Okay so I dnf'ed pride & prejudice

Pride and Prejudice is a novel by Jane Austen, first published in 1813. The story takes place in the fictional town of Meryton, England, in the late 18th century. The novel follows the life of Elizabeth Bennet, a witty and independent-minded young woman, as she navigates the social mores of her time and falls in love with Mr. Darcy, a wealthy and proud aristocrat.

The novel begins with the arrival of Mr. Bingley, a wealthy gentleman, to Netherfield Park, a nearby estate. He is accompanied by his sisters and his best friend, Mr. Darcy. The Bennet family, consisting of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and their five daughters, including Elizabeth, is excited by the prospect of meeting the new neighbors. However, when Mr. Darcy snubs Elizabeth at a ball, she immediately takes a dislike to him, and he to her, due to his pride and her prejudice against him.

As the story progresses, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy encounter each other again and again, and their initial animosity gradually turns into attraction. However, their budding romance is threatened by a number of obstacles, including the interference of Mr. Darcy's haughty aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and the machinations of Mr. Wickham, a charming but untrustworthy gentleman who has a grudge against Mr. Darcy.

Throughout the novel, Austen skillfully explores the themes of class, gender, and social hierarchy in Georgian England. She depicts a society in which a woman's value is determined by her ability to marry well and secure her family's future, and in which the upper classes maintain their status through strict adherence to social norms and codes of conduct. However, Austen also shows how individuals can challenge and subvert these norms, through their intelligence, wit, and courage.

One of the novel's strengths is its vividly drawn characters, each of whom is unique and memorable. Elizabeth is a particularly appealing heroine, with her quick wit, strong opinions, and determination to live life on her own terms. Mr. Darcy, meanwhile, is a complex and intriguing hero, whose pride and sense of superiority are gradually revealed to be a cover for his vulnerability and insecurity.

Another of Austen's strengths is her prose style, which is witty, precise, and elegant. Her use of irony and satire adds depth and nuance to the novel, allowing her to critique the social norms and expectations of her time while still entertaining her readers.

The novel also offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of Georgian England, with its elaborate rituals of courtship, marriage, and social etiquette. Austen's keen observations of the manners and customs of the time, and her wry commentary on them, provide a richly detailed portrait of a bygone era. But at the same time, her characters are universally recognizable and relatable, making the novel as relevant today as it was when it was first published.

Moreover, Pride and Prejudice has had a lasting impact on popular culture, inspiring countless adaptations, retellings, and spin-offs in various media. From film and television adaptations to stage productions, comic books, and even video games, the novel's enduring appeal has ensured its place as a cultural touchstone for generations to come.

Overall, Pride and Prejudice is a timeless masterpiece of English literature, blending insightful social commentary with engaging characters, sparkling prose, and a deep understanding of the complexities of human relationships. It remains a beloved classic, treasured by readers and scholars alike, and its influence can be seen in countless works of literature and popular culture.

[4.5]

i am no longer mentally ill after reading this book

This Review ✍️ Blog

Hace un tiempo atrás tuve la suerte de ser uno de los cinco ganadores de un concurso organizado por Penguin Clásicos en Facebook en el que los lectores teníamos que decir cuál había sido el primer libro clásico que habíamos leído.
El premio era un lote de los cinco libros más votados y un mes después recibí en mi casa "Don Quijote de la Mancha" de Miguel de Cervantes, "Cumbres borrascosas" de Emily Brontë, "La isla del tesoro" de Robert Louis Stevenson, "Crimen y Castigo" de Fiódor Dostoievski y éste de Jane Austen que curiosamente Penguin nunca publicó en Argentina.
Como soy un lector de clásicos es lógico que me debía una lectura de "Orgullo y prejuicio" dado que era el único de los cinco que no había leído.
Los admiradores de Jane Austen se enojarán conmigo, pero realmente, la lectura se me hizo más pesada que las mil páginas de "La montaña mágica" (libro que realmente disfruté) y me dio la impresión que este libro es una enorme redundancia de quinientas páginas y lo que más me sorprendió era que la temática queda siempre clavada en los acercamientos y desengaños amorosos de dos de las cinco hijas del señor y la señora Bennet, agravado por las pacatas costumbres de la sociedad victoriana que mantenía férreamente atada las pasiones de las damas de esa época.
Todo gira siempre en lo mismo: en una carrera entre las chicas solteras de distintas clases sociales por ganarse el amor de un apuesto joven que oh casualidad, es millonario y está a la caza de una dote que le asegure futuro y posición social.
Los diálogos me resultaron anodinos y redundantes y responden a los caprichos y vanidades de jovencitas virginales que idealizan el amor pero que no lo consiguen. Los hombres no se quedan atrás y Austen los dota de frivolidad y machismo para vapulear a las damas a su antojo.
De las cinco hermanas Bennet son Elizabeth y Jane las que acaparan más páginas, dejando atrás a Mary, Kitty y Lydia.
Tal vez ya no estoy para leer este tipo de novelas y en ciertos momentos me pregunté si era necesario perder el tiempo leyéndola habiendo tantos autores interesantes, pero, a sabiendas de que era un regalo, un premio, hice el esfuerzo.
Y naturalmente, me fue imposible no comparar "Orgullo y prejuicio" con verdaderas novelas románticas de peso como "Cumbres borrascosas" o "Jane Eyre" e incluso con "Agnes Grey". Siento que Jane Austen no consigue plasmar en sus personajes lo que las hermanas Brontë lograban con creces en los suyos.
Para ser sincero: Elizabeth Bennet no es Jane Eyre y El Sr. Darcy dista mucho de acercarse al Sr. Rochester, mientras que el malvado Sr. Wickham se encuentra a años luz de un personaje tan fuerte como Heathcliff en "Cumbres borrascosas".
Los forcejeos amorosos de Elizabeth Bennet con el Sr. Darcy o la relación de Jane con Charles Bingley se tornan redundantes y cuando a Austen se le agotan, utiliza el plan B de la huida de la pequeña Lydia con el Sr. Wickham. Me da la sensación que a este libro le sobran al menos ciento cincuenta páginas.
De todos modos, debo reconocer que el personaje de Elizabeth Bennet está muy bien logrado por Austen, aunque no tenga ni el temple de Jane Eyre ni la tenacidad de Agnes Grey y esto es innegable para mí.
Como anticipé, lamento esto que escribo que pueda generar rechazo en los lectores más entusiastas de Jane Eyre pero me gusta decir la verdad. Algo similar me pasó con "Nueve cuentos" de J.D. Salinger al que considero muy flojo así también como no pienso leer "Lolita" de Vladimir Nabokov, escritor que detesto por renegar de uno de sus padres literarios más importantes como Fiódor Dostoievski, que forma parte de aquellos de los que aprendió a escribir.
Pero volviendo a "Orgullo y prejuicio", considero que está bien escrito, pero no es ni brillante ni alcanza niveles sublimes más allá de algunas frases inteligentes que me encontré por ahí. De todas maneras, dista mucho de la soberbia técnica narrativa utilizada por de cualquiera de las hermanas Brontë.
Hace mucho, cuando leí "Cumbres borrascosas" dejé bien en claro que elegiría ese libro antes que cualquiera de los de Jane Austen y ahora lo confirmo.
Más aún: Charlotte Brontë dijo una vez sobre "Orgullo y prejuicio":"¿Por qué le gusta tantísimo la señora Austen? Eso me tenía desconcertada... No había leído Orgullo y prejuicio hasta que leí esa frase suya: entonces lo hice. ¿Y qué descubrí? El daguerrotipo preciso de un rostro corriente; un jardín bien cercado y bien cuidado, pero ninguna mirada de una fisonomía brillante y viva, ni campo abierto ni aire fresco, ni colina azul ni hermoso arroyo. No me gustaría vivir con sus damas y caballeros, en sus casas elegantes pero cerradas".
Por alguna razón, la descripción de la sociedad inglesa que utiliza Jane Austen desprestigia de alguna manera a las mujeres de su época, que con excepción de Elizabeth o Jane son tontas, frívolas y demasiado inocentes. y por esta razón concuerdo con Charlotte Brontë.
Mark Twain fue mucho más lapidario todavía, afirmando sin piedad ni contemplación:"Cada vez que leo Orgullo y prejuicio de Jane Austen, me entran ganas de desenterrarla y golpearle el cráneo con su propia tibia".
Tal vez esta última frase sea demasiado cruel para una de las escritoras más importantes de la literatura inglesa, aunque proviniendo de la ironía de Mark Twain puede ser considerada hasta graciosa.
No siempre se pueden adular libros por más que se los considere "clásicos".
Una una sola estrella es mi puntuación para un libro cuyo único momento de interés es el enardecido contrapunto entre Elizabeth y Lady Catherine de Bourg y aunque pido mis disculpas a quienes admiran a Jane Austen, dejo bien sentada mi posición sobre "Orgullo y prejuicio".

Just a few words to express how I loved Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. So much has already been said, that I feel almost redundant.

'Pride and Prejudice' for me is above all about women’s choices in marriage, or the possibility of love versus choosing for money or social position. During Austen's time, marriage was the only option a woman had, except if she was rich enough to disregard the expectations of society; except if she was willing to live as a poor relation, which usually meant being used as an unpaid servant. Of course, there was always the option of becoming a governess, but that represented not only miserly wages, even worst it implied becoming barely respectable and existence in an ambiguous class oblivion of social invisibility and no autonomy. What could be worst? Thus, let’s not criticize Austen’s contemporaries who saw marriage as their only choice, let’s even try to understand Mrs. Benet predicament:
n  

”If I can but see one of my daughters happily settled at Netherfield,” said Mrs. Bennet to her husband, “and all the others equally well married, I shall have nothing to wish for.”

n
But we have to remember that woman’s necessity was not one-sided:
n  

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

n
But, alas, that has probably been said before. What else can I mention here? That Jane Austen was ahead of her time, and her heroine, the witty and charming Elizabeth Bennet, makes us fall in love with her by her accurate view of the world:
n  

There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of merit or sense.

n
And let’s not forget Mr. Darcy, for I am a romantic at heart, and he conquered me with his truthful statement, and even more crucial for me, ended up changing for Elizabeth:
n  

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.

n
What I most liked about Elizabeth and Darcy’s relationship is that it is not a simple romantic tale, but I loved how they overcome his pride and her prejudice and grow up gradually from a mutual antipathy to an understanding. And that does not happen overnight but over a period of over a year.

All this, and much more if I wished to be even more redundant is what makes this novel so popular and enduring. It was refreshing to have a story that despite questioning prevailing values makes us smile. Highly recommended.
____

I hope this review finds you in possession of a good fortune and in want of a wife.

n  “You have bewitched me body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you. And wish from this day forth never to be parted from you.”n

Mr Darcy, the poet himself

*laughs in pretentious classics reader*

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.

Second time around and still a timeless classic!

I loved this book. I think its place is among my favorites. This was my grandma's favorite book. I think she read it tens of times. Maybe once a year. I tried to read it once but I abandoned it. I am so happy that I started to read it again.

Ενα βιβλίο που γράφτηκε το 1797 με τον τίτλο
« Πρώτες Εντυπώσεις», αναμφίβολα αντιπροσωπευτικός, διότι και οι δυο πρωταγωνιστικοί χαρακτήρες εντυπωσιάζονται λανθασμένα ο ένας για τον άλλον και χάνουν πολύτιμες στιγμές ανάμεσα τους ορμώμενοι απο φαινομενικά μειονεκτήματα και παρεξηγήσεις.
Όταν εκδίδεται το 1813 το βιβλίο τούτο έχει τον ακόμη πιο εύστοχο τίτλο « Περηφάνεια και Προκατάληψη ».
Δυο βασικά χαρακτηριστικά των πρωταγωνιστών μας αναμειγνύονται με το πάθος και τη λογική και αποτελούν ανασταλτικούς παράγοντες για την μοιραία σχέση τους.

Μέσα από μια πολυεπίπεδη ανάλυση και βαθιά περιγραφή των χαρακτήρων η ευφυΐα της Όστεν παρουσιάζει με θάρρος, πάθος, σάτιρα και οξυμένο κριτικό πνεύμα την κοινωνία της Αγγλίας τον 18ο αιώνα.

Είναι περισσότερο μια ψυχολογική ανάλυση της μικροαστικής αντίληψης των ανθρώπων της εποχής για τον έρωτα, το γάμο, τα ήθη, τις ταξικές διαφορές, τις περιουσίες που κρίνουν τα πάντα και τις αρετές που πρέπει να υπάρχουν ή απλά να φαίνονται στην ανθρώπινη φύση.
Φυσικά, το έργο διαπνέεται ελλειπτικά απο ποικίλα προσωπικά συναισθήματα των χαρακτήρων και μπορεί άνετα να καταχωριστεί στην ρομαντική κλασική λογοτεχνία.

Έχουμε μια ιστορία αγάπης που γεννιέται και προσπαθεί να μείνει αναλλοίωτη μέσα σε μια ανδροκρατούμενη κοινωνία με πολλές κοινωνικές συμβάσεις και προκαταλήψεις.
Η Ελίζαμπεθ, πανέξυπνη, ετοιμόλογη, διορατική, τρυφερή, θαραλλέα και πρωτοπόρα παλεύει να χρωματίσει με πάθος και αξιοπρέπεια τη θέση της στην κοινωνία.
Ο κ. Ντάρσυ, με την μεγάλη περιουσία και την ακόμη μεγαλύτερη αλαζονεία, γίνεται εξ αρχής το πρότυπο του δυναμικού άνδρα που μιλάει ελάχιστα μα σκέφτεται πολύ, που περιφρονεί και κατακρίνει, που αδιαφορεί για τα πάντα και εκφράζεται με απόλυτη καυστική ειλικρίνεια. Ειναι ο σνομπ ερωτεύσιμος άνδρας που προκαλεί δέος και αντιπάθεια, φαινομενικά.
Στην ουσία όμως ακολουθεί την καρδιά του, αγαπάει βαθιά, απόλυτα και αληθινά.

Κοινωνική σάτιρα, κοινή και καυστική κριτική εποχής, αγάπη, ανταλλαγές απόψεων, ιδεών και συμπεριφορών δημιουργούν και προωθούν την πλοκή της ιστορίας.

Κάπου μακριά και έμμεσα ο αναγνώστης αντιλαμβάνεται έντονα τα συναισθήματα των ηρώων καθώς δεν εκφράζονται άμεσα, απλώς αναλογούν σε αντίστοιχες οξυμένα πνευματικές και ευαίσθητα ψυχολογικές επάρκειες για τον κάθε χαρακτήρα.

Ύφος απλό και λιτό. Ελάχιστες περιγραφές. Πολλοί διάλογοι που οικοδομούν τους χαρακτήρες με ρεαλισμό και αποδίδουν άρτια μηνύματα και συμπεράσματα σχετικά με την αποδοχή λαθών που θα γίνονται πάντα στην ανθρώπινη φύση μα και την ευτυχία που αξίζει να απολαμβάνουμε κάθε στιγμή της ζωής μας.


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