Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice is the most famous novel by British writer Jane Austen. It was first published in 1813. The story has sold around 20 million copies globally so far.

However, the novel should not only be viewed as a romantic tale. It serves as a study of society during that era. Jane Austen interprets, comments on, and critiques the British social class system of the late 18th century. She often highlighted the dependence of women on marriage for achieving a favorable social standing and financial security. Furthermore, Austen’s use of irony and realism in her writing led to widespread academic acclaim.

Recommended for: Readers interested in classic English literature, particularly admirers of Jane Austen’s works. Pride and Prejudice would appeal to those who enjoy well-developed characters, intricate social commentary, and timeless themes of love, marriage, and personal growth.

You will:

Immerse yourself in the world of the Bennet family and their pursuit of suitable marriage matches for their five daughters.
Witness the evolving relationship between the proud and aloof Mr. Darcy and the spirited and prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet, as they overcome their initial biases and misconceptions.
Explore the complex social dynamics of 19th-century British gentry, including the importance of wealth, status, and family connections in securing advantageous marriages.
Gain insights into the role of women in Regency-era society and the limited options available to them for achieving financial security and social standing.
Appreciate Austen’s masterful use of irony, wit, and realism in her portrayal of the characters and their motivations.
Engage with the novel’s central themes, such as the balance between love and practicality in marriage, the importance of self-knowledge and personal growth, and the critique of societal prejudices.
Develop your critical thinking skills as you analyze the complex web of relationships, misunderstandings, and character transformations that drive the plot.
Expand your understanding of the literary techniques and narrative devices that have made Pride and Prejudice a beloved classic of English literature.
Discover the timeless appeal of Austen’s storytelling and her enduring influence on subsequent generations of writers and readers.

Plot

The Pride and Prejudice novel describes over a year the life of a small number of young people in the countryside near London in the 18th century. In the private circle of affluent families, there was the Bennet family with their five daughters between fifteen and twenty years of age. The central theme of the novel is to achieve a successful marriage for three of the five daughters. Because by choosing good husbands, they can find a balance between love and economic security. This new life will have many intrigues, misunderstandings, and prejudices.

Themes

The major themes are:

• Marriage

The first paragraph of the novel begins with the following sentence: ” It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”. This sentence suggests that marriage is the central theme in the novel. Readers may question whether single men are looking for a wife. Or if the wishes of their families, neighbors, and women who need good luck to find a husband, encourage men to marry. Austen describes different types of marriages in the novel.

• Self-knowledge

Finally, Darcy and Elizabeth, after criticizing each other, manage to recognize their defects. Over time they work to correct them and improve their personalities.

But a character like Mrs. Bennet can hardly find space for self-reflection. She reflects in her behavior the society in which she lives. For Mrs. Bennet, it was evident that her daughters would not succeed if they did not get married. Thus, the goal of her life was to marry her daughters. For Mrs. Bennet, material objects predominated over feelings and emotions.

• Wealth

Money plays a significant role at the time of marriage, not only for women who are looking for a husband with money. But also, for men who want to marry a woman from a wealthy family.

Moreover, the inheritance was granted by descent and gave priority to the male heirs. Until the second half of the 19th century, most women did not have legal rights, which allowed the inheritance only to benefit men. As a result, the financial security of women and their children at that time depended on the men with whom they married.

Licensing

Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice. The first edition, in three volumes. Published: T. Egerton, Whitehall (London), 1813. Originally published in 1813. This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago. Text from Wikisource: https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Pride_and_Prejudice_(1813)
This digital edition is provided by Ebooks-net in 2024 under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-SA 4.0) license. The full text of the license is available at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.