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Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (Book Review)

I would like to proceed by summarising the story and then telling you what I think of this classic.

Mr. and Mrs. Bennet live at Longbourn in Hertfordshire with their five daughters. Charles Bingley, a rich, handsome,
bachelor buys a house, Netherfield near Longbourn. Mrs. Bennet, as a mother of five unmarried daughters, sees in
Bingley a prospective groom for her eldest and most beautiful daughter, Jane. Jane meets Bingley, his two sisters and
Mr. Darcy, his wealthy and handsome friend at a county ball. Bingley's jolly nature pleases everyone while Darcy is
disliked by all because of his pride. At the ball, Elizabeth, the second Bennet girl, overhears Darcy calling her 'not
beautiful enough to dance with him' and immediately builds a strong opinion of him being a proud and selfish person.

Over time, Darcy's feelings change and he is drawn towards Elizabeth. However, her repulsion is further intensified
when Mr. Wickham, a young militia officer who was the son of the former steward of the Darcy estate gives her a false
account of his behavior towards himself.
Mr. Darcy and Bingley's sisters, on sensing Bingley's regard for Jane and being repulsed by Mrs. Bennet and her three
younger daughters' lack of decency and sensibility, make Bingley leave Netherfield. Jane is left heartbroken and
Elizabeth prejudiced. However, Darcy himself could not suppress his feelings for Elizabeth and is tempted to confess
his feelings to her. Elizabeth immediately rejects his proposal by revealing her dislike for him.

The hypocrisy of the world is revealed to Elizabeth when Charlotte Lucas, her friend marries Mr. Collins, whose hand
Elizabeth had earlier rejected. Moreover, her younger sister, Lydia elopes with Wickham with no prospect of marriage,
leaving the family in a pool of shame and dismay. Mr. Darcy, who knew Wickham' s true character, traced the two and
made Wickham marry Lydia by luring him with money in order to win Elizabeth's regard. The Bingley's also return to
Hertfordshire and eventually Jane and Bingley get married.

Elizabeth learns of Darcy's role in getting Lydia and Jane settled and immediately regrets her prejudice towards him
that prevented her from acknowledging his good side. Mr. Darcy, putting aside his rank, the expectations of his family
and the inferiority of Elizabeth's birth, proposes to her again. Stripped off their respective pride and prejudice, Darcy
and Elizabeth get united.

I personally love the peek into the Victorian England households that Jane Austen offered. On one hand, there is a
noticeable similarity in the lives of the women of England and India. For example, the way Mrs. Bennet is obsessed
with getting her daughters married and how the girls are dependent upon their looks to secure their future. On the other
hand, the society of England is ahead of India in the respect that girls have freedom to choose their partners and are
quite accomplished according to the era the novel is set in.

I truly praise the author for the way she has shaped Elizabeth's and Darcy's characters.
It's remarkable how Mr. Darcy reflects over his failings, tries to change his fundamental nature and makes himself more
agreeable in his behaviour. He puts aside his ego and status and marries Elizabeth regardless of her behaviour towards
him earlier.

Elizabeth was way ahead of her time. She was neither intimidated by Mr. Darcy's wealth and property nor was
attracted towards Mr. Wickham's charms. The story highlights on the fact that one should never rely on hearsay, rather
experiences are what matter.

Amishi Kumar
XI B