Book Review : Pride and Prejudice

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in search of a wife.”

This is the start of Pride and Prejudice, a book that is most often portrayed as the story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy. This is not the whole story though as Elizabeth’s parents have four other daughters – so five in all – and two of those daughters also find husbands during the book.

Elizabeth Bennet has wit and outspokenness, qualities that enliven her conversations, qualities that are stimulated and matched by Darcy’s reserve and refusal to compromise. Elizabeth realises that his understanding and temper answer all her wishes in a potential husband.

Jane Austen uses the romance in the book to analyse the social manners of the times, but not all the characters conform to these manners. Towards the end of the book, the reader is introduced to a proper antagonist in the form of Lady Catherine de Bourgh who is Darcy’s aunt. She has dynastic ambitions for her family and believes that Darcy should marry his cousin. Lady Catherine is so arrogant and horrible that she tells Elizabeth to her face about these ambitions. Of course, Elizabeth gives as good as she gets and Lady Catherine is considerably angered. However, Darcy follows his feelings about Elizabeth and his cousin doesn’t stand a chance.