welcome to my jane austen-athon! this is the first book out of seven!


★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
⤷ minimal spoilers (quotes + some references)

”you must allow me to tell you how ardently i admire and love you.”


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Some years back in one of my APAs, someone castigated Jane Austen's books like this: "All those daft twits rabbiting on about clothes and boyfriends and manners."

Since then, I’ve encountered other variations on the theme that a modern woman ought not to be reading such trash because it sets feminism back two centuries.

Well, much as I laughed over the first caveat, that isn't Austen. It sounds more like the silver fork romances inspired by Georgette Heyer. Austen's characters don't talk about clothes at all, outside of air-headed Mrs Allen of Northanger Abbey, who doesn't think of anything else.

Austen sticks her satiric quill into young ladies who think and talk about nothing but beaux, such as poor, luckless Anne Steele in Sense and Sensibility. Manners are emphasized but not manners without matter; Austen saves her spikiest irony for hypocrites.

I think it's important to remember that whereas Heyer was writing historical romances in the silver fork tradition, Austen was writing novels about contemporary life, especially the problems facing young women in her own walk of life, the country gentry. She criticized herself in a much-quoted letter to her sister Cassandra, saying in effect, 'the problem with Pride and Prejudice is it's too light and bright and sparkling.' Many have misinterpreted this remark. It seems to me, on close reading of her elsewhere, that she meant the novel to be taken more seriously than it was.

What is it about, really? It's about the wrong reasons for marrying, and how those can affect a woman for the rest of her life. Of course a hard-line feminist can point out that novels about marriage are hideously retro for today's woman, who has many choices before her. During Austen's time, marriage was the only choice a woman had, unless she was rich enough to shrug off the expectations of her society, or unless she was willing to live on as a pensioner to some family member or other, which more often than not meant being used as an unpaid maid. Of course there was teaching, but the salaries for women were so miserable one may as well have been a servant. The hours and demands were pretty much equal.

If one looks past the subject of marriage, the novel's focus is about relationships: between men and women; between sisters; between friends; between family members and between families. As for marriage, Austen sends up relationships that were formed with security as the goal, relationships that were sparked by physical attraction and not much else, relationships made with an eye to rank, money, social status, or competition. And, with abundant wit and style (or as she’d say, with éclat), she offers some truths about the differences between love and lust, and what relationships based on either mean to a marriage months—or decades—after the wedding.

The fact that Austen doesn't use modern terminology doesn't make it any less real than a contemporary novel that has a supposedly liberated woman romping desperately from bed to bed for forty pages while in search of the perfect relationship. The message is the same, that women who mistake falling in lust for falling in love are usually doomed to a very unhappy existence. And in Austen's time, you couldn't divorce, you were stuck for life.

I've had dedicated feminist friends give me appalled reactions when I admit to liking Austen. I don't consider reading Austen a guilty pleasure, as I do reading Wodehouse. I consider Jane Austen a forerunner of feminism. She doesn't stand out and preach as Mary Wollstonecroft did. Her influence was nevertheless profound. Again and again in those novels she portrays women thinking for themselves, choosing for themselves—even if their choices are within the conventions of the time. What the women think matters.

In Austen’s day (and too often, now) female characters were there as prizes for the men to possess, or to strive for, or as catalysts for male action. Jane Austen gave her female characters as much agency as a woman could have in those days, and the narrative is mostly seen through their eyes. Charlotte Lucas is a remarkable example for the time; she is not the least romantic, but she sees what she wants, and she gets it. And doesn't pay for getting what she wants by dying of consumption as too often happened to forthright females in novels of the period.

The famed relationship between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy makes it very clear that they were first attracted by one another's intellect—those two were clearly brain-snogging before they ever got to the fine sheets of Pemberley. It is also clear that the man—his higher social and economic status notwithstanding—had to earn the woman's respect, and rethink some of his assumptions, before she could see in him a possible partner. There is no dominant male making the decisions: those two are equal right down to the last page, and Austen makes it clear that it will continue to be so after the marriage.

Each time I reread the novel, I notice something new, but in the meantime, will I continue to recommend it to young women just venturing into literature? You bet.

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

Pride and Prejudice didn’t seem like a book I’d be interested in: a 200-year-old book about a time when all women could do—no matter how intelligent or talented—was attempt to secure a good marriage. I had really only ever considered reading it so that I would be better prepared to read the parody version, Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. But then I started working my way through a 100 greatest novels list, and Pride and Prejudice is on that list (on all of them, probably), so here I am ... having just finished reading my first Jane Austin novel.

It took a while for me to get into Pride and Prejudice, which spectacularly fails the Bechtel test, as every conversation in the book between two women is about marriage and/or a man. But the scene in which Mr. Collins proposes had me laughing out loud, and from that point on I was invested in learning the fates of the different characters. Elizabeth Bennet is a great character, and her banter with her parents, rivals, and of course Mr. Darcy, are highlights of the book.

Pride and Prejudice is an interesting exploration of class in Regency-era England, exposing the unfairness of the rules of that society even though her characters accept those rules without question. It is certainly worthy of either casual reading or of more formal study. I did not find the story as romantic as many other readers have, but it was funnier than I expected. Recommended.

“The more I see of the world, the more I am dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of human characters, and of all of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of either merit or sense.”

A timeless tale of love and virtue.

Pride & Prejudice presents a study of society figures, family relationships and love through contrasting value. While Mr Darcy intrigues with his aloof characterisation, Elizabeth’s character provides a stunning insight to the idea of a modernised woman, a rebel to a gender and social confined society. While the theme of navigating love- both familial and romantic- through impossible feeling, of challenging boundaries, is one that captivates and resonates with a wide audience.

On the other hand, this book can come across as slightly uneventful in a sense. At times, achieving more as a character study than as an overall narrative- but ultimately, starting and finishing strong.

Overall, the title holds true- a delve into pride, and prejudice.

I am so unqualified to write about this book.

I am physically unqualified, because I could write infinite words about how much I love this book, and I type in a weird way that makes my wrists hurt so infinity is simply not going to happen.

I am emotionally unqualified, because I lack emotional intelligence when it comes to my own feelings and the idea of trying to explain how I feel about this book is overwhelming.

I am spiritually unqualified, because of the aforementioned overwhelmed-ness.

I am also unqualified generally, in the grand scheme of things, because so many people have written so intelligently about the wonderfulness of this book and I have nothing better to add.

Just more rambling like this.

I read a lot of romance, and if you want to venture a theory as to why, I’d love to hear it. I very seldom like it, so maybe it’s a masochist tendency. Maybe I’m a glutton for the attention that writing negative reviews of popular books gives me. (Definitely not that one, since the few mean comments always outweigh the far more numerous nice ones in my stupid brain.) Whatever.

I read a lot of romance, but I almost never feel anything about it.

I LOVE this book. It gives me...uh…(everyone stop reading this to save me the embarrassment and allow me to preserve my rough and tumble reputation)...butterflies.

I know. I’m cringing forever. But it’s true.

This is a lovely book. It’s beautifully written, it’s funny, it’s filled with characters who feel full and real and different from one another (even though half of them have the same name), and it truly is the best love story ever told.

What more could you ask for?! Spoiled rotten, the lot of you.

Bottom line: A dream.

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rereading updates

i am currently being paid to reread this book. highly recommend that everyone works in publishing

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pre-review

starting a fundraiser to raise money for a monument in honor of Jane Austen's brain

review to come / 5 stars obviously

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currently-reading updates

my heart has space for exactly 435 pages. the entirety of my heart is made up of Pride & Prejudice. nothing else.

My Personal Childhood Re-Read Challenge for April

Ok, I'm not much of a classics reader. In my teens I bought two Jane Austen books to read. Pride and Prejudice and Emma. I started first with Pride and Prejudice. I remember finishing it and liking it but not loving it.

I admit I felt more or less the same way this time. I know easily this is a 5 star book for many. It's written beautifully and with such wit. I opted for the audio this time and it was narrated nicely by Rosamund Pike. It was entertaining. This has turned into such a classic romance story..Boy (Mr. Darcy) and Girl (Elizabeth Bennett) meet but dislike each other at first glance. It's the regency period and girls are looking for rich husbands to provide for them but Elizabeth also wants love. It's a magnificent story that seems to be copied in many a romance book and still stands as THE most romantic story of all time. I'm not sure I'd personally give it that merit though but it's still a lovely tale.

Now here's the interesting thing about reading the two Jane Austen books that I remember. I read Pride and Prejudice first. Then Emma. After I finished reading Emma I clearly remember thinking I liked that one more. I know this is an unpopular opinion but now I must read Emma and see if this still rings true for me.

Often imitated, never matched. Nobody can do it quite like Jane Austen.

True story: I was rummaging through and throwing away lots of my old papers and souvenirs a few weeks ago and happened to run across my 30+ year old notes from a college course where we studied Pride and Prejudice. I can't believe I still had them! Some of those P&P notes were actually pretty insightful, so in this review I've included some of the more interesting observations from my long-ago class. Hope you enjoy! (ETA: Now with bonus texts and memes)



From the first tongue-in-cheek words:

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.

However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.

Austen brilliantly sets up the world of this novel. Marriage - however humorous the personalities and events may be - is serious business. And when the Bennets have five daughters and no sons, the seriousness of getting their girls married off increases exponentially. The desperation of the marriage hunt is really the desperation of economic survival. Mrs Bennet has that essentially right, however misguided she is in the way she goes about it.

The theme of self-discovery works hand-in-hand with the theme of marriage, and the tension between economic interest and romantic feelings. Both pride and prejudice are obstacles not just to understanding others, but to knowing oneself. Elizabeth learns about herself from several other characters along the way:

Wickham: the danger of trusting solely in appearance.
Charlotte: the danger of too much practicality and making decisions based on material reasons.
Lady Catherine: helps Elizabeth to see Darcy's pride in perspective




Jane Austen shows us so many different types of marriages in P&P: those based mostly on initial physical attraction (the Bennet parents as well as Lydia and Wickham), those based on practical, material considerations; those based on emotional feeling and compatibility (Jane and Bingley). And finally, and very gradually, we progress to seeing relationships based on reason and intelligence as well as physical and emotional attraction. The Gardiners are the model here, and the type of marriage Elizabeth wants to have for herself.



I adore Elizabeth and Darcy, working through their flaws (there's pride and prejudice aplenty on both sides!), willing to reconsider earlier judgments, tentatively working their way toward each other. And when you combine that with Austen's insight into human foibles and her sharp wit, every page is a pleasure. Sometimes I've been guilty of rushing through P&P, skimming over some chapters to get to the "good parts" faster, but I took my time this time around, reading it slower and more carefully, and was rewarded accordingly.

P&P is my favorite book of Jane Austen's ... and very possibly my favorite book of all time. It's the perfect mix of intelligence, humor and romance.

Bonus! A studious and completely objective discussion of the merits of the leading actors and actresses in the major P&P movies and TV miniseries.

First up: The Elizabeth Bennet actresses.

First, Greer Garson from the 1940 movie:

… no, for two big reasons:
1. As  one website points out, “Garson's [Elizabeth Bennet] was smirking, empty-headed and flirtatious where Ehle's was smirking, strong and intelligent." Hah!
2. Hoop skirts. Hoop. Skirts. A thousand times no!
(This movie also has a third strike against it, the travesty of its rewriting of Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s personality.)

Second, Elizabeth Garvie in the 1980 BBC miniseries:

She’s not well known except among P&P fans, but she actually does a very nice job with Lizzie.

Jennifer Ehle from the 1995 miniseries:

She’s great, and she gets extra points for just how well she plays off of Colin Firth, but I have a fundamental problem with Ehle, which is that she just doesn’t match my vision of Lizzie. I just can’t entirely buy her in the part.

Keira Knightley:

Very pretty but … too pretty. And man, is she wearing a lot of makeup in some of the scenes.


Honorable mention: Aishwarya Rai in Bride and Prejudice (I don’t even care if she’s too gorgeous):


So for me, it’s Elizabeth Garvie, but kind of in a default win.

Part II: The Darcys:

We begin with Lawrence Olivier from the 1940 Hollywood movie:

... all props to Sir Lawrence, but he's not my vision of Darcy.

David Rintoul from the 1980 BBC version:

... who is a pretty good Darcy, actually; it's not his fault that the production values in this P&P version suck. (it's basically like watching a theater play that's been filmed)

On to the wonderful Colin Firth, from the seminal 1995 miniseries:

... I can't help it, he makes my heart beat faster even when he's not in a wet shirt.

Matthew Macfadyen in the 2005 movie:

Sorry to his fans, but he doesn't cut it for me. He always looks So. Worried!

So clearly for me it's Colin Firth FTW, but feel free to argue with me in the thread. :)

Honorable mentions go to Elliot Cowan in Lost in Austen and Martin Henderson in Bride and Prejudice. (Pics in the thread.)

Pride and Prejudice Jane Austen's most famous novel, the story of a man with five unmarried but attractive daughters, from the oldest to youngest Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Catherine and Lydia 15, in Regency England, during the unending Napoleonic Wars. When Mr. Bennet is no longer breathing, his beautiful house will be inherited by a distant cousin, in both miles and blood Mr. Collins, they have never seen (women during that era, loss their property to the nearest male relative in such circumstances) , his concerned family becomes homeless. The parents, the witty sarcastic Mr. Bennet is rather aloof they believe, and the loving Mrs. Bennet silly and ignorant , but it's incumbent that the girls find good, rich men to marry before that unhappy situation occurrence happens . Mrs. Bennet is always looking for eligible prospects since so many are in the military and the militia is nearby, that's where Mrs. Bennet looks mainly, officers only of course. The two youngest sisters teenagers, already make daily, secret visits to the local regimental headquarters but Jane is 22 and Elizabeth 20! Time is quickly running out, when a gentleman Mr. Charles Bingley rents the Netherfield house and brings his wealthy friend Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, both bachelors with money ( this is 1813 we have to be quite formal), things are looking up in the village for the Bennet family. At the assembly Bingley dances twice with Jane, the prettiest daughter and Darcy's perceived pride towards the lowly provincials, makes him very disliked by Elizabeth (still sparks fly ) the smartest of the sisters, that's where the book title comes from (now Mr. George Wickham what a charming splendid man, everyone thinks). When these two unattached gentlemen leave for London town all hope sinks, will they ever comeback? After Mr. Collins the unknown cousin visits the home of the Bennet's, an uneasy feeling hangs heavy over the whole family. Mr. William Collins the pompous irritating, silly, clergyman surprisingly proposes to Miss Elizabeth, her mother approves but will the daughter ? The advantages are obvious but the independent woman has a strong streak of following her dreams and what about Mr. Darcy? Is she changing her opinion about that arrogant man, a woman's prerogative.... Celebrating this year, the 200th anniversary of the all time classic. A wonderful, amusing, charmingly warm story about never giving in to expediency but follow your dreams no matter how remote the possibility of success, sometimes you wake up, and it becomes reality.

‘It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife,’ begins Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, an opening sentence nearly as famous as the novel itself. Austen’s comedy of manners has taken on an immortality, being a title frequently represented in art, knick knacks or decor for book lovers. I mean, this is a book that has tshirts for it as recognizable as a Pink Floyd shirt and if there were a Mt. Rushmore for white people popular classics this would be one of the first to be carved into the rock. Luckily for readers everywhere, it is a book that truly deserves such status and is eminently readable and enjoyable to this day. Pride and Prejudice is sharp, humorous and picturesquely romantic with a cast of characters that practically walk off the page, shake your hand and intermingle in your life as Austen dives into criticisms of class and conventions.

‘I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine.’

Of the many reasons Pride and Prejudice has captured hearts for generations, Austen’s heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, is the most endearing of them. A woman with a great wit and cutting dialogue, she is not without her flaws and hubris which makes her feel so authentic and approachable. The dynamic between Elizabeth and Darcy is a perfectly balanced power struggle of personal judgements as they attempt to maintain individuality under social pressures and obdurate conventions, each stradling a position of both protagonist and antagonist. And antagonize each other they do! Though in the end they come to each other with equal scars and blame. Elizabeth’s belief in her ability to judge others leads her to misjudge—a trait not unlike Emma Woodhouse of Emma who’s pride in her own wit obscured what was right before her—overlooking the blatant flaws of Wickham simply over his adversarial role towards Darcy, and coming too harshly to conclusions on Darcy before knowing him better. It should be with no surprise to learn that Austen originally intended to title the novel ‘First Impressions’.

‘From the very beginning— from the first moment, I may almost say— of my acquaintance with you, your manners, impressing me with the fullest belief of your arrogance, your conceit, and your selfish disdain of the feelings of others, were such as to form the groundwork of disapprobation on which succeeding events have built so immovable a dislike; and I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry.’

We see Elizabeth working on herself internally while also working on the external social factors. ‘There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others,’ Elizabeth confesses, ‘my courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.’ Her pride makes her malign others, assuming Miss darcy, for instance, to be a ‘proud, reserved, disagreeable girl’ only to find she is ‘amiable and unpretending.’ It is her intelligence I find most charming, and while she may misjudge, she has the emotional intelligence to self-diagnose and course correct.

Darcy, on the other hand, must overcome his own pride and snobbery. His disdain for those who work a trade, for instance, is part of a larger depiction of those held in high esteem of class being crude and cruel and a predominant theme in the novel. Caroline, Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine are among those who operate like an extension of class hierarchy, allowing their ideas of social position to guide their thoughts and actions and making them feel immune to criticism. Darcy and Elizabeth lowering their guard, looking at the individual instead of at their social circle/status, and coming to a mutual understanding gives the novel a tender nature, one that asks for empathy and understanding in the world and warns against holding on to judgements too tightly.

‘Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us.’

Another aspect of the novel that really resonates is just how visual it is. Austen has a gift for description and this quality has lent itself to many visually stunning film adaptations. Austen excels at embedding much of her social commentary into her depictions of settings and characters, such as Elizabeth’s first visit to Darcy’s house, with ‘high woody hills’ and a large, tall garden surrounding a the house, ‘a stream of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance.’ This is a major insight into Darcy as a character: a man without artifice and full of ‘natural beauty’ that he keeps hidden from view. His arrogance is merely his grandiose garden that obscures the him beneath the exterior. Similarly, judgements on character are often made in dialogue that focuses on aspects of dress or decor. ‘By describing a material object,’ Roland Barthes writes in The Language of Fashion, ‘if it is not to construct it or to use it, we are led to link the qualities of its matter to a second meaning.’ The criticisms of taste are, in this regard, a criticism of character, so when Caroline and Louisa talk at length about the mud on Elizabeth’s petticoat, we can infer they are telling us they find her herself to be wild, unkempt and unruly. It is in ways such as these that Austen can make such keen observations that don't announce themselves yet amalgamate to portray a life-like impression of a society that thrives on gossip and social interactions that are plotted like chess pieces moving across the board.

‘I must learn to be content with being happier than I deserve.’

Austen’s Pride and Prejudice drifts at the pace of life, enrapturing you in its lush language, vibrant landscapes, dancing with you through the great halls of ornate homes and giving you an introduction to the high society of the times. This is an eternally charming novel that bites with sharp satire and humor while letting deep lessons and emotional bubble up from tender moments and brilliant insights. It is quite funny at times as well. Jane Austen is remembered for a reason, and while I still favor Emma to be my favorite, this comedy of manners is certainly a Must Read.

4.5/5

‘What do I not owe you! You taught me a lesson, hard indeed at first, but most advantageous. By you, I was properly humbled. I came to you without a doubt of my reception. You showed me how insufficient were all my pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased.’

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." Thus begins one of the most iconic classics, Pride and Prejudice by Miss Jane Austen. It is also a truth most recently acknowledged, that I am utterly obsessed with this book. I first read it in 2016, at the tender age of 20, and didn't really care for it. I think, at the time, my English wasn't good enough to properly get all the nuances of Austen's writings. Half of the time I didn't understand what she was saying, and Pride and Prejudice is a novel that relies a lot on humor and sarcasm, as well as being able to read between the lines. Now, 7 years later, I finally came back to this story, and I am more than happy to report that it has become one of my favorite romances of all time. Like, for real. This book is so addictive. I am utterly obsessed with it. Lizzy and Darcy deserve each other, in every sense of the word. They are a perfect match, or at least come to be one throughout the course of the story.

I honestly have no idea how to review this book, because everything that needs to be said about it has already been said, and I'm certainly no Austen expert. And so I thought I would just go through my annotations chronologically and share with you my favorite moments in this book. Maybe not the most original take for a review but I seriously need all of these moment on record somewhere, so prepare for a lot of quotations! [Edit: Now that I've finished writing this: this is one of my longest reviews ever written, lmao, and I literally ran out of characters and couldn't even mention everything I've wanted to mention. Good lord. Grab a snack, grab all the snacks. This is a long one.]

As we are introduced to the Bennet household in the beginning of the novel, we are not just introduced to the five sisters – Jane, Lizzy, Lydia, Mary and Kitty – but also to their parents – Mr and Mrs Bennet (née Gardiner). And whilst I hated Mrs Bennet the first time around (I thought she was way too annoying and embarrassing) and loved Mr Bennet (he was so sassy & funny), I have to say that upon my reread, Mr Bennet does not hold up as a character. I think I despise him more than his wife. It was his duty, as a man, to provide for his family, not just in the present, but also in the future. But due to lazy or ignorance or whatever, he failed to do so, leaving his daughters with nothing upon his own death. Absolute shameful behavior. But what probably annoyed me the most is his holier-than-thou and degrading attitude towards his children. He only cares for Lizzy, and has nothing but insults and disdain for his youngest three kids: "They have none of them much to recommend them, they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters.", later he says: "From all that I can collect by your manner of talking, you must be two of the silliest girls in the country. I have suspected it some time, but I am now convinced." I'm absolutely horrified by the shit he said about his own kids. And even if some of what he says is true, it is absolutely his own fault. These are his kids, he is responsible for their education. Ugh, this man was getting on my goddamn nerves.

As for Mrs Bennet, while I understand her desperation better nowadays, she still got on my goddamn nerves, and I think she was unfair to Lizzy ("Elizabeth was the least dear to her of all her children;). In a way, I think that Austen was unfair to her. You can kind of tell that Austen didn't really care for her and she is one of the most one dimensional characters in the entire novel, often portrayed to be rather silly (especially in her treatment of Lydia and Wickham – we'll get to it later). So maybe we should judge Austen more than Mrs Bennet, but I'm not her biggest fan, sorry.

I also love Darcy's introduction into the story because it's such a mess. As Mr Bingley moves to town with his party, he decides to host a ball at Netherfield for the whole neighborhood. Mr Darcy, reputed to be twice as wealthy as his good friend Mr Bingley, is present as well as the Bennets. He acts so haughty and aloof that within minutes the whole neighborhood hates him. It is actually quite brilliant. I also love that he declines to dance with Lizzy ("She is tolerable: but not handsome enough to tempt me..." UMM, EXCUSE ME?) because it gives both of their characters room to grow over the course of the book. I know that modern writers often read Darcy as autistic or socially awkward etc. and there's definitely merit to these readings, but I think it's important to acknowledge that his actions are absolutely unacceptable and rude at the Netherfield ball, and that he knows it. It gives him room to reflect and see the fault of his ways... room to... overcome his pride and prejudices, one might say. ;)

I also love that when Lizzy shares this with her friend Charlotte, she hits her with: "If I may so express it, he has a right to be proud." (gotta love practical Charlotte), but I also love Lizzy's reply: "That is very true, and I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine." Yes, yes, yes. Mama Austen was cooking with this one. I love the initial conflict between the two. It is so natural, and makes sense (=> for Darcy to think of himself as better, and for Lizzy to be hurt by his words).

As these two continue to encounter each other at social events, Mr Darcy secretly begins to find himself drawn to Elizabeth, appreciating her wit and frankness ("It is your turn to say something now, Mr. Darcy. I talked about the dance, and you ought to make some kind of remark on the size of the room, or the number of couples."). One of my favorite moments is when Lizzy is at Netherfield to be at Jane's side (who was forced to stay with the Bingleys due to a cold that she caught on her way to them), and she is walking with Caroline in the salon, as Darcy watches them. He says: "You either choose this method of passing the evening because you are in each other’s confidence, and have secret affairs to discuss, or because you are conscious that your figures appear to the greatest advantage in walking: if the first, I should be completely in your way; and if the second, I can admire you much better as I sit by the fire." Holy smokes, Jane???? Darcy knows how to flirt??? Has me blushing and shit. I am obsessed. And I have no idea about how gentlemen conducted themselves during the Regency era, but this seems super bold and frank to me. I love it!

One of the plot lines that had my blood boiling from start to finish was Mr Collins and his unhinged misogyny. Mr Collins, bestie, it's ON SIGHT. Mr Collins, the heir to the Longbourn estate, visits the Bennet family with the intention of finding a wife among the five girls under the advice of his patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh, also revealed to be Mr Darcy's aunt. He decides to pursue Elizabeth in such an aggressive way, not taking her rejection seriously, that it literally made me want to throw hands with him. Austen describes the oppression and desperation that Lizzy feels in his overbearing presence so well, I truly felt for her. She was so CLEAR in her refusal, yet this motherfucker chose to simply ignore it. "The moment of her release from him was ecstasy." Poor, poor thing. Frustrated she concludes, "that if he persisted in considering her repeated refusals as flattering encouragement, to apply to her father, whose negative might be uttered in such a manner as must be decisive, and whose behaviour at least could not be mistaken for the affectation and coquetry of an elegant female." Lizzy knows that Mr Collins will only accept the opinion/the word of a man. Arggghhhh. Austen, ever the feminist. Gotta love her for it.

I also loved the bond between Lizzy and Jane. This is the one sibling relationship done right in the novel; the other siblings relationships are a bit weird for me (not close enough in regards to the younger sisters, too exploitative in regards to Caroline and Bingley, too devoted in regards to Georgiana and Darcy...). I love that Lizzy and Jane talk so much about their feelings, and that they are also not above gossiping, at one point Lizzy reassures Jane (who is very self-conscious and self-denying when it comes to Bingley's affection for her): "Indeed, Jane, you ought to believe me. No one who has ever seen you together can doubt his affection; Miss Bingley, I am sure, cannot: she is not such a simpleton. Could she have seen half as much love in Mr. Darcy for herself, she would have ordered her wedding clothes." There are many moments in which Lizzy is super judgemental of other women, and she has big "I'm not like other girls"-energy (as can be seen in the quote and her comments about Miss Bingley), but I love that she is reassuring her sister. Lizzy truly is Jane's #1 fan, and that's how it should be with sisters.

Charlotte Lucas, Lizzy's best friend, is one of my favorite characters in the novel, and Lizzy's treatment of her is appalling. Again, it's giving "I'm not like other girls". Of matrimony, Charlotte, ever the pragmatist, says this: "Without thinking highly either of men or of matrimony, marriage had always been her object: it was the only honourable provision for well-educated young women of small fortune, and, however uncertain of giving happiness, must be their pleasantest preservative from want." It's giving Florence Pugh as Amy from Little Women, and I love every second of it. Charlotte doesn't have the privilege to be a feminist, to marry for love. She knows she needs a husband if she wants to live in some semblance of freedom and security. And when she takes the opportunity to marry Mr Collins, after Lizzy turned him down TWICE, I honestly couldn't blame her for it. Sure, I love Mr Collins with a passion of a thousand burning suns, and Charlotte does deserve better, but let's be realistic here, she will not get better. So Mr Collins it is. And Lizzy has no right to judge her for it, especially not as harshly as she does. Lizzy truly has the audacity of feeling that "no real confidence could ever subsist between them again." Bitch, what are you on about? That's your BEST FRIEND. Stand by her side.

Anyways, let's move on to happier (and even messier) things. Darcy's first proposal to Lizzy. "In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." CAN YOU HEAR ME SCREAMING FROM THE TOP OF MY LUNGS??? I love this so much bc wtf was this man thinking? "In vain have I struggled" – um sir, is loving me such a burden to you, wtf??? "He spoke well; but there were feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed, and he was not more eloquent on the subject of tenderness than of pride. His sense of her inferiority, of its being a degradation, of the family obstacles which judgment had always opposed to inclination, were dwelt on with a warmth which seemed due to the consequence he was wounding, but was very unlikely to recommend his suit." BAHAHAHAHA. THIS IS SO MESSY. I AM IN LOVE. Lizzy truly had the best, and only possible, response for him: "I might as well inquire, why, with so evident a design of offending and insulting me, you chose to tell me that you liked me against your will, against your reason, and even against your character?"

But bestie babes, brace yourselves, bc this man had the audacity to reply this: "Could you expect me to rejoice in the inferiority of your connections?—to congratulate myself on the hope of relations whose condition in life is so decidedly beneath my own?" I LITERALLY CAN NOT. WTF. Darcy is crazy. Expect saying that to a girl while PROPOSING (!!!) and expecting her to say YES. Being a man must be truly something else. Ya'll, it's the delusion for me. Lizzy had every right to reject him, well done, sis.

Okay, let's get back to why I hate Mr Bennet, lmao. I haven't talked about Wickham and the officers yet. But basically there's a regiment in town and all the (unmarried) women are hella excited bc the officers are good husband material. Lydia becomes obsessed with this fella named Wickham, and wants to follow him to a new town as the whole regiment is set to move. Lizzy doesn't think it's a good idea and when she brings it up to her father, the motherfucker says this: "Lydia will never be easy till she has exposed herself in some public place or other, and we can never expect her to do it with so little expense or inconvenience to her family as under the present circumstances." And later: "The officers will find women better worth their notice. Let us hope, therefore, that her being there may teach her her own insignificance. At any rate, she cannot grow many degrees worse, without authorizing us to lock her up for the rest of her life." I hope you rot in hell, sir. Lydia is 15 years old, by the way, yet Mr Bennet has not an ounce in his body that wants to protect her. It is absolutely wild.

And of course EVERYTHING goes to shit when Lydia is being taken advantage of by Wickham and the two of them elope. Mr Darcy is the only reason that scandal was averted bc he managed to pay Wickham out and thus force his marriage with Lydia, and thus restoring her "virtue". Mr Bennet didn't do shit, because he is a weak ass man with no power, and he didn't know what the fuck was going on. Also, the AUDACITY of Mr Collins writing to Mr Bennet the following: "The death of your daughter would have been a blessing in comparison of this." Uff, had my blood boiling. Not that Mr Bennet doesn't deserve it, but Lydia doesn't deserve that misogynist shit. "Her death would have been a blessing in comparison to this"???? MR COLLINS, YOU WILL CATCH THESE HANDS!!!!

The only good thing coming out of the elopement and Darcy's help is that Lizzy finally sees Darcy in a new light: "But above all, above respect and esteem, there was a motive within her of good-will which could not be overlooked. It was gratitude;—gratitude, not merely for having once loved her, but for loving her still well enough to forgive all the petulance and acrimony of her manner in rejecting him, and all the unjust accusations accompanying her rejection. He who, she had been persuaded, would avoid her as his greatest enemy, seemed, on this accidental meeting, most eager to preserve the acquaintance; and without any indelicate display of regard, or any peculiarity of manner, where their two selves only were concerned, was soliciting the good opinion of her friends, and bent on making her known to his sister." HOW LOVELY. Lizzy realises "that he was exactly the man who, in disposition and talents, would most suit her. His understanding and temper, though unlike her own, would have answered all her wishes. It was an union that must have been to the advantage of both: by her ease and liveliness, his mind might have been softened, his manners improved; and from his judgment, information, and knowledge of the world, she must have received benefit of greater importance." I'm telling you these two are a perfect match, and they both grew so much over the course of this story. THEY DESERVE EACH OTHER. Also one of the sweetest moment: "He had done all this for a girl whom he could neither regard nor esteem. Her heart did whisper that he had done it for her." *sobbing*

And then Darcy, THE MAN THAT HE IS, actually overcomes his pride and proposes to her AGAIN. Literally, shoot me now, this man is perfected. And Lizzy is so overwhelmed, she can't fucking believe it (GIRLIE SAME), and when she doesn't immediately reply, he's like: "You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever." I LOVE IT: "TELL ME SO AT ONCE", like our guy was ANXIOUS (can't blame him tho). Of course, she accepts his proposal (who wouldn't), and they actually talk about the first proposal and you can see how much they both have grown. Darcy reassures her: "What did you say of me, that I did not deserve? For, though your accusations were ill-founded, formed on mistaken premises, my behaviour to you at the time had merited the severest reproof. It was unpardonable. I cannot think of it without abhorrence." LIKE YES, HE'S ONE OF THE GIRLS NOW. Love that for him.

And when she asks him, when he started to love her, he says THISSS: "I cannot fix on the hour, or the spot, or the look, or the words, which laid the foundation. It is too long ago. I was in the middle before I knew that I had begun." AjhAHGJDgjafbjfbjb. LOVE ACTUALLY IS... ALL AROUND.

And then they talk about their behavior towards each other afterward and Lizzy is like: "You might have talked to me more when you came to dinner.", to which he replies: "A man who had felt less, might." AHUDJDHHHH. Words escape me.

One thing I found really scary (and revealing) though, was Mr Bennet's reaction to Lizzy telling him that Darcy proposed to her (at this point, he didn't yet know that Darcy was the one who saved Lydia; he still thought Darcy was an ass): "He is the kind of man, indeed, to whom I should never dare refuse anything, which he condescended to ask." SO FUCKING SCARY. I mean, it turned out great because DARCY is great, but imagine he had been an abusive asshole with money. Mr Bennet would've sold his darling child right off to him. SCARY STUFF.

Anyways, let's leave on a high note, heck the high note of the entire novel, as much as I hate Mr Bennet (ROT IN HELL, SIR!), I love his revenge letter to Mr Collins. After the shit he wrote to him about Lydia being better off dead (I AM STILL NOT OVER IT, YOU GUYS), Mr Bennet writes him this after Lizzy's engagement to Darcy, knowing full well that he's a better catch than Collins will ever be: "DEAR SIR, I must trouble you once more for congratulations. Elizabeth will soon be the wife of Mr. Darcy. Console Lady Catherine as well as you can. But, if I were you, I would stand by the nephew. He has more to give. Yours sincerely, etc." BAHAHAHAHA. THE PETTINESS. I am obsessed. I need this letter tattooed on my body, it's possibly the most iconic thing I've ever read. THANK YOU JANE FOR WRITING THIS MASTERPIECE.

I was forced to read this by my future wife.
I was not, however, forced to give it 5 stars.

love at first word. i can barely think straight. how do i recover from this book hangover?

i am obsessed with everything about this story. i can see myself rereading this forever. elizabeth and mr. darcy are my everything. i am treasuring them forever <3

the storytelling, the descriptions, the humour, the characters, the romance, everything had me so engrossed in the story. it was natural, they all felt so real, this was absolutely perfect. i literally cried when i read the last page out of pure love for this.

”You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.”

-Mr. Darcy

♡ ♡ ♡