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Pride and Prejudice is arguably Jane Austen''s best
known novel and certainly one of the greatest of her masterpieces. It begins with the Bennet family, a family with five daughters. The lead character is Miss Elizabeth Bennet, the second eldest daughter and the favorite of her father.
The story begins with the arrival of the young, wealthy, and single Mr. Bingley, who has just moved into a great estate nearby. He quickly falls in love with the eldest Bennet girl, Jane, and his friend Mr. Darcy just as quickly becomes disliked by nearly all in the small country society of the Bennets.
Elizabeth, after being insulted by Mr. Darcy at their first meeting, quickly becomes the object of Mr. Darcy''s love to her surprise and dismay. She is especially disgusted when Mr. Wickham--a young man also in pursuit of Elizabeth--reveals to her a shocking and unfavorable piece of Mr. Darcy''s history. And if two men were not enough, she soon finds herself being courted by a simpering, dull cousin--a man whose courtship is favored by Elizabeth’s Mamma but discouraged by her Father.
Elizabeth’s disgust with Mr. Darcy is thoroughly compounded when, through the efforts of Mr. Darcy and Miss Bingley, Mr. Bingley is persuaded to give up his pursuit of the hand of Jane because of her perceived indifference to his affections. But everything changes when, soon after refusing the suit of Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth comes upon some information that sheds new light on the past of Mr. Darcy.
Elizabeth finds herself navigating the troubling waters of lies, love, and heartbreak as she attempts to reconcile the wrongs that have been done and hopes to ultimately end up with the man who truly loves her. An excellent read especially if you like romance and human drama.
Other Works by Jane Austen include:
Sense and Sensibility
Mansfield Park
Northanger Abbey
Persuasion
Emma
And several short stories
Published: January 09, 2008
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