Pride and Prejudice

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Pride and Prejudice is a novel by Jane Austen.

Even after 200 years it has remained one of the most popular novels in

English. It tops the list of ‘most loved books’.

It is a novel of manners.

It was first published in 1813.

The original title was ‘First Impression’.

It narrates the society of British Regency.

Morality, manners, money, marriage, upbringing and education of the

landed gentry form the pivot of the plot.

It has been adopted and translated in almost all the languages of the

world.

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Jane Austen was born on 16th Dec.1775 at Hampshire, London. Her

father, Rev. George Austen was the local Rector. She was the seventh

of altogether eight brothers and sisters. Jane did not have any formal

education. She was educated at home and as a young maid learned how

to play piano, dance in local ball dances, reading literatures and write

creatively. She disliked city life and preferred long walking in the

mountainous villages. It is said that she visited London only twice

during her life-time. In 1795 she became emotionally attached to a

young man named Tom Lefroy; but the relationship ended because of

the rejection of the Lefroy family. While living in Bath, Austen

received her only marriage proposal from a young man named Harris

Bigg-Wither. At first she accepted the proposal but rejected the offer

next morning for some unknown reasons. She remained a spinster and

died at 41 on 18th July, 1817.

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Jane started her writing career in 1787.She began writing plays, poems

and stories for her and for her family amusement. Fair copy of

Twenty-nine of these writings was later published under the title

Juvenilia. Among these works are a satirical novel in letters titled Love

and Freindship [sic] in which she mocked popular novels of sensibility

and The History of England, a manuscript of 34 pages accompanied by

13 water-colour miniatures by her sister Cassandra. Austen's History

parodied popular historical writing, particularly Oliver Goldsmith’s

History of England (1764).

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Her first (unsuccessful) submission to a publisher, was in 1797 titled "First

Impressions" (later "Pride and Prejudice"). In 1803 "Susan" (later "Northanger

Abbey") was actually sold to a publisher for a mere £10 but was not published

until 14 years later, posthumously. Her first accepted work was in 1811 titled

"Sense and Sensibility", which was published anonymously as were all books

published during her lifetime. She revised "First Impressions" and published it

entitled "Pride and Prejudice" in 1813. "Mansfield Park" was published in

1814, followed by "Emma" in 1816, the same year she completed "Persuasion"

and began "Sanditon", which was ultimately left unfinished. Both "Persuasion"

and "Northanger Abbey" were published in 1818, after her death.

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Jane Austen

Full title ·Pride and Prejudice

Author · Jane Austen

Type of work · Novel

Genre · Comedy of manners

Language · English

Time and Place written · England, between 1796 and 1813

Date of first publication · 1813

Publisher · Thomas Edgerton of London

Narrator · Third-person omniscient

Climax · Mr. Darcy’s proposal to Elizabeth (Volume 3, Chapter 16)

Protagonist · Elizabeth Bennet

Point of view· The novel is primarily told from Elizabeth

Bonnet's point of view.

Falling action· The two chapters of the novel after Darcy’s

proposal

Tense · Past tense

Foreshadowing· The only notable example of

foreshadowing occurs when Elizabeth visits Pemberley,

Darcy’s estate, in Volume 3, Chapter 1. Her appreciation

of the estate foreshadows her eventual realization of her

love for its owner.

Tone · Comic—or, in Jane Austen’s own words, “light

and bright, and sparkling”

Themes · Love; Reputation; Class

Motifs · Courtship; Journeys

Symbols · The novel is light on symbolism, except on

the visit to Pemberley, which is described as being

“neither formal, nor falsely adorned,” and is clearly

meant to symbolize the character of Mr. Darcy.

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Pride and Prejudice at a glance

A Micro summary of ‘Pride and Prejudice’.

The Bennets are eagerly anticipating the arrival of Mr. Bingley, an eligible bachelor.

Mrs. Bennet, excited about a prospective son-in-law, sends her daughters to a ball at

Netherfield, where the second daughter, Lizzy Bennet, meets the disagreeable Mr.

Darcy. Lizzy's elder sister Jane and Mr. Bingley fall in love at first sight. Lizzy becomes

furious finding Mr. Darcy trying to separate them. She turns down proposals from Mr.

Collins, a distant cousin and Mr. Darcy. After meeting a certain Mr. Wickham, she finds

Mr. Darcy even more despicable. Lizzy's youngest sister Lydia elopes with Mr.

Wickham. Mr. Darcy saves the good name of the family by compelling Mr. Wickham to

marry Lydia. Lizzy realizes the benevolence and dependability of Mr. Darcy. Her first

impression changes and despite pressure from Mr. Darcy's aunt, Lady Catherine de

Borough, to turn down Mr. Darcy's second proposal, she accepts. Jane and Mr. Bingley

are also reunited at the end. Everybody lives happily ever after.

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Elizabeth Bennet -

Fitzwilliam Darcy -

Jane Bennet

Charles Bingley

Mr. Bennet

Mrs. Bennet-

George Wickham-

Lydia Bennet-

Mr. Collins

Miss Bingley

Lady Catherine de Bourgh

Mr. Gardiner

Mrs. Gardiner

Charlotte Lucas

Georgiana Darcy

Mary and Catherine Bennet -

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Characters in ‘Pride and Prejudice’

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Bennet Family

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Mr. Bingley

&

Mr. Darcy

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Lady Catherine De Borough

The Story of ‘Pride and Prejudice’.

Mr. Bennet is a small gentry at Longbourn.

Mr. & Mrs. Bennet is living with their five marriageable daughters.

Mr. Bingley leases Netherfield Park.

He arrives at Longbourn to take possession of Netherfield Park with his family and friend

Mr. Darcy.

Mr. Darcy slights Elizabeth at a local ball.

In the Party at Sir William Lucas', Elizabeth refuses to dance with Mr. Darcy as a revenge.

Jane goes to Netherfield and catches cold.

Elizabeth goes to Netherfield to help; mother and sisters visit; Jane and Elizabeth leave a

few days later.

Mr. Collins' letter and arrival.

They all walk to Meryton and meet Mr. Wickham. Darcy and Bingley meet the group.

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Evening at Phillips'; Elizabeth dances with Darcy, mentions Wickham; Darcy becomes aware of family expectations for Jane and Bingley;

Collins bores Darcy; Mrs. Bennet talks unwisely; Mary shows off; Bennet family last to leave.

Collins proposes to Elizabeth, rejected.

Netherfield party returns to London.

Collins proposes to Charlotte Lucas, accepted.

Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner visit and take Jane to London.

Wickham courts Miss King, an heiress.

Elizabeth, Sir William and Maria Lucas go to Hunsford via London to visit Charlotte.

Darcy and Colonel Fitzwilliam arrive at Rosings.

Lady Catherine de Bourgh rude and condescending to everyone, especially Elizabeth.

Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, rejected.

Darcy's letter of explanation.

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Darcy and Fitzwilliam leave.

Elizabeth, Maria and Jane return to Longbourne, meeting Kitty and Lydia on

the way.

Elizabeth does not reveal what she has learned about Wickham.

Lydia invited by Mrs. Forster to go with regiment to Brighton; Elizabeth

advises against it but is ignored.

Elizabeth and Wickham talk of Darcy; Elizabeth hints that she knows the truth.

Elizabeth and Gardiners go to Derbyshire on holiday.

They visit Pemberley; housekeeper's positive report; Darcy appear.

Visit with Bingleys, introduced to Georgiana Darcy.

Letters from Jane about Lydia and Wickham's elopement.

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Return to Longbourne; marriage of Lydia and Wickham arranged; Elizabeth

learns of Darcy's involvement in this.

Bingley and Darcy return to Netherfield; Bingley proposes to Jane.

Lady Catherine arrives to threaten Elizabeth not to marry Darcy; letter from

Collins warning against the same thing.

Darcy returns from London, proposes Elizabeth, accepted.

Reactions of family to news.

The story ends with marriages of Charles Bingley to Jane and Darcy to

Elizabeth. And the readers close the book with an impression that they lived

happily thereafter.

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1. Complete the quotation: “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of

a good fortune, must be in want of a ___.”

wife

2. The Bennet family lives in the village of

Longbourn

3. Mr. Bingley, when he attends the ball in Meryton, seems to be quite taken with

Jane

4. How does Mr. Darcy offend Elizabeth at the first ball?

He refuses to dance with her.

5. Elizabeth’s best friend is named

Charlotte Lucas

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6. Why does Jane’s visit to the Bingleys end up lasting for days?

She gets soaked in a rainstorm and becomes ill.

7. What does it mean that Mr. Bennet’s property is “entailed”?

It can only be inherited by a male.

8. What reason does Wickham give Elizabeth for his dislike of Darcy?

Darcy cheated him out of an inheritance.

9. To which Bennet daughter does Mr. Collins propose marriage?

Elizabeth

10. Whom does Mr. Collins marry?

Charlotte Lucas

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11. Why does Miss Bingley dislike Elizabeth?

She is jealous of Darcy’s growing attraction to Elizabeth.

12. Where do the Bingleys and Darcy go for the winter?

London

13. In March, Elizabeth goes to visit

Charlotte Lucas

14. Lady Catherine de Bourgh is Darcy’s

Aunt

15. When Darcy first proposes to Elizabeth, he spends most of the proposal dwelling on

How socially unsuitable a match she is for him

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16. When Darcy proposes for the first time, Elizabeth

Turns him down

17. Elizabeth’s feelings toward Darcy begin to change when he

Sends her a letter explaining his actions

18. Darcy’s estate is called

Pemberley

19. Where does Lydia spend the summer, and why?

Brighton, to be near the militia regiment

20. What socially disastrous romantic decision does Lydia make?

She elopes with Wickham.

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21. Who spearheads the search for Lydia after Mr. Bennet returns home in defeat?

Mr. Gardiner

22. Who pays off Wickham, convincing him to marry Lydia?

Darcy

23. When he returns to Netherfield, Mr. Bingley

Resumes courting Jane

24. What does Lady Catherine forbid Elizabeth to do?

Marry Darcy

25. The novel ends with

Bingley marrying Jane, and Darcy marrying Elizabeth.

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i.Where do the Bennets live?

A. Hertfordshire

ii.What is the name of the Bennet estate?

A.Netherfield

iii.With whom does Lydia go to Brighton?

A.Mrs. Forster

iv.Who is the governess who betrays Georgiana Darcy?

A.Miss Younge

v.Mrs. Bennet's reaction to Lydia's marriage is best described as:

A. Unreservedly jubilant.

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vi.Why does Mr. Collins come to Longbourn?

A.He is looking for a wife.

vii.Who is Mr. Collins's patroness?

A.Lady Catherine

viii. What is Mr. Gardiner's profession?

A.Merchant

ix.What feature initially attracts Darcy to Elizabeth?

A.Her eyes

x. Why doesn't Bingley visit Jane while she is in London?

A.He doesn't know that she's there.

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xi. What is the name of the estate that Bingley rents?

A.Netherfield

xii.Why does Elizabeth reject Darcy's initial proposal?

A.She does not like him.

xiii. What event interrupts Elizabeth's vacation with the Gardiners?

A.Lydia's elopement with Wickham

xiv.Which of the Bennet sisters dislikes social events?

A.Mary

xv.Where do Lydia and Wickham go when they run off from Brighton together?

A.London

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xvi.Why does Wickham flee from Brighton?

A.He has accumulated over 1,000 pounds gaming debts.

xvii.Mr. Bennet responds to the news of Elizabeth's engagement with:

A.Skepticism.

xviii.Who finds Lydia and Wickham in London?

A.Mr. Darcy

xix.What is the name of Darcy's estate?

A.Pemberley

xx.Why does Charlotte marry Mr. Collins?

A.She wants financial security.

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xxi. Whom does Caroline want Mr. Bingley to marry?

A. Georgiana Darcy

xxii. How many children do the Gardiners have?

A. Four

xxiii. After finding out about Lydia's elopement, Elizabeth runs into:

A. Darcy.

xxiv. Which of the Bennet sisters is the youngest?

A. Lydia

xxv. Which daughter is Mrs. Bennet's favorite?

A.Lydia

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Q.What is courtesy Literature?

Courtesy literature was a highly popular genre in the 18th c. It embodied

conduct manuals that advocated proper manner and behaviour. Courtesy

Literature dealt with the qualities which a gentleman/woman must possess.

Austen’s ‘Pride and Prejudice’ belonged to this category.

What is a ‘novel of manners’?

Ans. The novel of manners is a literary genre that deals with and focuses

on the customs, values, and mindset of a particular class or group of people

who are situated in a specific historical context (Bowers and Brothers 5).

The genre emerged during the final decades of the 18th century.

The novel of manners often shows a conflict between individual aspirations

or desires and the accepted social codes of behaviour. There is a vital

relationship between manners, social behaviour and character. Physical

appearances are overall less emphasized while manners and social

behaviour remain the particular interests in the novel.

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The idea of manners assumes not only a social significance, as it is applied

today, but a moral one as well, which preceded the social context in which

it was used. What connects the two is the idea of "pleasing” Characters in

the novels are not always morally and socially obliging to each other,

however, but there is differentiation between the upstanding hero or

heroine and the socially less acceptable characters. Well known examples

of the novel of manners include:

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, Mansfield

Park, Persuasion; Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, Villette; Henry

Mackenzie's The Man of Feeling; William Makepeace Thackeray's Vanity

Fair; Evelyn Waugh's A Handful of Dust; Edith Wharton's The Age of

Innocence, The House of Mirth. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby.

Changes in English society in the nineteenth century that eroded the

boundaries between these various groups provided the background for theemergence of the novel of manners.

The novel of manners often deals with gender issues as well.

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Indranil SarkarSapatgram,Assam

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