Product Description

Jane Austen's famous novel about Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy finding love against all the odds of misunderstanding, scandal and family interference is brought to life in a brand new adaptation coming to cinemas this Autumn.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #54840 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-25
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 480 pages

About the Author
Jane Austen was born on 16 December 1775 at Steventon near Basingstoke, the seventh child of the rector of the parish. She lived with her family at Steventon until they moved to Bath when her father retired in 1801. After his death in 1805, she moved around with her mother; in 1809, they settled in Chawton, near Alton, Hampshire. Here she remained, except for a few visits to London, until in May 1817 she moved to Winchester to be near her doctor. There she died on 18 July 1817. As a girl Jane Austen wrote stories, including burlesques of popular romances. Her works were only published after much revision, four novels being published in her lifetime. These are Sense and Sensibility (1811), <I>Pride and Prejudice</I> (1813), <I>Mansfield Park</I> (1814) and <I>Emma</I> (1816). Two other novels, <I>Northanger Abbey</I> and <I>Persuasion</I>, were published posthumously in 1818 with a biographical notice by her brother, Henry Austen, the first formal announcement of her authorship. <I>Persuasion</I> was written in a race against failing health in 1815-16. She also left two earlier compositions, a short epistolary novel, <I>Lady Susan</I>, and an unfinished novel, <I>The Watsons.</I> At the time of her death, she was working on a new novel, <I>Sanditon</I>, a fragmentary draft of which survives.

Customer Reviews

Appearances Can Be Deceiving about Character
The lasting appeal of Pride and Prejudice is worth explaining to those who haven't read the book or seen the movies before launching into a review of this British classic. First, there may be no finer book at exploring the topic of how appearances can be deceiving. Those who are physically attractive, employ pleasant manners and flatter us will earn our approval and cause us to feel affectionate towards them. Those who are less attractive to regard, keep to themselves and say insulting things will become people we will think poorly of. To see how misleading those reactions can be in assessing character, compare Abraham Lincoln to Jefferson Davis, the head of the Confederacy. Lincoln was dour, ugly and awkward with people. Jefferson Davis was just the opposite. When it came to character, Lincoln had enough to hold the Union together and is now viewed as one of our greatest presidents. Most people don't remember Jefferson Davis unless reminded.

Second, at another level Pride and Prejudice is a delightful romantic comedy that looks at how love develops through a series of painful mischances. Although not as light and funny as Shakespeare's comedies are (A Midsummer Night's Dream comes to mind), Pride and Prejudice will certainly bring a smile to most readers' faces in this regard.

Third, Elizabeth Bennet is one of the best heroines ever imagined. Most readers will identify with her and be rooting for her to succeed. You'll almost feel like you've developed a good friend from reading this book.

Fourth, Jane Austen is very good at poking fun at the pretensions of those who are self-absorbed or fascinated with social position and money. But it's a loving kind of fun. She realizes that these people are just silly . . . and don't know any better. We can enjoy a good laugh at their expense, but we should still love and support them. It's a good model for dealing with any goofy relatives we have.

Fifth, Pride and Prejudice is a benchmark at how far women have come from the days when they often couldn't even inherit property from their fathers. You'll be as outraged as Mrs. Bennet is at these anachronisms . . . but you'll be assuaged to know that the worst of those bad old days are behind us.

So, if those reasons to read Pride and Prejudice appeal to you, read on as I briefly describe the story.

The Bennets have a challenge: They have four unmarried daughters who cannot inherit Mr. Bennet's entailed estate. With few prospects in the neighborhood, Mrs. Bennet is always on the hunt. Mr. Bennet views Mrs. Bennet's fascination with this challenge as being something he would like to distance himself from.

When an eligible young man moves into the area, Mrs. Bennet's instincts are engaged to the fullest. One of her daughters must marry Mr. Bingley. At the next ball, the pickings seem to improve when Mr. Bingley arrives with a friend, Mr. Darcy. Darcy "soon drew the attention of the room by his fine tall person, handsome features, noble mien; and the report . . . of his having ten thousand a year." But Mr. Darcy soon turned the fortune hunters off by only dancing with his sisters and refusing to be introduced to any of the other ladies.

Bingley finds himself very attracted to Jane Bennet and their relationship develops nicely . . . until he leaves suddenly for London with no plans to return. Jane waits for some news from him or his sisters and finds herself being cut off.

In the middle of this, Mr. Collins arrives. Collins will inherit Mr. Bennet's property upon his death. He has just received a position as a clergyman from a powerful and opinionated sponsor, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and she has told him to get married. With four unmarried cousins, Collins decides the Bennet daughters are his best bet. In this way, he can provide a home for them and their mother after he inherits. First being inspired by Jane, he redirects his attention to Elizabeth after perceiving Jane's interest in Bingley and quickly proposes. Elizabeth will have none of it, and Collins soon finds a more enthusiastic prospect in another local family.

The younger sisters are finding themselves more than entertained by the dashing officers in a local regiment. Through this connection, Elizabeth becomes acquainted with Wickham who confides in her that Mr. Darcy had treated Wickham with great unfairness after Mr. Darcy's father's death. That's just one more nail in the coffin for the case against Mr. Darcy.

But in the background, we get hints that something is shifting. Mr. Darcy goes from finding Elizabeth to be ordinary in appearance to commenting favorably about one small aspect of her face, her mouth. But put the two of them together, and civil words do not follow. They are like oil and water.

Jane and Elizabeth eventually make it to London where both hope that Jane will reconnect with Bingley. But no such luck.

Just when things seem to be headed in a most bleak direction, a terrible event occurs that shakes everyone like an enormous earthquake. In its aftermath, each character finds herself or himself needed to re-examine their position and perceptions of one another.

Will Jane and Bingley connect with one another again? Will Elizabeth find happiness? Will Mrs. Bennet marry her daughters off? You'll just have to read the book to find out. But unlike modern novelists, remember that Jane Austen wasn't against happy endings.

Enjoy a great read!

Why was this movie made?
This movie is a waste of money and a waste of your time. It does not do justice to Jane Austen's book, but reduces it to a very simple romance novel. All the wit of Jane Austen's writing is lost in this film. I found it excruciating to watch. Moreover: no chemistry at all between the actors playing Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy. And whatever happened to the drama of Lydia running off with Mr. Wickham? In this movie, it is nothing more than a little incident, that is remarked upon almost as an afterthought. I do not understand the person that wrote this script.

If you want to see a proper version, order the BBC series from 1995 starring Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle. This version almost literally follows the original book. It is a pleasure to watch!