Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Setting: 19th century England, around the time it was written (1813)
Characters:
· Elizabeth Bennet – Heroine of the novel. Prideful, independent, clever, critical and quick to judge. Her role in the novel is to satirize the constant obsession with society’s expectations. She doesn’t want to marry if she’s not in love, she doesn’t care if that means he’s not wealthy or she has to wait to find him. At first she correctly judges Darcy as too proud and quickly refuses his marriage proposal, but later sees how much he loves her and realizes she loves him too.
· Fitzwilliam Darcy – Male counterpart of Elizabeth. Quickly earns the reputation of being a “disagreeable” man. First is repulsed by Elizabeth, then becomes interested but would never marry her because of her social status, and then falls in love with her.
· Jane Bennet and Charles Bingley – Elizabeth’s older sister and Darcy’s best friend. The other example of true love in the novel. Bingley immediately falls for Jane, even though her social status may not be at his level.
· Mrs. Bennet – Elizabeth’s mom. Abides by society’s unwritten laws, but also has a low standing in society. Her main goal is to marry off her daughters into wealthy families. Very upset with Elizabeth when she refuses to marry Mr. Collins.
· Mr. Bennet – Elizabeth’s father. Loves all his daughters, but prefers Elizabeth for her cleverness. Teases his wife a lot.
· Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst (Bingley’s sisters) – Snobby elitist women from the city. Criticize Jane behind her back but talk lovingly of her in front of Bingley. Miss Bingley is jealous of Elizabeth because Darcy loves Elizabeth. Bingley is the opposite of Darcy in that the town immediately proclaims him to be “amiable.”
· Mary, Catherine (Kitty), and Lydia Bennet – Elizabeth’s younger sisters. Catherine and Lydia are a little bit boy crazy. Lydia runs off and marries a soldier, Mr. Wickham.
· Charlotte Lucas – Elizabeth’s best friend. Shows importance of marriage in society by following the norm and marrying the first man with money that proposed.
Summary:
The novel opens with a famous quote: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” Mr. and Mrs. Bennet are discussing Charles Bingley’s move into Netherfield Park in Longbourn, the rural area in which they live. His arrival causes a stir in the Bennet household because he presents an opportunity of marriage for one of the Bennet daughters.
Two weeks later there is a ball held in Meryton. Bingley dances with Jane twice, one time more than any of his other partners. Bingley tries to convince his friend Darcy to dance with Elizabeth but Darcy says she isn’t pretty enough for him. Elizabeth is hurt and decides he is too proud, even for his great wealth and family. She also finds Bingley’s sisters to be rude and proud. Jane tells Elizabeth later that they are charming when conversing in a small group, but Elizabeth still finds them ill-mannered. At a party some time later Darcy becomes infatuated with Elizabeth, much to her surprise and disgust. A group of militia arrives in town, keeping Kitty and Lydia entertained at their mother’s sister’s, Mrs. Phillips.
A note from Netherfield Park arrives at the Bennet house asking Jane over for dinner. Jane rides a horse there in the rain, falls ill and can’t leave, so Elizabeth goes to visit. She arrives soaked and muddy from walking and Bingley’s sisters take to making fun of her. Darcy, although enthralled by her entrance, states that he would never want his sister to do the same. As days pass Miss Bingley sees Darcy’s interest in Elizabeth and becomes very jealous. Jane finally gets well and she and Elizabeth leave Netherfield Park. Darcy is glad they leave because he is so attracted to Elizabeth but could never marry her because of her low social standing.
An extended family member, Mr. Collins, comes to visit the Bennets. He is going to inherit the house after Mr. Bennet dies because only males could inherit property. He is a clergyman for Lady Catherine de Bourgh, a well-known wealthy noblewoman. Mr. Collins goes with the girls to visit Mrs. Phillips in Meryton. They meet Mr. Wickham, and then Bingley and Darcy along the way. Elizabeth observes the coldness between Wickham and Darcy and Wickham later tells her Darcy made sure he would not receive any part of Darcy’s father’s will, although he was supposed to. Elizabeth accepts his story and completely believes him. When discussing this with Jane, Jane tells her there must be a misunderstanding but Elizabeth won’t have it. Elizabeth is disappointed when Wickham is not at Bingley’s ball and is stuck dancing with Mr. Collins and Darcy. Miss Bingley warns her not to trust Wickham, but Elizabeth thinks it is out of spite. Mr. Collins learns Darcy is related to Lady Catherine and introduces himself. Darcy treats him rudely but he doesn’t notice because he is so dense.
The next day Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth. Gently she refuses, but he believes she will change her mind in a few days. Mrs. Bennet is infuriated and tells Mr. Bennet to force her to accept, but he disagrees with his wife and tells Elizabeth he won’t ever see her again if she marries Mr. Collins. Days later Jane receives a letter from Miss Bingley telling her they are going back to London indefinitely and Bingley will be marrying Darcy’s sister Georgiana. News arrives that Mr. Collins and Charlotte Lucas are to be married. Mrs. Bennet is again upset. Elizabeth cannot understand Charlotte’s decision although Charlotte keeps insisting this is the best match for her.
Mrs. Bennet’s brother and sister-in-law, the Gardiners, invite Jane to accompany them on a trip to London, for a change of scenery since she is heartbroken. Mrs. Gardiner notice Elizabeth and Wickham’s preference to each other, but warns her that his lack of money makes him a bad match. While in London, Jane calls on Miss Bingley, but she acted rudely and Jane believes she views her as an obstacle for her brother’s marriage into the Darcy family. Elizabeth tells Mrs. Gardiner that Wickham has moved onto a new woman, Miss King, because she has recently inherited a large amount of money. She realizes she had not felt love for Wickham, but vanity for being the only woman he was interested in.
Elizabeth travels with Sir William Lucas to visit Charlotte and her new husband. On the way they spend a night with Jane and Gardiners in London and the Gardiners invite Elizabeth to take a tour with them after her trip, probably in the Lake District. After arriving in Hunsford, the town in which Mr. Collins and Charlotte live, Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s daughter invites them to dinner at Rosings, the de Bourgh mansion. Lady Catherine looks down upon Elizabeth and her sisters and their upbringing. After a week, Sir William leaves, and soon after Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam, his cousin, arrive to visit their aunt. Charlotte at first believes Darcy loves Elizabeth but then decides Colonel Fitzwilliam does. Elizabeth takes walks through the countryside sometimes and frequently encounters Darcy and his cousin. Once, Colonel Fitzwilliam tells her that Darcy claims he has just saved a friend from an “imprudent marriage.” Elizabeth knows the friend was Bingley and the marriage was to Jane. She later encounters Darcy and he admits his love for her, though while doing so telling her how he tried not to love her because of her social standing. She tries to politely decline but then angrily accuses him of all the things Wickham told her and ruining her sister’s marriage. He admits to the latter and Elizabeth declares he is arrogant, conceited, and selfish, like she originally judged him to be, and is the last man she would marry.
The next day Darcy gives Elizabeth a letter, in which he explains he tore apart Bingley and Jane because he believed Jane didn’t really love his friend. He also explains that he did give Wickham his share of the will, but Wickham had tried to elope with his sister to get her fortune. Elizabeth then rethinks her opinions of Darcy and Wickham. Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam leave Rosings, then a week later Elizabeth leaves for London. Shortly after, she and Jane return home. Kitty and Lydia speak constantly of the soldiers and Lydia says Wickham is no longer interested in Miss King because she has gone to Liverpool. Elizabeth tells Jane about Wickham and they decide not to expose him. Mrs. Bennet is still upset about Jane losing Bingley and criticizes Charlotte’s marriage to Mr. Collins. Lydia is invited to travel with a colonel’s wife from the militia to Brighton for the summer. Mr. Bennet gives her permission to go. Elizabeth runs into Wickham before his regiment leaves and speaks politely to him but doesn’t say anything of what Darcy told her.
In July Elizabeth accompanies the Gardiners on a trip to Derbyshire, taking them close to Darcy’s home, Pemberley. Hearing Darcy is not home, Elizabeth agrees to take a tour of his estate. She imagines what it would be like to be the mistress of the estate, and then runs into Darcy. He stays with them on their walk of the grounds and proves himself immensely polite to Elizabeth’s aunt and uncle. The older couple leaves them alone and Elizabeth becomes embarrassed and tells Darcy she would not have come had she known he would be home. He tells her he came home to prepare for guests, including the Bingleys and his sister. The next day Darcy and his sister visit Elizabeth at the inn she is staying at. Bingley also arrives and Darcy invites Elizabeth and the Gardiners to Pemberley. The next day Mrs. Gardiner and Elizabeth go to Pemberley to visit Miss Darcy. Upon seeing Elizabeth, Miss Bingley begins making rude comments. After she leaves, Miss Bingley tries to criticize her more but Darcy says she is one of the handsomest women he knows.
Elizabeth receives two letters from Jane, the first saying Lydia and Wickham have eloped and the second saying they’ve heard no word from them but they aren’t married yet. Elizabeth becomes upset, realizing that both Lydia’s and the family’s reputation are at stake. Darcy appears and she tells him the news. They both blame themselves for not exposing Wickham. She and the Gardiners decide to return to Longbourn. Mr. Bennet has gone to London to search for them, and Mr. Gardiner follows. Mr. Collins writes a letter to the Bennets accusing them of poor parenting. Mr. Bennet decides to return home after a thorough search and no luck. After his return, Mr. Gardiner writes a letter to the Bennets saying Lydia and Wickham have been found and they will be married if the Bennets will provide Wickham a small income. Mr. Bennet agrees and decides the Gardiners must have bribed Wickham greatly. Mrs. Bennet is overly joyous about having one of her daughters married, even when her husband and daughters point out the circumstances.
Elizabeth realizes she is now in love with Darcy but doesn’t expect a second proposal. Lydia asks to stay with her family before she and Wickham head north. Lydia tells Jane and Elizabeth about her wedding and says Darcy was there. Elizabeth is amazed and sends a letter to Mrs. Gardiner asking for details. She replies saying Darcy had found them and paid Wickham off, hinting it was because of his love for her. Bingley returns to Netherfield Park and he and Darcy visit the Bennets. They return another night for dinner, Bingley sitting next to Jane and Darcy at the opposite end of the table from Elizabeth. She accepts that having been rejected once, he won’t propose again. Bingley visits the Bennets again and Mrs. Bennet invites him to dinner. He has plans, but returns the next day very early. He is left alone with Jane, but surprisingly doesn’t propose. He goes shooting with Mr. Bennet the next day, then visits Jane again and tells her he will ask her father for his permission to marry her. He happily approves and Jane tells Elizabeth she is “the happiest creature in the world.” Bingley visits daily and tells Jane he had no idea she was in London all winter. She realizes it was his sisters trying to keep them apart.
Lady Catherine visits the Bennets and tells Elizabeth she heard a rumor that she and Darcy are to be engaged. She states her disapproval and says Darcy is to marry her daughter. Elizabeth is surprised, tells Lady Catherine they are not engaged, but doesn’t promise her not to accept his proposal. A letter from Mr. Collins is sent to Mr. Bennet explaining that Elizabeth and Darcy are probably going to get engaged. He reads it to Elizabeth and expresses his confusion. Darcy stays with Bingley again and the pair visits the Bennets. Elizabeth and Darcy end up alone on a walk. Elizabeth thanks him for protecting Lydia. He says he did because she is her sister and his feelings have not changed. She replies that hers have and she is now willing to marry him. Elizabeth later tells Jane of her future engagement and promises Jane that she truly does love Darcy. The next night Darcy asks Mr. Bennet for his approval. Like Jane, her father needs convincing and Elizabeth tells him that Darcy was the one who paid off Wickham. After learning of the official engagement, Mrs. Bennet is struck dumb but then bursts out in cries of delight. Elizabeth and Darcy tell the story of how they fell in love. Darcy writes to Lady Catherine and Mr. Bennet to Mr. Collins to tell of the engagement. The Collinses travel to congratulate them and escape an angry Lady Catherine.
A year after the weddings, Bingley and Jane move to an estate close to Pemberley. Kitty stays away from Lydia and visits often with her older sisters and matures greatly. The Wickhams ask Darcy for money constantly and begins to tire Bingley from their many visits. Elizabeth becomes close with Georgiana and civil with Miss Bingley. Lady Catherine eventually accepts their marriage and visits Pemberley. Elizabeth and Darcy remain grateful towards the Gardiners for bringing them together at Pemberley.