Forgotten Gems
"Pride & Prejudice"
By Susie Kopecky
Apr 18, 2009 - 2:57:47 AM

VARIOUS—Written nearly 200 years ago, Jane Austen's "Pride & Prejudice" is still just as lovely as ever. The novel follows the adventures of young ladies and young men in 1813 England, searching for marriage and love. (Some of the characters even hope for both!)


The immortal first words of Jane Austen's masterpiece are such:


"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."


Oh, the wit!


And it gets even better.


Between Mr. Darcy, the independent and feisty heroine Elizabeth (Lizzy) Bennett, Lydia, Mr. Collons, Mr. Bingley and Elizabeth's colorful but lovable family and friends, nearly every possible archetype is represented, and represented well, in "Pride & Prejudice." As the novel begins, Austen shares a tongue-in-cheek (yet true) statement, something which allows the reader to feel as though he/she is on a great joke, from the start. The five Bennett sisters, roughly in their early 20s to their teens, live with their mother and father, Mrs. and Mr. Bennett. They are not poor, and yet they certainly are not wealthy. Mrs. Bennett is always on the lookout for ways to marry off her daughters to eligible bachelors, while Mr. Bennett is in no hurry to part with any of his beloved children. For most of the chacters (save for Elizabeth), life revolves around balls, marriage and wealth, though Elizabeth (like many a Disney heroine after her) yearns for something more, something more lasting and deeply meaningful... hence her ambivalence to those things most exciting to her friends and family. The main action of the novel begins after news of a handsome young bachelor's move into town. Soon after, young Bennett ladies Lizzy and Jane find their lives irrevocably changed; Jane has fallen in love with the equally kindhearted Mr. Bingley, and Lizzy is insulted and incensed by Bingley's friend Mr. Darcy, who callously claims he will not dance with Elizabeth, who he perceives to lack in beauty.


Like most of Austen's works, the main relationships are hindered from the start because of societal expectations and misunderstandings, fueled both by outside forces and by internal forces; the title "Pride & Prejudice" refers to both Elizabeth and Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Elizabeth's ego is hurt when she overhears Mr. Darcy looking down on her, and it is her own pride which keeps their verbal sparring alive, and which ultimately pushes her to "prideful" extremes (which, ironically, are what finally allow her to grow and overcome her impulses to getting even), while Mr. Darcy is also full of pride (as the reader learns, he does not change his opinions easily) and social prejudices (he looks down his nose at Elizabeth, as they are not of the same social and financial standing... he can't even propose without noting how much above her he seems himself to be).


As a novel, this particular book is an attractive one. Modern filmmakers and prominent actors still rush to portray the dashing but mysterious Mr. Darcy and the formidable and equally alluring Elizabeth Bennett. In possibly the most popular recent telling of the twisting love story, actor Colin Firth portrayed Mr. Darcy in the 1995 BBC mini-series. Firth gained so much positive attention from his role as the dreamy lead, that it was not lost on many, when he later portrayed a Mr. Darcy once more, in the comedic film version of "Bridget Jones's Diary." In 2005, Keira Knightley played heroine Elizabeth, while Donald Sutherland played her doting father, Mr. Bennett. (When reading the novel, pay special attention to his lines: depending on the film interpretation and the actor, he can be one of the comedic highlights of the show, and a perfect foil to the overly-dramatic Mrs. Bennett.)


Why is "Pride & Prejudice" still relevant today? Some say that literature should mirror life, while others lean towards the fantasy-as-art view. P&P occupies both those worlds, as the characters are easy to identify with, and yet there is a certain fairytale feeling.


P&P juggles societal expectations (women needing men for marriage, property, support), longstanding romantic notions (finding true love) and the somewhat subversive idea of a challenge to love, which ultimately strengthens said emotional connection (if Lizzy and Mr. Darcy didn't argue, the title of the novel would make less sense).


"Pride & Prejudice" is not often used as reading material in many classes, which is a great shame. However, for those lucky enough, there are classes that still use the rich text as a way to understand the time period, the dawning of the nineteenth century. "Pride & Prejudice" is one of those forgotten gems that still shines above the competition.


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