections, affectations and engagement shenanigans that develop due to Mrs Bennet's relentless matchmaking and the dashing Darcy's tempestuous relationship.

Editor's review

Pride and Prejudice uses the marriages of the five Bennet daughters as its thread, weaving the daily life of a gentry family, the pressure of inheritance, and the wit of social occasions into an enduring comedy of manners. Austen's brilliance lies in letting readers' judgments be led astray by prejudice along with Elizabeth, then corrected through misunderstandings and self-reflection. Darcy's reserve and Elizabeth's perceptiveness collide; love is not love at first sight but a choice made after seeing each other's limitations clearly. The dialogue is light, the irony sharp without cruelty, and the observations on calculation and respectability in the marriage market are clear-eyed. It can be read as a delightful love story and as an entry point to understanding nineteenth-century English gentry society.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers who enjoy witty dialogue, courtship themes, and British irony.
Readers concerned with women's circumstances, marriage choices, and class issues.
Students new to English classics who want a readable story.
Readers returning to the classic who wish to savor character relationships and narrative irony.

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting intense conflict, grand historical scenes, or fast-paced adventure.
Readers who want pure romantic sweetness and do not wish to face realistic calculation.
Readers who find nineteenth-century social etiquette and long dialogue alienating.

Reading tips

First sort out the marriage lines of the Bennet daughters, then note how each misunderstanding changes the characters' judgments.
Read the dialogues between Elizabeth and Darcy as psychological duels, noting the probing and pride in their tones.
Slow down at passages discussing marriage and property, and feel where Austen's irony lands.
After finishing, compare the several marriages and consider the author's standard for a good marriage.

Copyright information
Chapter 01
Chapter 02
Chapter 03
Chapter 04
Chapter 05
Chapter 06
Chapter 07
Chapter 08
Chapter 09
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61

FAQ

Where do Elizabeth and Darcy's misunderstandings mainly come from?

They come both from Darcy's reserve and arrogance at his first appearance and from Elizabeth's confidence in her own judgment and from one-sided accounts by others. Both magnify each other's faults through prejudice until facts force them to re-examine themselves.

Is this novel only about falling in love?

Love is the main line, but the work also depicts inheritance, class barriers, women's options, and family respectability. The several marriages serve as control groups, showing how marriage is shaped by conditions beyond feeling.

If I haven't read Austen, can I start with this one?

Yes. Its plot is clear and dialogue lively, making it a common entry to Austen; if the relationships get confusing, simply remember the five Bennet daughters and their several suitors.

Comments

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About the author

Jane Austen Author · British · 1775–1817

Jane Austen (1775–1817) was a British novelist, born into the family of a clergyman in Steventon, Hampshire, and she remained unmarried throughout her life. She wrote six novels: Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Persuasion, and Northanger Abbey. With delicate irony she portrayed the marriages and daily life of the English gentry, and she is regarded as one of the most important writers in the history of the English novel. Her works are commonly classified under foreign literature, inspirational growth, and world classics, and they are widely read among Chinese readers; this library holds 88 editions of her works.