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Pride and Prejudice
By
Jane Austen
The Romantic Comedy Model
Jane Austen’s popular novel Pride and Prejudice is an inversion of the classic love-at-first-sight cliche: Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet meet at a ball. Darcy isn’t amused; Elizabeth detests him immediately. Only after a slew of misunderstandings and a triumphant victory over pride and prejudices, do the two of them finally fall in love........!
Summary
First Impressions
Mrs. Bennet has a problem: She has five daughters of marriageable age, but no dowry for any of them. Therefore, she’s glad to hear that a nearby property, Netherfield, has, at last, been rented. The new tenant is a young unmarried gentleman, Charles Bingley, who turns out to be a great catch. He is attractive, polite, open-minded, and wealthy. At a ball, the local ladies jealously stand by as he lavishes attention on Jane, the oldest and most beautiful of the five Bennet sisters. His friend Fitzwilliam Darcy arouses mixed emotions: admiration at first, followed by aversion since the tall, dark-haired man offends the locals with his arrogant, mocking ways. He dances only with Bingley’s female relations and disparages Elizabeth, the second oldest Bennet sister, speaking so loudly that she inevitably overhears him........!
Mrs. Bennet has a problem: She has five daughters of marriageable age, but no dowry for any of them. Therefore, she’s glad to hear that a nearby property, Netherfield, has, at last, been rented. The new tenant is a young unmarried gentleman, Charles Bingley, who turns out to be a great catch. He is attractive, polite, open-minded, and wealthy. At a ball, the local ladies jealously stand by as he lavishes attention on Jane, the oldest and most beautiful of the five Bennet sisters. His friend Fitzwilliam Darcy arouses mixed emotions: admiration at first, followed by aversion since the tall, dark-haired man offends the locals with his arrogant, mocking ways. He dances only with Bingley’s female relations and disparages Elizabeth, the second oldest Bennet sister, speaking so loudly that she inevitably overhears him........!
Unexpected Visit
Meanwhile Mr. Collins, a clergyman and distant relative of Mr. Bennet, announces he’s coming to visit Longbourn. Since Mr. Bennet has only daughters, Mr. Collins will inherit his estate, which is entailed and can go only to a male heir. This is an utter nightmare for Mrs. Bennet. The pompous Mr. Collins, to everyone’s surprise, ends up proposing to a dismayed Elizabeth. He’s convinced that she will accept his exceedingly generous offer to keep the Bennets on the estate after they marry. Even when Elizabeth refuses, he considers it merely a bashful affectation and smugly holds out the prospect of a second proposal.....!
Dashed Hopes
Meanwhile, Jane hides her own great disappointment: While her mother is boasting of the imminent marriage between her and Mr. Bingley, he’s left for London without a word of farewell. In her letters, Bingley’s sister Caroline doesn’t entertain the idea that he might return. Instead she drops hints that her brother has fallen in love with the lovely Georgina Darcy, Mr. Darcy’s sister. Jane, who is inherently selfless, gentle and kind-hearted, accepts this new turn. Elizabeth, however, is convinced that Mr. Darcy and the Bingley sisters have conspired to tear the two lovers apart.
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