Wait a minute, you’re asking yourself, “Pride and Prejudice”? Isn’t it one of those ancient books written over 100 years ago that your English teacher made you read back in high school? The answer is yes, it was first published over 100 years ago and hopefully someone did make you read this because it is a true classic.
Jane Austen is one of the great masters of English literature and “Pride and Prejudice” is her most popular and some say, best written novel. It has been republished numerous times since its original publication in the early 1800s, and has seen reproductions in four BBC television dramas, along with at least five film adaptations since 1936, and also serves as the inspirational “theme” for a variety of romantic comedy flicks like “You’ve Got Mail” and “Bridget Jones’ Diary.”
It has also been retold in a series of popular satirical books that take a comedic spin on the classic romance tale. “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies” is described as “the classic Regency romance, now with ultraviolent Zombie mayhem!” This version is a hilarious romp through the world of romance and zombies, but it doesn’t appeal to everyone’s taste.
Michael O'Mara Books (Elibron Classics series) recently released “Pride and Prejudice,” along with several other of Austen’s novels, in hardcover format in a more modern, readable typeface. Even if you have previously read the novel, you owe it to yourself to pick up this fascinating tale again.
Austen’s timeless tale recounts the story of three English families from varying social backgrounds. Austen provides a realistic picture of life in England in the 1800s, including the strict social mores which dictate how a person’s life is led—who they can marry, what work they can do, where they can live, and who can tell them what to do.
Through the years, the novel has been criticized by some as only romantic comedy with no redeeming qualities. However, it has held up over the past hundred years precisely because it is so much more than that. It is a witty, sharp masterpiece of life in 18th century British society—when the men ruled and women spent their days trying to contrive a “successful” (money) marriage. It did not matter how old, how ugly, how mean a man was—if he had wealth and station, then eager mothers would throw their daughters at him in hopes of winning his hand in matrimony.
In this novel, the main family is the Bennetts, who are of the middle class gentry. They are accepted by society, as their father is part of the upper class, but they have very little money, and the tragedy of having five daughters in the family. So, their mother spends most of her waking moments worrying about marrying them off.
Several suitors are brought to the table, including a young Mr. Bingley, whom the eldest daughter Jane falls in love with. However, she feels it is hopeless that they will ever get together. Meanwhile, the youngest daughter, Lydia is bound to inflict scandal on the family by running away with the first man she meets. But the main character and narrator is the second eldest daughter, Elizabeth, called Lizzy by everyone in the family. Lizzy meets and falls in love with Mr. Darcy, who is extremely rich with an enormous estate. However, Darcy proves to be extremely prideful, and shows displeasure with Lizzy’s overbearing mother, which in turn drives Lizzy to believe every negative thing she hears about him—this is where the “prejudice” in the novel’s title comes from.
We witness a battle of the sexes (Jane Austen had to be one of the first “feminists” in the English-speaking world), the truth about British society and politics, and perhaps, a glimpse into how these truths are still relevant to today’s world. We also see the game of love played out in multiple scenarios with various couples. Some succeed and some fail, but it’s all widely entertaining.
“Pride and Prejudice” is truly one of the funniest, sharpest novels ever written and the cast of characters is one you will not forget. So whether or not you read it before, this timeless classic of wit and wisdom is definitely worth your time.
