Pride and Prejudice is Jane Austen’s most-read and, as far as I can see, the most loved book. Although Austen has stated that her favourite book is Emma, her readership, in general, does not seem to agree with her. I can say that I loved Pride and Prejudice and Emma equally, although I have not yet decided on my favourite book, since I had only read Emma and Northanger Abbey before. But I know that I laughed a little more while reading Pride and Prejudice.
Through the characters of the proud, common and poor Elizabeth Bennet and the prejudiced, noble and wealthy Fitzwilliam Darcy, Pride and Prejudice presents the society through a family and also it covers multiple love stories. While writing this sentence, I found myself laughing at what I wrote, but the novel is just about them.
Darcy thinks that he cannot marry someone who is not in his status because of his prejudices, and he does not hesitate to impose this idea on his friends. On the other hand, Elizabeth Bennet lives a simple life with her beautiful sister Jane and other colourful sisters. Darcy’s good-natured and lovely friend, Mr Bingley, rents a manor house where the Bennet family lives, and that’s how the story begins.
Although the Bennet family is a fun family to read, mother Bennet is a nitwit woman as Austen does not hesitate to mention it over and over again, and of course, she makes the reader mad. However, the head of the house, the father Bennet, is a hilarious and sympathetic character. I think I liked Mr Bennet the most in this novel.
I know Mr Darcy is loved by many, but I didn’t enjoy reading him. My all-time favourite Austen character will always be Mr Knightley in Emma. What about you? If you haven’t read this yet, please read it soon with pleasure and then watch both the mini-series and the film. Enjoy!
Pride and Prejudice
Love is in the air when five sisters discover that a wealthy and eligible bachelor is suddenly within reach. But it is his friend, the haughty Mr. Darcy, who becomes smitten. Unfortunately for him, the object of his affection is not so easily swayed.
One of the most popular characters in English literature, Elizabeth Bennet is intelligent, witty, well-spoken and ahead of her time. If the terrible rumors about Mr. Darcy are true, he doesn’t stand a chance. Yet not all gossip is to be believed when marriage, money, and reputations are on the line. Will Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy circumvent her haste, his ego, and society’s expectations to find love?
Written more than two centuries ago, Jane Austen’s enduring story of manners, family, and love continues to delight new generations of readers.
AmazonClassics brings you timeless works from the masters of storytelling. Ideal for anyone who wants to read a great work for the first time or rediscover an old favourite, these new editions open the door to literature’s most unforgettable characters and beloved worlds.
Jane Austen
Jane Austen was an English novelist whose books, set among the English middle and upper classes, are notable for their wit, social observation and insights into the lives of early 19th century women.
Jane Austen was born on 16 December 1775 in the village of Steventon in Hampshire. She was one of eight children of a clergyman and grew up in a close-knit family. She began to write as a teenager. In 1801 the family moved to Bath. After the death of Jane’s father in 1805 Jane, her sister Cassandra and their mother moved several times eventually settling in Chawton, near Steventon.
Jane’s brother Henry helped her negotiate with a publisher and her first novel, ‘Sense and Sensibility’, appeared in 1811. Her next novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’, which she described as her “own darling child” received highly favourable reviews. ‘Mansfield Park’ was published in 1814, then ‘Emma’ in 1816. ‘Emma’ was dedicated to the prince regent, an admirer of her work. All of Jane Austen’s novels were published anonymously.
In 1816, Jane began to suffer from ill-health, probably due to Addison’s disease. She travelled to Winchester to receive treatment, and died there on 18 July 1817. Two more novels, ‘Persuasion’ and ‘Northanger Abbey’ were published posthumously and a final novel was left incomplete.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
