TITLE: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
AUTHOR: JANE AUSTEN
Pages: 253
Date: 28/03/2013
Grade: 4
Details: Book Club Selection
Kindle
Own
The Blurb:
"It is a truth universally
acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want
of a wife."
When Elizabeth Bennet first meets eligible
bachelor Fitzwilliam Darcy, she thinks him arrogant and conceited, while he
struggles to remain indifferent to her good looks and lively mind. When she
later discovers that Darcy has involved himself in the troubled relationship
between his friend Bingley and her beloved sister Jane, she is determined to
dislike him more than ever. In the sparkling comedy of manners that follows,
Jane Austen shows the folly of judging by first impressions and superbly evokes
the friendships, gossip and snobberies of provincial middle-class life.
It is very hard to
write something original about a story that is ‘universally’ this well known. I
mean there can’t be many people in the world who haven’t read the book or seen
one of the many movies and TV-shows that have been based on this story. I know
that I can never think of Darcy with imagining Colin Firth with his wet shirt
plastered to his chest. And that brings me to my first issue with this book,
which isn’t book related at all if I’m honest. I discovered that I really don’t
like reading a book (for the first time I should add) when I’m already
completely aware of the story in it. What is more, I don’t like having other
people’s ideas of what the characters look like in my head before I have had a
chance to form my own. With this book, unfortunately, that was unavoidable and
I know it influenced my enjoyment of the story.
On the other hand,
I did enjoy reading Pride and Prejudice. I liked the insight it gave into life at
the turn of the 19th century. I loved having a closer look at how
the middle and upper classes lived and interacted. The descriptions of the
interactions between those of different standing were as fascinating as it was
unimaginable to this modern mind.
The way the title
is reflected in the two main characters – with Darcy’s Pride running head first
into Elizabeth’s
Prejudice – was a joy to read and maybe not as specific to the time the story
is set in as I would like to think.
And that brings me
to my next observation. It is astonishing to think how little romance novels
have changed over the past 200 years. In this book we find all the elements we
would expect in modern novels: the misunderstandings, the dastardly villain, the
broody and seemingly distant hero, the quirky and spirited heroine, the nice
girl and the vixen they all make an appearance and play their role in the
story. In fact, were this a modern romance I would call it predictable and
uninspired so well does it cover every possible plot device. Remembering when
this book was actually written I will call it clever.
Another thing that fascinated me was the social
commentary Jane Austen provides in this story. The snobbery of the middle
classes, the contempt of those in the higher classes for those they perceive as
being less than them, and the importance of money when it comes to being able
to marry someone made this story historically significant as well as an
enjoyable read.
What I really appreciated in this book is the way in
which Jane Austin allowed her heroine, Elizabeth Bennett, to find her own way
and come to her own conclusions in a time when women were rarely alone long
enough to think, never mind act, for themselves. As Colm Tóibín says in his
book ‘New Ways to Kill Your Mother’
this is achieved by separating Lizzie from the family members who might
influence her at crucial times in the story.
“Power instead is
handed directly to the heroine and this power arises from the quality of her
own intelligence. It is her own ability to be alone, to move alone, to be seen
alone, to come to conclusions alone, that sets her apart.”
I also have to admit that after reading this book I’ve
come to a new appreciation of P.D. James’ ‘DeathComes to Pemberley’. I’ve read enough reviews by others to realize that
many readers disagree with me on this, but I find that her story gives a rather
satisfying sequel to Pride and Prejudice. I may have to read that book again at
some point now that I’m more intimately acquainted with all the main characters
and back-stories.
Overall I have to say that this was a pleasant reading
experience that I would probably have enjoyed more if I had not been as
intimately aware of the story as I was.
