Pride &
Prejudice by Jane Austen marks the end of the Unfinished Business series. It is
one of those novels that is acclaimed to be one of the best novels ever
written. So I bought the book, a physical copy from a book store, the summer
before heading to college. I barely made it past the first page before I put
the book away. Sometime later, I tried to read it again, this time a free
electronic version. Again, I stopped reading it, this time after chapter one,
finding the wording cumbersome. I never had a real interest in the content; it
seemed frivolous and outside my realm as a black girl from the inner city of
Chicago. After finally completing the book this go around, I ended up loving
it.
Jane Austen has a
distinct style. I appreciated the deliberate pacing of the novel with the short
chapters and long descriptive sentences. Each chapter, well-planned and
detailed, contributed to the overall story. Distinct characteristics made for
timeless characters. Every character had a few defining qualities that were
enhanced with each appearance; they were true to themselves. The society in
Pride & Prejudice is one of appearances and disposition. Darcy is described
as a dignified and prideful gentleman, which he whole hardly is, but I also saw
him as an introvert. He was uncomfortable in crowds and more amiable amongst
close friends. Yes, this is somewhat do to his arrogance, but I also believe he
is simply a quiet man. I read that since Darcy is the pride part of Pride &
Prejudice, then that makes Elizabeth the prejudice. However, I would argue that
both words in the title describe Elizabeth and Darcy. Elizabeth was prejudice
against Darcy for his slight toward her when they first met, and each
indictment of him thereafter, but Darcy was also prejudice against Elizabeth
for her family's lack of class and social standing. Elizabeth was a bit of a
know-it-all. She prided herself on being a good judge of character, though she
was proven to be wrong in her initial assertion of Darcy and Wickham.
As marriage was a
prevalent theme in Pride & Prejudice, Austen managed to depict five
distinct ideas of matrimony. Mr. and Mrs. Bennet had a relationship of
indifference. Little was known of how they came together, but I could only
wonder because they were so different and often in opposition. Charlotte
married Mr. Collins out of convenience. She only cared about a comfortable home
and Mr. Collins wanted an agreeable wife, thus they formed an unlikely but
favorable match.
I formed a conspiracy about the marriage of Wickham and Lydia.
A man intent on marrying for money must be observant and calculating. I believe
that after Wickham spoke with Elizabeth and realized her opinion of Darcy was
swaying, he noticed a spark of interest and perceived they would marry or at
the least Jane and Bingley would marry. So Wickham ran off with Lydia in hopes
of the family essentially paying him to marry her to save face and by extension
of Elizabeth, Darcy would become involved. Wickham was frivolous but not stupid
when it came to romantic relationships. It was a longshot but Wickham was a
gambling man. Why else would he postpone marrying Lydia? They could have gotten
married as soon as they ran off. Also, in the update, it is mentioned that
Lydia and Wickham are often supported by their in-laws, Darcy and Bingley. I
would describe the relationship between Lydia and Wickham as foolish
infatuation on her part and devious design on his part.
Speaking of Bingley, he
and Jane married because they were both agreeable people. There was an
effortless love between them. At last, Elizabeth and Darcy had a relationship
built on respect and accommodation. I was tickled that everyone thought that
Elizabeth was marrying Darcy simply because he asked her (it was as if they didn't
know her at all) and he was wealthy. How could she possibly marry someone she
hated, they all wondered. Hate and love share something in common: passion. As
long as passion is there, the scales of love and hate can be tipped to either
side depending on circumstance. Both Elizabeth and Darcy learned to love the
infuriating turned enduring qualities in the other through mutual respect and
lessened those qualities (Darcy's pride and Elizabeth's assertiveness) to be
happy.
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