Pride And Prejudice: Summary

Pride and Prejudice: Summary

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice is a complex novel that relates the

events surrounding the relations, lives, and loves of a middle-upper class

English family in the late nineteenth century. Because of the detailed

descriptions of the events surrounding the life of the main character of the

story, Elizabeth Bennet, Pride and Prejudice is a very involving novel whose

title is very indicative of the themes contained therein.

The first volume opens in the Bennet household at Longbourn in England.

As there are five unmarried daughters living in the home at the time, the matron

of the family, Mrs. Bennet, is quite interested when news of a wealthy man

moving to Netherfield, a place in the near vicinity. Mrs. Bennet, in the best

interest of her daughters, soon after begins urging her husband to meet with the

newly arrived neighbor, a Mr. Bingley, but he is quite reluctant to do so. Soon

after, Mr.Bennet surprises his daughters and his wife by announcing that he had

visited Netherfield and found Bingley to be "quite agreeable." The interest of

the Bennet daughters arises when they learn that certain members of the Bingley

party will be in attendance at an upcoming ball in Meryton. At the ball,

acquaintances between the families are made, and all find both Mr.Bingley and

his cousin Fitzwilliam Darcy to be exceedingly handsome, however Darcy's pride

is so irritating and repulsive, it makes his character almost totally

disagreeable. It is at this ball, however, that the oldest Bennet daughter,

Jane, becomes involved with Mr.Bennet; her younger sister Elizabeth, however,

falls victim to Mr. Darcy's pride and is shunned by him during the entire ball.

Beginning with this event, Elizabeth forms a prejudice towards Mr. Darcy that

will prevent her future involvement with him. It is here then that the two main

themes of he work, pride and prejudice, are first presented. Soon after the

ball, it becomes obvious that Mr. Bingley's feelings towards Jane deepen, and

Jane's feelings also appear when the family visits their neighbors the Lucases

after the Meryton Ball. This, however, produces concern from both his older

sister and Mr. Darcy, who dislike the behavior of her family and, being part of

the upper class, are prevented by their pride from liking anyone of lower status.

Mr. Darcy's attitude towards Elizabeth Bennet, however, soon begin to change,

as he appreciates her subtle beauty. It is because of her prejudice against him,

however, that Elizabeth does not recognize his affections; he begins to join her

conversations, and even expresses to his cousins his feelings.