Pride and Prejudice
| Average rating |
|
4 out of 5
|
| Based on 1,111 Ratings and 1,111 Reviews |
Book Description
Elizabeth Bennet, one of the five daughters of a country gentleman in 19th-century Hertfordshire, England, faces a dilemma in her future - as their father's property is entailed to a male heir upon his death, they will be turned out of their house and left to fend for themselves unless she and her sisters can find advantageous husbands, something which consumes her mother. An opportunity arrives i...
MoreElizabeth Bennet, one of the five daughters of a country gentleman in 19th-century Hertfordshire, England, faces a dilemma in her future - as their father's property is entailed to a male heir upon his death, they will be turned out of their house and left to fend for themselves unless she and her sisters can find advantageous husbands, something which consumes her mother. An opportunity arrives in the form of Mr. Bingley, a wealthy young gentleman who takes a country estate near to the Bennet's home, accompanied by his sisters and his good friend Fitzwilliam Darcy. Whereas Bingley is well-liked in the community, Darcy begins his acquaintance with Elizabeth, her family, and their neighbours with smug condescension and proud distaste for all of the country people; despite Mrs. Bennet's embarrassing interference Mr. Bingley and Jane begin to grow closer. Elizabeth, stung by Darcy's haughty rejection of her at a local dance, makes it a point to match his coldness with her own venom. When the militia arrive in the town, earning the admiration of Elizabeth's flighty and immature younger sisters, Elizabeth begins a friendship with Mr. Wickham, a charming soldier with a prior acquaintance with Darcy. Upon hearing Wickham's story of his misfortune at the hands of Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth immediately seizes upon it as another, more concrete reason to hate Mr. Darcy. Unbeknown to her, Darcy finds himself gradually drawn to Elizabeth.
When Bingley leaves the countryside suddenly and makes no attempts to contact Jane any more, the young woman is heartbroken. Elizabeth, having previously thought well of Bingley, believes that there is something amiss in the way that he abandoned Jane and suspects Darcy's involvement. She is also approached by her cousin, the foolish and pompous clergyman Mr. Collins, who offers marriage to her; despite the fact that Collins is the male heir who will inherit her father's property upon his death, Elizabeth is unwilling to subject herself to a union that she knows will be unhappy for her and refuses him, much to her mother's distress. Collins subsequently marries Elizabeth's friend Charlotte Lucas, who invites Elizabeth to stay with them. Collins' parish is adjacent to Rosings Park, the grand manor of Darcy's aunt Lady Catherine de Bourgh, whom Collins is greatly obsequious towards; as a result, Elizabeth is frequently invited to Rosings, where she is again forced into contact with Darcy, who is visiting his aunt at the time. During this time, Elizabeth learns that Darcy indeed played a part in separating Bingley and Jane.
You must be a member of JacketFlap to add a video to this page. Please
Log In or
Register.
View Jane Austen's profile