Book Review: 'Pride and Prejudice' - Jane Austen

Considered Austen’s most popular novel and one of the most beloved books ever written, Pride & Prejudice highlights life in 19^th-Century England, drawing attention to the society where a woman’s position is dictated by the husband she has as well as class. Most importantly, it discusses love, which is the greatest attraction for readers of all ages all over the world and why they love this book so much. It can even be argued that the basis of most storylines for love stories derives from this novel.

 Mrs. Bennet has five daughters and no sons. Their family property is to pass onto their cousin, Mr. Collins as there are no sons to inherit the property. Mrs. Bennet’s sole purpose in life is to marry off her daughters. In this character the author illustrates, somewhat extremely, the desperation of a mother to marry off her daughter. Austen does not intend for the reader to like Mrs. Bennet and mocks her, describing her as “a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper”. However, despite the negative portrayal, I sympathize with her as I can see that this society is merciless towards old spinsters. Even Charlotte Lucas, a grounded and sensible woman, chooses marriage with the detestable Mr. Collins over a life of spinsterhood. While marriage may be discussed freely nowadays as an optional institution, in Austen’s society it was a matter of great importance. Divorce was scandalous and the husband you chose was the man whom you trusted to bring you happiness for the rest of your life. Likewise, remaining unmarried would ensure being looked down upon. In wishing for her daughters to marry, Mrs. Bennet is wishing for their happiness and attempting to protect them from the unforgiving society in which they must survive.

Another deciding factor in this society is class. Class is and has been an issue in England especially for a long time. Austen portrays a stark contrast between the upper-class Darcys and Bingleys to the middle-class Bennets. The author especially highlights snobbery in the upper-class through Miss Caroline Bingley and Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Mr. Collins is portrayed as a character of the middle-class that desperately wants to ascend to the upper class and does so through flattery of Lady Catherine. Mr. Wickham is also a character wanting to rise to the upper-class, although through dishonourable means. Even the male protagonist, Mr. Darcy, exhibits class snobbery, exclaiming to Elizabeth, “Could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your connections? - to congratulate myself on the hope of relations, whose condition in life is so decidedly beneath my own?” However, it is because of this class distinction that makes Darcy’s love so great, for he is willing to cross the great class barrier for Elizabeth.

The courtship of Darcy and Elizabeth provides a certain convention for all love stories nowadays: boy meets girl, they dislike each other, boy becomes attracted to girl, girl detests boy, complications ensue, resolutions arise, and then the happy ending. Austen has created the circumstances of this love to fit the society that she and the characters belonged to. But despite the different phrasing and veiled sentences, the idea remains the same: a great love must overcome obstacles. One of the greatest obstacles is the class difference, but more than that it is Elizabeth and Darcy’s pride and prejudice. They both submit to these two traits, Elizabeth prejudiced against Darcy ever since she heard him speak of her as “tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt [him]” and Darcy of her “poor family connections”. They both have too much pride to resolve their hasty judgments. This grows even more so after the failed marriage proposal so even when further attractions arise, they are unable to convey their love to each other. It takes Lady Catherine’s visit to Elizabeth for her anger to override her pride and allow her to come to her senses.

Readers enjoy reading about Darcy, cold, handsome and unfeeling, falling for the plucky and spirited Elizabeth, working hard to overcome his own distaste for her class in order to merit her love. This is why they love Pride & Prejudice, because reality so seldom gives us these pleasures. Every person looking for a perfect love is not certain to find it. They, too, search for their Darcy, an arrogant but passionate man who is willing to overcome obstacles for love. Reading this novel gives them the fulfilment that the real world so often lacks.

There is no argument that Pride & Prejudice is a timeless classic - the many resulting adaptions being proof of its enduring appeal. The lively characters, witty banter and appealing storyline draw in the reader. There is no secret to Austen’s success, she understands people and their desire for romance, she understands what the reader wants to happen and exactly then it should happen. In the end, I think this novel is the most attractive in that the author serves up a slice of fantasy with a dose of reality.

 - Calista


"Nobody can tell what I suffer!' - Mrs. Bennet, Pride & Prejudice