A novel that still resides in the heart of the readers – Pride and Prejudice has made its way to the modern era also. Jane Austen’s romantic novel published in 1813 has been fascinating the readers since then. Without fail, the novel consistently appears to top the charts of “Most Loved Books” competing today’s good reads.
With over 20 million copies sold, it is one of the most popular novels in English literature. The book was first published anonymously in 1813, and it got the best reviews. The character of ‘Elizabeth Bennett amused all the readers’. Austen felt so proud of her heroine, as she confessed by saying “that I think her as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print, & how I shall be able to tolerate those who do not like her at least, I do not know.”
Jane Austen: Pride and Prejudice
Over the past two centuries, Darcy and Elizabeth have been ruling over people’s heart. Austen never imagined that these two characters would make the readers fall in love with the novel and of course them too! Also, the book is a romantic comedy. Darcy and Elizabeth have gone viral, and people admire their passion. The book rises with the development of its protagonist, Elizabeth, who slowly starts to learn the errors of judgment and later appreciates the difference between the superficial and the essential.
Austen narrates her novel by employing the technique of free indirect speech that allows the character’s thoughts come to words. Also, we see the comic elements in the book, as Austen depicts the manners, education, marriage and money in the times of British Regency.
The novel begins with Mrs Bennett trying to persuade Mr Bennett to go and visit Mr Bingley, the wealthy and the eligible bachelor in the town. Mr and Mrs Bennett have five daughters, but Mr Bennett’s property is entailed, according to which none of the daughters can inherit it. The novel opens disclosing the facts about the century, as Austen writes in her novel Pride and Prejudice, “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” Readers can sense the irony and playfulness in these words. Novel entirely revolves around the importance of marriage but marrying for love and not for money! You have to make a good match, well, a wealthy match to settle in the society.
The Bennett daughters are Jane, the eldest of all and the most beautiful one, also who thinks of everybody in the family and is kind. Then comes, Elizabeth, mostly called Lizzie, is the protagonist of the novel. Lizzie is witty and smart but not as beautiful as Jane. Both Jane and Lizzie believe in marrying for love. Lizzie is sensible too.
Then there are three little sisters, one is Mary, who sings terribly. Second is Kitty, silly and dumb and the last is Lydia, youngest of all, who is mad after men! She is the one who gets more excited about hearing about Charles Bingley, the young and wealthy gentleman in the neighbourhood.
The family first meets Mr Bingley at the ball. At the ball, we get to see that Jane and Mr Bingley fall in love with each other at the very moment. Mr Bingley is the complete the male version of Jane. Fitzwilliam Darcy, Charles’s friend, is also one of the wealthiest bachelors in Derbyshire who gets attracted to Lizzie. Both Lizzie and Darcy don’t like each other. Lizzie feels that Darcy is snobbish and arrogant whereas the family and their connections repulse darcy. It is here, where the pride comes in between love!
Meanwhile, we notice the entry of Mr Collins, the only heir to Bennett’s property. Mr Collins is a cousin of Jane and sisters. He is a clergyman. Mrs Bennett has decided to get Lizzie married to him, but fate had different plans. Mr Collins marries Lizzie’s friend Charlotte Lucas after Lizzie rejects his proposal. Further, we see a regiment of soldiers come to Merton, on seeing this both Lydia and Kitty go wild and excited.
We see a little love starting to flourish between Lizzie and Mr Wickham, which soon gets off the roads. All because Mr Darcy didn’t like Mr Wickham and was protective towards Lizzie because somewhere he felt for her. Darcy keeps warning Elizabeth about Wickham. Lydia and Mr Wickham soon run away and get married.
The plot of the story is amusing. How in the end, Darcy confesses his love for Lizzie; Mrs Bennett’s wish of marrying off her daughters comes true. Both Jane and Lizzie marry the ones they love and live a happy life. Austen added different flavours to her novel with humour and amusement; she kept the reader involved.
From where can you buy the book?
Haven’t you read the book yet? You must buy it soon and start reading it.
The book is available on Amazon priced between INR 100-250 for standard cover (price varies depending upon the seller). You can buy the hardcover or the Kindle edition by using the Amazon Books Coupons to avail discounts on the purchase. A book you’ll never regret reading! Also, you can grab some new reads related to this. So, fill up your cart and start ordering!
Expert Reviews
Who would believe that it has been 200 years since the novel had been written? Young generation loves it more. They admire the character of Elizabeth and respect the love between Darcy and Elizabeth. They are the power couple, and everybody seems to have a love like theirs.
Common Sense Media says, “Austen’s romantic masterpiece, Pride and Prejudice, is an absolute joy to read and study for teens who are open to pleasures of 19th –Century prose and manners.” They also stated that the book is engaging for the teens because of its plot and characters. Also, a reader revisits an age, and the novel is worthy of it.
The novel is also adapted into films which are worth seeing, especially if you are in awe of Darcy and Lizzie’s chemistry. To the young people out there, the novel and its adaptation are worth a read and watch. A story of how pride comes into love and you choose love over pride!
A person, who has already fallen for this book, cannot stop himself from reading it again and again. Austen might have written it 200 years back, but it still feels like you are reading a newly bud love story. Readers around the globe have been reading this classic and praising Austen for writing such a book, which resides in people’s heart. So, buy it if you haven’t yet!
