It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a signle man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
- For Thursday, January 24: Chapters 1-29 (if your edition has continuous chapters); through Volume 11, Chapter 6 (if your edition has three volumes).
- For Tuesday, January 29: finish the novel.
Posting: First by 11pm on Monday, January 23; second on or by January 31.
32 comments:
I am very much enjoying this novel. Some major themes I have noticed so far throughout the story are the effects of pride and vanity, and how they relate with one's social class. The Bennets are seen as a rather low class due to their small amount of fortune, so many people of higher fortunes look down upon them and many men see them as unsuitable for marriage, not only because of money but also because they do not have good connections and are not very active in fashionable society. Marriage is often presented as an establishment for convenience rather than for any romantic ideal. Mr. Collins wishes to marry one of his cousins so that he may have a wife and that he may ensure the Bennet's estate might remain with them since it initially will belong to him on the death of Mr. Bennet. He is incredibly vain, always trying to impress the people around him and can not understand why Elizabeth would refuse his marriage proposal, thinking himself a very desirable husband. Charlotte Lucas agrees to marry him not out of any fondness for him, but for the security of having a home since she has little money and is not exceedingly beautiful so does not hope for another marriage proposal. This causes her to lose some respect from Elizabeth, who is very critical of those around her and is often dissatisfied. With her wit she is able to discern many faults in people's characters. Her father seems to be the same way, asserting that his two youngest daughters are uncommonly silly in their obsession with flirting, gossip, and other frivolous activities. Many of the characters are exceedingly prideful and think themselves superior to most, such as Lady De Bourgh, Miss Bingley, and Mr. Darcy.
It is interesting to see how people of that time period interacted, especially across different social classes. They all seemed quick to judge people on something as simple as how they walk.
I’ve been attempting to read the novel “fresh”, as if I’d never read it before, but found that very difficult. I very much enjoyed hearing the comments of the girl in class (I’m sorry – I can’t remember her name) who really was reading it for the first time. I do recall disliking Darcy for the first half of the book, just naturally taking his character as it was seen by Elizabeth, whose opinion I trusted. For the same reason I thought Wickham was a swell guy. It’s a mark of Austen’s talent as a writer that she’s able to let a story unfold without making the ending obvious. (Though of course it must end in somebody getting married).
As far as the community of women represented here, I think it’s actually a fairly realistic depiction. As in any community, there is a mix of personalities, abilities and intentions. Sadly, it is also realistic in that the “bad” people and the people with no sense outnumber the “good” and sensible. Mrs. Bennett is little more than a madam, seeking to sell her daughters to the highest bidder – a concept seen as the norm in the society in which they live. Then there’s the family’s protector, Elizabeth, and her deputy, Jane. I feel that these two can be seen as one woman split in half – Jane possesses more genuine “goodness” but has an inordinately naive optimism regarding human nature, which Elizabeth practically tries to check, in order to avoid problematic situations. On the other hand, Elizabeth has something to learn from this optimism, as she realizes her prejudices and eagerness to be right sometimes leads her to make mistakes that mortify her later. Lydia is just disgustingly selfish and inconsiderate, and thinks that being pretty and what passes as charming entitles her to grab whatever she wants, and then expect someone else to pay for it (that’s something that certainly hasn’t changed much in the last 200 years!).
No matter how many times I read this book, I am always struck by the literary miracle I believe it to be. It is “about” some very serious, important issues, but at the same time hilariously (and intelligently) funny and entertaining. It amazes me how there are so many subplots and so much going on all at the same time – it’s just hard to believe that one woman had that capacity for imagination along with the talent to write so well. It's been my experience that you rarely get both in one book.
I, like Alice here, am having trouble reading this, thus commenting, from a "fresh" perspective. This makes the third, maybe even fourth time I've read this novel, so the element of surprise is definitely gone. I do remember when I read this the first time being very taken by the spirit of Elizabeth. I thought that Jane Austen was very ahead of her time in creating a character that is so head strong, intelligent, and quick on her feet. She is not brainwashed like others in her society. She thinks for herself, which granted is what gets her into trouble, but I admire the fact that she comes to her own conclusions in her own time in her own way. The dynamic between she and her mother is quite interesting. For example, when Elizabeth comments on her mother's obsession with all of them finding a good match and Mrs. Bennet says something to the effect of do not judge me because you do not have four daughters to take care of. I like that Austen represents both sides of this debate that a woman must marry in this society during this time to survive, but she can still have love.
In response to Lori Baker, I also really liked the unique character of Elizabeth that does seem incredibly unique coming from that time period. She is very strong and independent. Mrs. Bennet seems to go along with the theme of frivolity in the fashionable world. She seems exceedingly shallow in comparison to Elizabeth with her sole desire seeming to be to get her daughters married off and being constangly trying to please people to such an extent as to make her seem silly. This makes Mrs. Bennet's character embarrasing and obnoxious, whereas Elizabeth is easier to relate to and admire.
Well i finished the novel on Saturday because I just couldn't put it down. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this because I felt like I never knew what was going to happen next. I hadn't read this novel before, as was probably obvious by my comments in class, but I am so glad that I have finally read it. Jane Austin's writing was very brilliant and captured me from start to finish.
At first it was a little difficult understanding the language she wrote in, but after the first few chapters I got used to it and was able to read through it much easier. As I was reading I felt more and more like I was Elizabeth, and I saw each of the characters through her eyes. I hated Darcy and loved Wickham just as she did in the beginning. When Elizabeth received the letter from Darcy explaining how wrong she had been in her judgements, I felt just as embarassed as she did for judging him so.
I also loved her father's character. I enjoyed his sarcastic comments to the family that always added much humor. I laughed so hard at his comment regarding Elizabeth having to lose a parent, because if she didn't marry Mr. Collins her mother would never speak to her, and if she did, he would never speak to her. Anytime her father was in the scene, I learned to expect the unexpected!
As I mentioned in class, I had an idea that maybe Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth would end up together somehow, but I didn't think that Jane and Mr. Bingley would work things out. Their engagement surprised me much more than Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's. In the end, though, I was very pleased with how everything was settled. I love a good romance novel with lots of twists and turns that concludes with a happy ending, and that was exactly what this novel was to me!
@lauren:
I loved reading your comments on this book! P&P is one of my all-time favorite novels and it's so cool to hear what someone reading it for the first time has to say about it. I've always felt the same way you do about Mr. Bennett. I mean, I know I've read this book at least 20 times, and I still laugh like anything almost every time he speaks. I love it when Mrs. B. says she "should not mind anything at all" if it weren't for the entail, and he says "Let us be thankful that you are preserved from a state of such insensibility". You just don't find that kind of cleverness in modern novels - at least, I don't! If you have a good chance in a year or two, read it over again - it'll be even better the 2nd time, even if you do know the ending. Thanks for sharing your experience!
Can I start off by saying that I hate this blogger thingy website deal? This is my third attempt to post a comment after the first two were erased mysteriously by the all knowing powers that be in cyber space. So this may not be as intellectually stimulating as my first couple of posts.
Basically, I'm not impressed so far by the novel and I'm puzzled as to where the women's communities are. At first I found it very engaging and easy to read (I like short chapters; they make me feel like I'm accomplishing more than I am). But as the plot dragged on, I became more and more annoyed with the majority of the female characters - their divisiveness and single-mindedness. The exception of course is Elizabeth. I love the idea of Elizabeth - an early female character with intelligence, wit, sarcasm and independence. But so far in the novel, she's done little to deserve those characteristics. I think my perceptions of her are influenced by her iconic value as one of the first "feminist" characters. Anyways, I can't remember anything else I wrote in the last two blog posts... Maybe I'll have something of interest to say tomorrow in class.
Ah, Pride and Prejudice. Is there an English major who doesn't love this book? In my opinion, there is so much that can be talked about concerning this book. The characters are just so colorful. You have characters that you hate and characters that you love. I know I just can't stand Mr. Collins. Whenever I read it I always imagine the A&E version of Pride and Prejudice and the Mr. Collins character is just terrible! They couldn't have picked a better man to play him. Anywho, I really like Mr. Bennet and the bond that he seems to share with Elizabeth and not with his other daughters. It is nice that he is not as concerned as his wife is about marrying them off.
Speaking of Mrs. Bennet, I can see where it is easy to strongly dislike her. She is obviously selfish, whiney, annoying, and she only seems to be concerned about one thing (marrying off her daughters). However, I think with a bit of an open mind, we can sympathize with her. She knows that once her husband is gone, her daughters could easily be out with nowhere to go. She is just trying to protect them. What would we think of her if she was not concerned about their future marriages? I tend to think we may not like her very much given her daughters' situations.
Pride and Prejudice is a great love story. I am reminded of the movie, "You've Got Mail" where Meg Ryan's character tells Tom Hanks' character that he should read Pride and Prejudice and that she is "always in agony over whether Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy are REALLY going to get together!" It is a thought that you don't have at the beginning of this novel, but as it progresses you think "ahhh Mr. Darcy!" (At least thats what I think).
Anywho, I'll always love this book. It is a great story.
-Elizabeth Bowman Phelps
Pride and Prejudice is, by far, my favorite Austen novel. Something must be said for a work that has survived throughout the years, been adapted for the screen on several occasions, and inspired a number of other works like Darcy's Story, Bridget Jones's Diary and Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife. By the way, there's a really great Modern-day film adaptation out there called Pride and Prejudice: A Latter-Day Comedy and it is fantastic. If any of you get a chance to watch it, you should.
As far as different themes in the novel, I feel that righteousness is a huge theme. We eventually see our characters being punished or rewarded accordingly for their actions and integrity (or lack thereof).
The different women in the book reflect the pressures that women dealt with during that time. While they might seem "single-minded," one must remember that marrying well was one of the only ways a woman could secure a future for herself and her family. It's easy to become exasperated with Mrs. Bennett but, at the same time, this is a woman who is trying desperately to keep her family afloat; she isn't just a fussy mother who wants her daughters to marry rich men, she is aware that after her husband dies they will be completely destitute and w/out a home.
Although this isn't the first time I've read the novel - it is the first time that I've done so with specific questions in mind versus merely entertaining myself. I think posting on the boards helps, and reading everyone's comments because you're all making very good points and picking out a few things that I haven't really thought of before.
And phaedra, I had the same problem the first time I posted. I'd recommend highlighting your post, right-clicking, then copying it before you attempt to submit it - that way if it's lost you can always just paste it and try again :-)
About the postings, I've noticed that you need to "choose an identity" before you type in the code & submit; otherwise the program will expect you to do it again before it gets posted. And Miranda's suggestion of writing your response in Word and copying it here is a good one, to ensure that you have your original words in a safe place in case there is a problem. So far I haven't run into any difficulties using this method.
When I first saw that we were reading Pride and Prejudice I was a little dissapointed because I've seen several movie versions of the book. However, after reading the novel I have a better sense of the characters and the overall story.
I agree with many of the responses about Mr.Bennet, who is probably my favorite character. While I loved all the sarcasim and bright comments throughout the novel, my favorite scene is the end when Lady Catherine's plan backfires!
Overall, I really enjoyed reading Pride and Prejudice even though I have seen the movies several times. Really random, but did anyone else picture Mr.Darcy as Collin Firth and Elizabeth as Keira Knightly? ha just wondering.
I've been thinking more about the discussion that ended class on Tuesday about whether or not the ideas in this book are "revolutionary". It seemed to me the prevailing opinion of the class that Pride and Prejudice was forward-thinking, that it presented a more progressive view of women than that contained in Millenium Hall. I'm not convinced. It seems to me that all of these women were just doing what they were supposed to. Sure, Lydia ran off with Wickham with no regard for the damage she was doing to her family's reputation. But in the end, they were married. She backpeddled, if you will. Even Elizabeth, the "least repressed" female in the novel, eventually settled down and lived a life that conformed in every way to what was expected of her. I am, however, impressed with her ability to effectively point out Darcy's flaws AND get him to modify his behavior in such a way as to eliminate them. I've never found a man so easy to train...
I also don't think the novel is progressive in the terms in which we may define progressive, but I do understand why the novel was seen as progressive in its own time. While now we see Elizabeth's eventual marriage as conforming to society's expectations of her, we must not forget that Elizabeth did not merely marry for convenience or for money like the other ladies did. Elizabeth made it perfectly clear, it seems, that she had no intention of marrying Darcy without being somewhat in love with him (and I do use the term love loosely). Although the novel has the typical sickening happy marriage ending of the time, Elizabeth's character and attitude makes the novel what it has apparently been labeled: progressive. Austen gave women a voice through Elizabeth. Elizabeth was able to feel things and say things that I am certain many women wanted to feel and say in that time period.
On another note, I, as well, loved Mr. Bennett's character. My favorite part has to been when he finds out that Mrs. Bennett wants Elizabeth accept a proposal of marriage, from Mr. Collins I believe, that Elizabeth has no desire to accept and he tells Elizabeth she will never see one of her parents again after this day for if she doesn't accept she'll never see her mother and if she does, she'll never see him! That was classic.
Whenever I first read this book, I read it with the intent of trying to figure out who it is that is supposedly proud and who is prejudice. After reading this book I have the opinion that Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth both represent pride and prejudice. It is obvious that Mr. Darcy is a very proud individual. As far as his prejudiced nature goes, he himself says that his good opinion once lost is gone forever. Also, he seems to already form opinions about people he comes in contact with without really knowing anything about them (like the Bennett family). I think Elizabeth is prejudice because she never really gives Darcy a chance (until later in the novel of course). She just assumes that what Wickham tells her is the truth and doesn't even think that Darcy might have a completely different story to tell. She has her mind made up that he is a 'bad man' without even knowing him. I don't think she is as proud as Darcy, but there is still some pride there in my opinion. She definitely has to swallow her pride and admit that she is wrong when she finds out the truth about Darcy.
Tuesday we talked about whether or not we think this novel is progressive given the changes that Elizabeth makes. I would say that it is. Yes Elizabeth changes some things, but I think it is only for the sake and benefit of her relationship with Darcy. She clearly still has the same spunk and spirit as she did before. Darcy had to change as well. Both Elizabeth and Darcy did what they had to do in order to be with each other. Don't we all have to give a little when dealing with romantic relationships?
-Elizabeth Bowman Phelps
After hearing what Dr. Cajka said about the scenes leading up to the first proposal, I had to go back and read it again. I think it is Mr. Darcy's arrogance that leads him to believe that Elizabeth is flirting with him through her sarcasm. I feel Elizabeth's pain so to speak in this situation. I have definitely spoken my mind to a guy in this way a number of times and he thought this was some kind of code that I was interested and it led to an embarrassing scene where I had to turn him down, much like Elizabeth. That scene means much more to me now that I have looked at it in this light.
As far as this novel being progressive, I find it to be very much so. I think we in the 21st century are programed to think that marriage in any form is not progressive, but it can be. The relationship that Elizabeth and Darcy have is progressive. The fact that they seem to have an equal partnership is what we are all striving for after all. I think feminism wants both the woman and the man to compromise. That's my thought on that anyway.
I agree with LB in that you can't label a novel "progressive" or not from a modern standpoint; you have to consider the time in which it was written. I think that this is a progressive, and a feminist, work. The fact that Austen wasn't angry and acerbic about men and marriage doesn't make her any less a feminist - Elizabeth's character, I believe, proves that, along with her aunt Gardiner's egalitarian (as far as we know) marriage and the fact that Darcy (who has good sense) wants to help his sister come into her own, rather than seeking to overpower her. Also, who are we to criticize, when we live in a time and place where it's still a Big Deal to even think about electing a female president?
After watching the recent version of Pride and Prejudice with Kierra Knightly I have to say that I was not impressed. I am SO glad that I read this book before I ever saw a movie of it. The book was a million times better (as the books usually are). You get so much more into the character's thoughts and you see so much in the novel that you never get in the movie. Kierra Knightly's giggly version of Elizabeth wasn’t what I imagined her as, and Mr. Darcy’s character was just played by a terrible actor. I am very interested to see the other version of P&P that I hear is so much better.
Although the movie wasn’t that great, it did make me realize something I hadn’t caught onto while first reading the novel. I kept thinking throughout the whole first part of the movie that Elizabeth’s character wasn’t acting right; I kept thinking “no she’s supposed to hate him right now” or “she said that in much harsher words in the novel.” But as we talked briefly about in class, if you go back and re-read her words and her actual actions to Darcy, you can see that he actually did have reason to believe that she was interested in him, and that maybe Elizabeth’s giggly, flirty character wasn’t quite as inaccurate as I thought. In the book we know so much more of her thoughts that we see everything from her view, but in the movie it made me see everything more from Darcy’s view. It inspired me to go back and re-read some of the conversations they shared before he proposed to her.
I also thought that Pride and Prejudice was a great title for the novel. It seemed that many times it was the pride of the characters that caused them to develop prejudices, and it was very interesting how Austin paired the two. Pride and prejudice were certainly two of the main themes of the novel. In the end we realize that sometimes it is only after we get past our own pride and prejudices that we can see people for how they truly are!!
In response to Rachel Layer, Elizabeth Bowman Phelps, Alice Kyteler, Lauren McBride and all the comments made about Mr. Bennet, I’d have to agree that he is probably the most sympathetic character of the novel. However, even though his sarcasm and wit serve as the novel’s main vehicle of humor and lightness, it is precisely this aspect of Mr. Bennet’s personality that gives him to some extent a sense of detachment from his family. If we would question the quality or successfulness of Mr. Bennet’s paternal role, I would not be comfortable saying that he was a champion at it. For example when Lydia ran away with Wickham it was Mr. Gardiner that took care of the business and assumed the paternal role. In previous situations, he uses sarcasm as a way to disengage himself from the circumstances and does not offer any real solutions to the problem, but instead emphasizes it. At this point, it is a question of perspectives, whether one sees sarcasm as a protest of weakness or as one of strength.
And now changing the subject into Jane Austen’s purpose in writing the novel, I believe that it is crystal clear: “don’t judge a book by its cover.” Throughout the novel, Austen keeps highlighting that pride and prejudice (I agree with Lauren McBride, that Pride and Prejudice is a great title for the novel) often interfere with our true feelings and even mislead us into what we think our true feelings are. It is needless to say that Elizabeth and Darcy are the personification of this internal struggle. At the end of the novel it is resolved by Darcy’s acknowledgement of Elizabeth as more than just a lower-class lady (prejudice based upon socio-economic status) and vice versa, by Elizabeth’s acknowledgement of Darcy as more than just a rich conceited gentleman. Both characters suffer a transformation by the end of the novel.
- Sodapop
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I admit without pleasure that I am partial to romance novels from the same time period. I also admit that it was very refreshing to read a less formulaic and shallow, meaning more creative, intelligent and worthy book set in this time.
My favorite character must be Mrs. Bennet. Can anybody be more delusional, obnoxious and wacko?
Pride in Prejudice is a very well developed and fascinating novel. Jane Austen is so great at developing her characters in this novel. She writes in a very believable way in the sense that you can relate to all her characters. She combines the classes and social society of the time to make you feel very close to the novel and its characters.
Her themes are still true and resonate today. She puts an emphasis on first impressions and how people can make assumptions about others too quickly. It can take one unforgiving instance for a person's reputation to be ruined in one's eyes. Her book is about moving past these impressions by getting to know the person involved. She transcends the divides of society and wealth in that time by uniting figures of different classes in the form of Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth. Jane Austen was a bold writer who wrote about love in a time when love was laughed at and money took precedent in marriage.
~Mary
I agree with Lauren McBride that in the novel, pride and prejudice seem to go hand in hand. It seems as though each character has a certain degree of pride, which causes them to develop prejudices against various other characters. Mr. Darcy, of course, is probably the proudest character, which causes him to be prejudiced against those of lower classes (namely, the Bennets). Similarly, Lady Catherine de Burgh is extremely arrogant and condescending to everyone else. The main difference between these two characters is that Mr. Darcy evolves and becomes much less proud and close-minded, whereas Lady Catherine remains the same. I even believe that Elizabeth’s prejudice against Mr. Darcy stems from her pride; she only vows to never like him after he states that she “is not handsome enough to tempt me.”
I also agree with Cindy that the novel does not satisfy our definition of “progressive,” but at the time, it was probably viewed as revolutionary. For the time, Elizabeth Bennet was an extremely radical character; she was a woman who not only voiced her opinions, but also refused to follow society’s definition of an ideal woman. Also, it is interesting that Elizabeth’s love for Darcy after she saw Pemberley. There are two interpretations to this. First, it could be said that Elizabeth reveals her materialistic side, and she begins to desire to be the mistress of such a luxurious and beautiful house as Pemberley. On the other hand, it could also be said that Elizabeth began to love Darcy after she saw Pemberley, which is the representation of Darcy’s inner personality. She saw him in his own environment, where he felt comfortable and safe, and where he was at his best. I’m not sure which one Austen meant it to be.
Unlike Lauren Mcbride, I have enjoyed the movie much more than I did the book. However, I did not like the book very much at all so that may be why I think the movie is better. In previous experience, I have found many books to start off slow but they often pick up and become interesting. I thought Pride and Prejudice would be the same way. I never could get into the book though and it was a very difficult book for me to read. After finishing it, I thought that it could have been condensed into a much shorter novel and at many times was over descriptive in places that didn’t necessarily need the description. The majority of the women in this book came across as very superficial and dependent in my opinion and that contributed to my dislike of the book as a whole.
I agree with Alice Keytler’s comment that Austen’s talent as a writer leads readers to trust Elizabeth’s opinion of the characters in the story, especially Darcy and Mr. Wickham. Reading this book for the first time, I did not know how it would end and early on my opinion of the characters were greatly influenced by what Elizabeth said about them. I perceived Wickham to be a very good man, similar to what many people consider an all American kind of guy these days, and was definitely in favor or Elizabeth marrying him. I was not too impressed by Darcy in the beginning although I am not completely sure why, perhaps I was more influenced by Elizabeth that I thought. By the end my opinion of both changed and I was very happy to see Elizabeth follow her heart and very surprised by Lydia’s marriage to Wickham.
-Jessi
Pride and Prejudice was really hard for me to get into personally but once I got halfway through it I began liking it a bit more.At the end though, I really enjoyed like the themes and events that reoccured through out the book. They were things that still occur today in real life and in movies so it made to novel more interesting and closer to home.
I also really enjoyed the complexity of all of the characters. There was so many different personalities that i found myself associating the characters with people that are in my life. I, For the most part, thoroughly enjoyed and related to most of the characters. On the other hand there were a few that i just loved to hate such as Darcy, but towards the end his character evolved and i really began to like him. ALso Mr.Wickham and Mr.Collins i cant quite put my finger on exactly what it is about those two but i couldnt stand them during the entire book.
Another thing i enjoyed about the book was the complexity of the situations. At some points it was a little difficult to keep up with everything that was going on though.But i really enjoyed it because i had no idea what exactly was going to happen next and it kept me on my toes.
~Alexis~
So Pride and Prejudice was kind of a painful read for me. I really didn't like the overall plot, and I thought it was way too long. It seemed to me that the whole book could have been written in 150 pages instead of 350 pages. But I won't bash the whole thing. There were several characters who definitely sparked my interest. Mary, for one, seemed pretty neglected. I guess some of that was because she was the middle child. Still, I felt she was discriminated against just because she preferred reading to going to balls. It was pretty unfair that she was mostly ignored just because she was an introvert.
On the other hand, I really disliked Miss Bingley. She is one of those characters that I truly wish something bad had happened to in the end, although losing Mr. Darcy might have been punishment enough. Throughout the book she was extremely poisonous, and often for no reason at all. I guess today's standards are different, but she really felt like both Jane and Elizabeth were below her just because they had less money. In reality, it seemed to me as if Jane was prettier and Elizabeth was smarter.
Finally, we come to my favorite character, Mr. Bennet. He cracks me up! I love the way he's so nonchalant about everything. The only time he ever really shows emotion is when Lydia runs off with Wickham, and even then after they get married he's back to usual. I even feel sorry for him, because his wife is so fussy about everything. But she is a good foil and it is through her he provides some of the better laughs in the book.
Overall, I'd rather not read this again, but it wasn't quite as painful as I thought it would be.
- furrylittlemanager
This was my first time reading Pride and Prejudice, and I found it rather difficult to get through. It wasn't the writing style in particular, even though I thought that it was painfully detailed; I just wasn't interested in the overall plot. I thought that the novel had an extremely slow beginning, and really never began to pick up. However, there were certain aspects of the novel that I enjoyed.
While reading P&P, I liked trying to determine who was affected by pride, and who by prejudice. And having finished the novel, I think that all of the characters were affected by both in some way. I agree with Meenu in saying that both go hand-in-hand; in most of the cases in the novel, prejudice stems from the character's pride.
I was somewhat disappointed, though, with the development of Mr. Wickham's character. When he was first introduced, I rather liked him. But after the truth of his past was revealed- and after he took advantage of Lydia and the Bennet family- my opinion entirely changed. I was just sad to see this twist in the novel.
Overall, I suppose this book wasn't too bad. It just definitely wasn't one of my favorites.
-cate
Even though Pride & Prejudice was overdetailed in some parts of the story (like when Lydia elopes with Wickham), I mostly enjoyed it. I agree with Meenu and LB that we cannot judge whether it is "progressive" or not from a modern stand point since the society it was published in was totally different from the one we live in today, at least in our part of the world. I found a little annoying the fact that in the end Darcy and Elizabeth get married and that is what constitutes their whole happiness, finding their "true love", but we need to keep in mind that finding "true love" in another social and economic class was very revolutionary at the time. The book also presents Elizabeth as a very intelligent and independent woman, which is something many did not believe to exist at the time.
Another character I thought to be revolutionary was Lady Catherine. Despite the fact that we are obviously meant to hate her in the end of the book (which I did), I could not help noticing how respected and admired she is. I never really noticed the lack of equality in men and women that characterized that time period when looking at her. She is the one who holds the most power in the book and represents authority for many. Everyone looks for her approval, which I found very interesting, since I would have thought that this character would have been represented by a man considering the time period. I liked seeing a woman in a position of power, even if she was very elitist and the villain.
In general, I liked the book but thought that the plot was too obvious and dry.
~Maria
This was not my first time reading this book (more like my fourth or fifth). The first time I read it I did not like it. I thought Austen's writing was indirect and "fluffy". The second time I read it, I became more involved with the characters and the reasons for Austin's subtlety of writing. I became particularly drawn to Darcy. The first three quarters of the novel lead us to dislike Darcy extremely, and I always thought this was little unfair. To me he seemed like a very underrepresented character, with a lot of negativity directed toward him, and no real defense or even response from him.
While Mr. Wickham was a character we were supposed to like, I always disliked him. His story about Mr. Darcy was just a little too convenient, and I was suspicious of that and his motives. Who knows of the late Mr. Darcy really did intend to leave an inheritance to Mr. Wickham, or if Mr. Wickham was simply one of those people who enjoyed others' sympathy.
By the third time through this book, I really enjoyed it. I was able to read between the lines in a way, and look at the intricacy with which Austen wrote, enabling her to create a micro-universe inside her novel much like the time period it's set in.
-Ava
This was my first time reading this novel, as well as my first Austen book. I had high expectations, and was thoroughly disappointed. I suppose I expected a stronger story plot, as opposed to the vague and drawn out story that it turned out to be. I found the novel to be rather dry, and the ending disappointing. I thought that it was entirely too predictable.
Being the center character, I've noticed that just about everyone really likes Lizzy. However, I did not take a liking to her. I found her to be rude and quick to judge. She prided herself on her sense of judgement, and she had a strong opinion on everyone. It turned out that many of her quick judgements were false. Her so-called "wit" did not charm me into liking her character, either. She was revolutionary for her time, I suppose, since she intended on marrying for love rather than convenience. Yet at the end I as disappointed, she married for love, but it was also a marriage of convenience.
Erin
This was my third time reading this book. Although I dislike it, I’m glad I’ve read it multiple times. I mostly didn’t like it because of the subtleties in which the entire plot is based. I didn’t catch all of these the first time, so by the second and third reads I gleaned a better understanding of the book. I still thought the writing style was rather dry, and I often found myself half asleep while reading, not absorbing anything I read.
I agree with Maria; it was very interesting that the arguably most powerful character in the book was female. It is obvious that Lady Catherine must have had a husband; after all, she had a daughter and was very highly respected, so she was married at some point. I have to wonder why we see more of her and not her husband. It’s possible that he died, however it seems like the book would have mentioned this tragedy considering the excruciating detail of people’s life stories. If Austin’s world is kin to that of Chopin’s, it makes sense. In The Awakening the woman belonged strictly to the domestic and social realms and the man the monetary and worldly realms. If this code is applicable to Pride and Prejudice it makes sense that we would see Lady Catherine and not her husband, since the book revolves around social affaires. This view of Lady Catherine, however, is not nearly as feministic, but it does seem more realistic for the time period.
Another thing I didn’t like about the book was the society it was set in. Everything seemed so strict and stiff. I don’t know how people stayed sane under such constrictions. I have to wonder, however, if this is merely because I’m not used to the society depicted in Pride and Prejudice. How constrictive would our society seem to someone who didn’t live in it everyday, who wasn’t born into it and raised according to its laws and obligations? I doubt that I would think the society in Pride and Prejudice stiff and suffocating if I had been raised in it. One can not possibly judge one’s own self and one’s own society completely objectively. Our prejudices are too hard to overcome for that.
~Chelsea~
@chelsea:
I found your comments thoughtful and insightful. While I do truly love this book, I can see your point about the writing, unless you just personally like that kind (like I do). I also thought your remarks about the difficulties of clearly understanding a society in which one has never lived were well said.
The Pride and Prejudice was a hard book for me to understand and get into. One thing i enjoyed about the book was the many different situations. Sometimes it was difficult for me keep up with everything that was going on though. But i liked it because you no idea what was going to happen next and thats one thing that kept me interested in the novel. -larae
This is my first time reading this book. I thought that the language made the novel drag by, however I did like the fact that I never knew what as going to happen next. I also loved Elizabeth. Her character is so strong. She can make extremly witty remarks in the blink of an eye, but that does seem to get her into trouble sometimes! In the begining, I thought of Mr. Darcy as the rudest character in the world. He seemed to be so arrogant and mean hearted to everyone in sight, but of course by the end of the novel my opinion of him had changed drastically. The society they lived in got on my nerves because it seemed as though the only thing the women were doing was looking for a wealthy man to marry. They lived only to go to social events on the hunt for a mate. This novel, while difficult to understand with the language used, was a great romantic tale with a fabulous main character!
Kimberly
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