It is a truth universally acknowledged, that Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is one of the most famous, influential, and beloved novels of all time. And there are certainly many reasons for that. I must acknowledge that the plot and subject matter addressed in Pride and Prejudice are not my usual fare. A novel about the romantic gossip and marital prospects of the Regency-era English upper class wouldn’t usually be my cup of tea, but the fact that I appreciated this book so much is a testament to just how great of a writer Jane Austen was. In particular, Pride and Prejudice’s excellence stands on the shoulders of Austen’s fantastic character work, and her biting comedic commentary on the social norms and customs of her day.
Without a doubt, Elizabeth Bennet is one of the most likeable protagonists I have read, especially in a classic novel. In her characterization of Elizabeth, Austen achieves a perfect balance between a protagonist who is individualistic, independent, intelligent, and unfiltered, while still maintaining femininity, classiness, humility and maturity. While I expected Mr. Darcy to play a more prominent role in the novel, Austen uses his character sparingly but effectively to communicate the novel’s central theme of not judging a person based on first impressions and incomplete information. The supporting characters are also well-realized and appropriately comical, despicable, silly, and affable where they need to be. Other than Elizabeth, Darcy, the Gardiners and possibly Jane, Austen seems to have it out for every character and the archetype they represent. Mr. Wickham is the perfect portrayal of an entitled, lazy swindler. Mr. Bennet is a loveable, yet somewhat emasculated father figure who is clearly not good at being the head of a household and a family. Mr. Bingley is presented as the ideal gentleman bachelor, except that he doesn’t seem too bright or perceptive. And don’t let Austen’s proto-feminist credentials trick you; in many ways her most scathing critiques are saved for the women. Despite the novel centering around young women and their pursuit of marriage, Mrs. Bennett and her younger daughters are portrayed as so obsessed with chasing men, the frivolity of marriage and the trappings of wealth that they come across as utterly ridiculous, juvenile, and self-destructive. This theme is driven in with the entire (somewhat annoying) sub-plot of Lydia eloping with Wickham and with how quickly Mrs. Bennet flips and begins fawning over Mr. Darcy when she learns of Elizabeth’s engagement and how his wealth with elevate her status. Lady Catherine de Bourgh presents an even more insidious and nasty version of this class obsession.
While a little slow in Volume I, and a bit derailed by the Lydia shenanigans in Volume III, I generally enjoyed reading Pride and Prejudice, and look forward to reading more of Austen’s work.
The Once and Future Lit 