'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen

Since its immediate success in 1813, Pride and Prejudice has remained one of the most popular novels in the English language. Jane Austen called this brilliant work “her own dear child” and its vivacious heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, “as delightful a creature as ever appeared in print.” The romantic confrontation between the headstrong Elizabeth and her proud boyfriend, Mr. Darcy, is a splendid performance of civilized fighting. And Jane Austen's radiant wit shines as her characters dance a delicate dance of flirtation and intrigue, making this book Regency England's finest comedy of manners.

MY THOUGHTS:

Warning: Some mild spoilers, but I consider the old classics fair game. And who isn't completely familiar with this timeless classic anyway?

For many years I was prejudiced against Pride and Prejudice, because of its iconic reputation that I wasn't convinced the smart but short-sighted Lizzy Bennet and the arrogant Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy really deserved. In my early teens, I summed up Darcy as a nasty piece of work for alienating everyone at that first local dance by her bad manners. When he uttered his famous line (tolerable, but not pretty enough to please me), any sympathy I might have had for him was completely lost. And the screen version did nothing to help the story's cause in my youthful eyes. I remember being disillusioned by the lascivious way other women reacted to the sight of Colin Firth emerging from the lake in his white shirt. ("I mean, come on, girls, we shouldn't complain about being catcalled and sexually objectified if we're going to do the exact same thing!") All in all, it was enough to make me decide, "No, I don't like Pride and Prejudice." . It never will.'

I've read it a few times since then, of course, and have increased my opinion a little each time. So, having reviewed each of Austen's other five classics, it was time to tackle her once again, which I had a lot of fun doing in the weeks leading up to Christmas. I decided to give it a fair assessment, as if I had never read it before. But I really wasn't prepared for all the stunning subtleties that I don't remember noticing in previous readings.

For starters, a vulnerable side of Darcy emerged this time that I had never considered before. Perhaps during the following years I gained more knowledge about true introversion and recognized it as a member of my tribe. However, it is still easy to understand, especially with his vast wealth and good looks, how his natural reserve could be mistaken for arrogance and pride.

I experimented with retellings of several dialogue scenes that Darcy is a part of. When we read them with the mindset that he is an arrogant snob, there is plenty of apparent evidence to support that opinion. However, when we read them with the awareness that brain fog and social freeze are real things, it's much easier to cut ourselves some slack. The same dialogue cards produce completely different conclusions depending on our impressions of Darcy. And, in fact, Elizabeth reverses her opinion of him when she gets to know him better.

It is a very careful writing by Jane Austen, as we can read her in two ways. Every line like “I certainly don’t have the talent that some people possess for conversing easily with those I’ve never met before” is a clue to the real man. He's not really a snobby elitist, but just a clumsy interloper who blurts out something totally stupid and inappropriate in the heat of the moment that he never wanted her to hear. And that verdict makes him that much more adorable.

I love Elizabeth's own feast of humble pie. It is the moment after reading Darcy's letter to her describing his past with Wickham. She realizes that despite giving herself credit for clear judgment and penetration, she in fact responded to two guys (Darcy and Wickham) based on her personal experience of how flattered or snubbed they made her feel. 'How despicable I acted,' she reflects, but it's a mistake any of us can make. There's nothing like a great moment of self-revelation in a story, as many people go their entire lives without one.

Elizabeth is actually a very fair person. Her cynical father gains a lot of sympathy from readers for rushing in and marrying a pretty airhead, and then having to live with the consequences. But throughout the story, Lizzy realizes that it has been difficult for her mother too, living with a sarcastic grouch who makes his indifference clear by always retreating to his library. In fact, he 'exposed his wife to the contempt of her own children', which is 'highly reprehensible'. I appreciate Lizzy's well-balanced assessment here.

In addition to the complex main pair, there are many other unforgettable characters as well. The 'nice guys' Bingley and Wickham; one genuine and the other hypocritical and slanderous. The parasitic Mr. Collins, with all his servility and self-importance rolled into one. Lady Catherine de Bourgh, the old autocratic tree whose sap he will continue to suck, because he knows that as long as he flatters, she will continue to nourish. Pragmatic Charlotte Lucas, who considers a ridiculous husband a fair sacrifice for security and social standing. The ultimate mean, bad girl, Caroline Bingley. (What a 'rhymes-with-witch'!) And the shallow, reactive Mrs. Bennet, and her equally boy-crazy, fashion-obsessed youngest daughter, Lydia. What a fantastic cast!

This time, I can't help but like Jane. Dismissing her as Lizzy's naïve, less penetrating, and therefore vulnerable older sister is an injustice. Jane is not blind to people's flaws and dark motives. She just chooses to give others the benefit of the doubt for her own peace of mind. Overall, choosing to think well of people is not an excuse, but a peaceful and healthy way to live, because it consumes much less energy than keeping a mental list of resentments. Jane's secret weapon, just as Lizzy's is humor and insight. For example, Jane is the only person willing to think the best of Darcy after Wickham spread his malicious story, and she is right to do so. Firm and gentle wins the day. Anyone can benefit from a friend like Jane.

I had forgotten a bit about the brilliant social comedy in the book! I love it when Elizabeth is busy rehearsing all the reasons she hates Darcy at the exact moment before he walks in and makes his first atrocious proposal. And how Lady Catherine later gives her nephew a ray of hope as she thinks she is truly stamping out the last embers of his misguided affection. Then there are Mr. Collins's abysmal letters to Mr. Bennet! And the fact that Mrs. Bennet, unaware of Darcy's magnanimous gesture, is perfectly at ease with the idea that her brother, Mr. Gardiner, should shell out a lot of money out of his own pocket to cover the indiscretions of his daughter, Lydia. Each page is highly entertaining.

Since I decided that Pride and Prejudice might be overrated compared to other Austen classics, I wanted to pick another one as my personal favorite. I saved this review for last, assuming I knew it backwards and forwards. But guess what? I changed my mind, as now it seems that this book must always bring a new revelation to each stage of our lives. It deserves all its praise for introducing the 'hate of love' theme long before it was a trope, and it undoubtedly helped make it so.

I admit, it is my favorite Jane Austen novel after all. Like Lizzy and Darcy, I can admit when I was wrong.

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