Pride and Prejudice--Fun with the Lizzie and Darcy

Pride and Prejudice is a marvel of vivid dialogue, winning characters and lavish settings, but it is by no mean frivolous.  James Mustich

Pride and Prejudice

Greetings 1000 Bookies!  The next stop on our adventure of the 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die, we actually remain in Regency England and enter the world of Jane Austen—the world of Pride and Prejudice.  This novel is one of the most famous in history.  The characters are some of the most famous and beloved, specifically Elizabeth Bennet and the dashing Mr. Darcy. Having never read any Jane Austen novels, I must say I was thoroughly charmed by the story and the characters.  Any preconceived notions I had were proven unfounded.  The story teaches some valuable lessons about life and love.   

The novel was published in 1813, the second of six that Ms. Austen would eventually publish. All six appear in the august list of 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die.  Pride and Prejudice is listed as the most favorite of Jane Austen’s novels or one of the favorites for over 200 years.  Jane Austen, the daughter of a minister, was one of the first women authors when she died at the age of 41 in 1817 from a form of blood cancer.  She never married nor did she travel expensively but from a young age she wrote, and she regaled her family with the stories and characters we have come to love. 

Jane Austen’s novels embodied the best of the Regency Era but also to a certain extent satire.  The novel has spawned hundreds of sequels, retellings and racy books.  There are modern versions of the story such as Bridget Jones’s Diary.  Authors wrote science fiction versions such as Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Mr. Darcy Mutates.  More books have been written centering on the other characters including Charlotte’s Tale, Miss Bingley’s Revenge and Miss Darcy’s Passion.  Finally, there are the racy and risqué books including Undressing Mr. Darcy.  Popular culture has embraced Jane Austen and her novels transcend time and have become part of our modern pop culture.   

The story of Pride and Prejudice centers around the Bennet Family at their home of Longbourn House.  I love how people name their homes and estates.  I have a home on a cul-de-sac where my neighbors insist on blocking my driveway with their SUVs.  Who wants to name that? The Bennets are an upper-middle class family British family, however they have 5 daughters…and no sons.  To make matters worse the estate they live off has what is called an entail, a legal lean that states women cannot inherit the estate.  When Mr. Bennet dies his wife nor daughters can inherit and basically must vacate their home as soon as the new owner wants them.  A male cousin, Mr. Collins, is the heir of Longbourn House.  He comes to pay his respects to the family.  Mrs. Bennet is, I believe understandably, consumed about what will happen to her family when her husband dies.  She is fairly matter of fact about this through the story.  Some may describe her as crass about it. Finding wealthy husbands for her five daughters has become her all abiding mission, mostly for her benefit. 

The story begins with a quite eligible bachelor, Mr. Bingley moving to the town.  Mr. Bingley is said to be quite well off and Mrs. Bennet goes to work ensuring that one of her daughters catches his eye.  The 5 Bennet daughters are Jane, Elizabeth (Lizzy), Catherine (Kitty), Mary and Lydia.  As a father of only daughters, I sympathize with the Bennets.  Jane Bennet is known for her beauty and her sweet nature.  Elizabeth is charming, pretty, and smart.  Kitty and Mary are neither major characters in the story.  However, the youngest, Lydia, is quite the handful.  There is a town ball and Mr. Bingley and his friend Mr. Darcy attend.  Bingley is smitten with Jane, but Darcy is out of place and is struck as proud and standoffish.  Elizabeth also overhears Darcy telling Bingley that Elizabeth is plain and not up to his standards.

 Mrs. Bennet sends Jane to visit the Bingleys in the rain on a horse.  Jane shows up and immediately is sick and must spend a few days with them recuperating.  Elizabeth comes and takes care of her.  It is at this time that Mr. Darcy seems to revise his opinion of Lizzie.  The novel delves into class structure.  Mrs. Bennet really does hurt her daughters’ chances for love.  Mr. Bingley hosts a ball and the Bennets are not the toast of the occasion.  After the ball, all kinds of complications occur.   At one point the girls make the acquaintance of Mr. Wickham, a handsome guardsman.  Wickham is at first interested in Lizzie but soon realizes that she has no money to help him and moves on to another.  Wickham tells Lizzy tales of woe perpetrated against him by Mr. Darcy further darkening his reputation with Lizzy.

The story revolves around Darcy’s pride which rubs people the wrong way including Lizzy.  The prejudice is Lizzy’s feelings against Mr. Darcy.  At one-point Darcy asks Lizzy to marry him.  Darcy does botch it because he makes it sound like he is doing her a favor highlighting her poor family and not having the correct connections.  She turns him down and airs all her grievances against him. Elizabeth realizes at once that she was wrong, but cannot get past her pride. Darcy sends Elizabeth a letter setting her straight on the situation with Mr. Wickham. However, Darcy wants to earn her love.  And opportunities arise.  The scheming Mr. Wickham brings Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy together. 

My absolute favorite character in the story is Mr. Bennet, the girl’s father. He seems unconcerned about his ultimate demise.  His wife and her antics irritate him and have since shortly after their marriage.  She did not bring a great fortune to their marriage because Mr. Bennet has one.  Both just thought that they would have a son, but fate just laughs at them.  Elizabeth is his favorite child because she has a good head on her shoulders.  His remarks to his wife and his daughters are just hysterical.  At one point in the story Mr. Collins asks Lizzie to marry him and she refuses.  Well Mrs. Bennet wants Mr. Bennet to force her and he has the best line, ““An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.”

Hollywood has embraced Pride and Prejudice for 80 years.  In 1940 the first film version was released with Greer Garson, the unrivaled Lawrence Olivier and for fun Edmund Gwin as Mr. Bennet (before he played Santa Claus in Miracle on 34th Street). Colin Firth has played Darcy twice, once in the movie version of Bridget Jones’ Diary.  Pride and Prejudice and Zombies has Queen Cersi herself, Lena Headly as Lady Katherine de Bourgh.  Kiera Knightly shines as Elizabeth in the 2005 version. Kerri Russell stars as a modern Elizabeth in Austenland. Finally if you need more Hallmark (and saccharine) in your life, there are at least a half dozen versions on their channels--all modern day for your viewing pleasure.  

Pride and Prejudice is a fantastic story, I cannot recommend it enough.  Everyone should read it once to understand that maybe first impressions are not the way to go, that some people are just reserved and second changes are not necessarily a bad thing, and finally while we love the girl, we do not have to like her mother…

 Keep Reading My Friends!!!