A critical book review of “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen.
Jane Austen (December 16, 1775 – July 18, 1817) was an English novelist who used realism, biting social commentary, and free indirect speech in her works. Austen's works are influenced in some way by her background, place, and time. They are part of the transition from sensibility novels of the second half of the eighteenth century to nineteenth-century realism. Austen's plots, while primarily comic, highlight women's reliance on marriage to secure social standing and economic security. One of her most powerful influences, and her works are concerned with moral issues.
The plot of Pride and Prejudice revolves around Elizabeth Bennet, a strong-willed, intelligent woman. It is a romantic comedy set in the early 1800s about a man's pride and a woman's prejudice. There is a family of Bennets who live in a time when the only way for a woman to become wealthy or raise her social status is to marry. The Bennets' social behavior is influenced by the fact that they have no son and five adolescent daughters, Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Lydia, and Kitty, who are arguably middle-class.
The story begins with the Bingleys' arrival in Hertfordshire, where the Bennets lived. The Bennet sisters and Mr. Bingley met at a dance, and Mr. Bingley fell in love with Jane right away. Mr. Darcy is Mr. Bingley's close friend, and he is also present at the party. His unusual reserved laconic demeanor is perceived and understood as improper and pompous by the social gathering, particularly Elizabeth. Surprisingly, he begins to like her. Mr. Bingley falls in love with Jane as a result of events. Mr. Darcy, on the other hand, is cautious and believes Jane is only interested in money, so he separates them. After long periods of no interaction between the families, the Bennets lose hope in Jane's marriage and become depressed, especially Mrs. Bennet, whose sole goal in life is the successful marriage of her daughters. Mr. Collins and Mr. Wickham can be considered the antagonists.
Their presence causes problems in the lives of the Bennets, particularly the latter, who dupes Lydia, the youngest Bennet, into falling in love and fleeing, later demanding money for their marriage in order to avoid notoriety in the Bennet family. Among these events, Mr. Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, who, unaware of the truth and filled with hatred for him, rejects him coldly. However, she later learns the true nature of Mr. Wickham and Mr. Darcy and regrets her previous actions and prejudices.
The plot and story are straightforward. The events reveal to the reader the common practice among families, men and women. "It is a universally acknowledged truth that a single man with a good fortune must be in need of a wife." And, of course, a single woman looking for good fortune must also be looking for a husband who has it! " These lines seem to apply to all of the characters in the book, whether it's Miss Jane or the relatively wealthy Miss Darcy. The plot revolves around the social problems of a group of young girls, including the optimistic Jane, the prudent Elizabeth, the introverted Mary and Kitty, and the ignorant flirt Lydia.
The described situation may not be found in Western countries today, but it can be found in developing parts of India. The superb catering of guests and other formalities are undoubtedly absent from today's society, but a family of five daughters alone may face similar problems and public humiliation as a result of Miss Lydia Bennet's improper behavior. The book does not convey a message in and of itself, but rather encourages readers to develop their own understanding.
The novel's language is plain and verbose at times, making the reading tedious, as is the case with most feminist novels. In 1813, however, one cannot expect a feminist book written in the typical Dan Brown suspense style. Personally, I will not recommend the novel to others, primarily because there are thousands of other books that should be read first. But if you’re one of the people who’s most likely to get all lovey-dovey with cringe romance, then this might be your kind of book.
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