PRIDE & PREJUDICE

not actual cover-Behance. 

Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austen
Barnes & Noble | March 14, 2011
First Published: January 28, 1813

       Jane Austen's witty comedy of manners-one of the most popular novels of all time-tells the story of Mr and Mrs Bennet's five unmarried daughters after the rich and eligible Mr Bingley and his status-conscious friend, Mr Darcy, have moved into their neighbourhood. "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." So begins the novel, that features splendidly civilized sparring between the proud Mr. Darcy and the prejudiced Elizabeth Bennet as they play out their spirited courtship in a series of eighteenth-century drawing-room intrigues.

I made the mistake of reading a Classic by myself and watching the movie adaptation before reading it. I've always read Classics in school and had a teacher analyze the text with me. It was difficult for me to "fully appreciate" this book because I don't know how to. I saw a reviewer comment on how Jane Austen is 'comedy gold', but I wasn't able to recognize the wit and charm in the text. I was able to on occasion, only because they weren't subtle and a simpleton like me could understand it. The dialogue was always 'she cried', 'he cried', 'they cried', etc. I would have like more varied word cues. 

I didn't enjoy the book in the beginning, but I gradually understood and enjoyed it as I continued. For example, I didn't like Mrs. Bennet because I found her incredibly obnoxious and loud. I also didn't like how she tried marrying off her daughters and showed them off like objects. She was this merchant who was selling her wares-her daughters. 

A good volume and a half of it (that's how the B&N version is formatted, not sure about other editions) was droll. It was balls, cousin trying to marry me, courting, he leaves, she's sad, naive girls flirting with officers, an excitable mother, and a father that doesn't care. The most exciting parts of the book were when Lydia almost embarrassed the family and when Elizabeth and Darcy had an argument in Rosings. I thought the plot really thickened at those parts. I might've liked those parts because I was expecting it-those parts were also my favorite in the movie.

Another thing I really liked was Elizabeth and Jane's relationship. I loved how close they were, how they shared their feelings with each other, and how they were the most "mature" in their family. Their mother is loud and silly; their father is cold and indifferent; Mary is conceited and haughty; Kitty is a follower; Lydia is foolish. Elizabeth and Jane are also flawed, but they're more forgiving(?) They weren't, how do you put this lightly, annoying. I agree with Darcy when he said that the majority of Bennets were uncivil. It was great to see how the characters "correct their flaws" and develop into better people. They became more aware and saw things differently after being told their flaws-character growth/development.

If you have time and patience, you will finish the book. Most of it is boring, please don't kill me, but it's a great novel that you have to read in life. It's not life-changing, but it's still a decent read.