''Pride and Prejudice'' is the second published novel (but third to be written) by English author

Jane Austen Jane Austen ( ; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for #List of works, her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique, and comment on the English landed gentry at the end of the 18th century ...

, written when she was age 20-21, and later published in 1813. A

novel of manners The novel of manners is a work of fiction that re-creates a social world, conveying with detailed observation the complex of customs, values, and mores of a Social stratification, stratified society. The behavioural conventions (manners) of the s ...

, it follows the character development of

Elizabeth Bennet Elizabeth Bennet is the protagonist in the 1813 novel '' Pride and Prejudice'' by Jane Austen. She is often referred to as Eliza or Lizzy by her friends and family. Elizabeth is the second child in a family of five daughters. Though the circ ...

, the

protagonist A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a ...

of the book, who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness. Her father Mr Bennet, owner of the Longbourn estate in

Hertfordshire Hertfordshire ( or ; often abbreviated Herts) is a ceremonial county in the East of England and one of the home counties. It borders Bedfordshire to the north-west, Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Essex to the east, Greater London to the ...

, has five daughters, but his property is

entailed In English common law, fee tail or entail is a form of trust law, trust, established by deed or settlement, that restricts the sale or inheritance of an estate (law), estate in real property and prevents that property from being sold, devised by ...

and can only be passed to a male heir. His wife lacks an inheritance, so his family faces becoming poor upon his death. Thus, it is imperative that at least one of the daughters marry well to support the others, which is a primary motivation driving the plot. ''Pride and Prejudice'' has consistently appeared near the top of lists of "most-loved books" among literary scholars and the reading public. It has become one of the most popular novels in English literature, with over 20 million copies sold, and has inspired many derivatives in modern literature. For more than a century, dramatic adaptations, reprints, unofficial sequels, films, and TV versions of ''Pride and Prejudice'' have portrayed the memorable characters and themes of the novel, reaching mass audiences.

Plot summary

In the early 19th century, the

Bennet family The Bennet family is a fictional family created by the English novelist Jane Austen in her 1813 novel ''Pride and Prejudice''. The family consists of Mr and Mrs Bennet and their five daughters: Jane, Mary, Catherine, Lydia, and Elizabeth, who ...

lives at their Longbourn estate, situated near the village of Meryton in

, England. Mrs. Bennet's greatest desire is to marry off her five daughters to secure their futures. The arrival of Mr. Bingley, a rich bachelor who rents the neighbouring Netherfield estate, gives her hope that one of her daughters might contract a marriage to the advantage, because "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife". At a ball, the family is introduced to the Netherfield party, including Mr. Bingley, his two sisters, Caroline, who is unmarried, and Louisa, who is married to Mr. Hurst, and his closest friend

Mr. Darcy Fitzwilliam Darcy Esquire, generally referred to as Mr. Darcy, is one of the two central characters in Jane Austen's 1813 novel ''Pride and Prejudice''. He is an archetype of the aloof romantic hero, and a romantic interest of Elizabeth Benne ...

. Mr. Bingley's friendly and cheerful manner earns him popularity among the guests. He appears interested in Jane, the eldest Bennet daughter. Mr. Darcy, reputed to be twice as wealthy as Mr. Bingley, is haughty and aloof, causing a decided dislike of him. He declines to dance with

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Empress Elisabeth (disambiguation), lists various empresses named ''Elisabeth'' or ''Elizabeth'' * Princess Elizabeth ...

, the second-eldest Bennet daughter, as she is "not handsome enough". Although she jokes about it with her friend, Elizabeth is deeply offended. Despite this first impression, Mr. Darcy secretly begins to find himself drawn to Elizabeth as they continue to encounter each other at social events, appreciating her wit and frankness. 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 Lady Catherine de Bourgh ( ; ) is a Character (arts), character in the 1813 novel ''Pride and Prejudice'' by Jane Austen. According to Janet Todd, Lady Catherine can be seen as a foil to the novel's protagonist Elizabeth Bennet. Family Lady Cat ...

, also revealed to be Mr. Darcy's aunt. He decides to pursue Elizabeth. The Bennet family meets the charming army officer

George Wickham George Wickham is a fictional character created by Jane Austen who appears in her 1813 novel ''Pride and Prejudice''. George Wickham is introduced as a militia officer who has a shared history with Mr. Darcy. Wickham's charming demeanour and his ...

, who tells Elizabeth in confidence that Mr. Darcy had treated him unpleasantly in the past. Elizabeth's prejudice toward Mr. Darcy leads her to believe Wickham. Elizabeth dances with Mr. Darcy at a ball where Mrs. Bennet hints loudly that she expects Jane and Bingley to become engaged. Elizabeth rejects Mr. Collins' marriage proposal, to her mother's fury and her father's relief. Mr. Collins subsequently proposes to Charlotte Lucas, a friend of Elizabeth's, and is accepted. Having heard Mrs. Bennet's words at the ball, and disapproving of the marriage, Mr. Darcy joins Mr. Bingley in a trip to London and, with the help of his sisters, persuades him not to return to Netherfield. A heartbroken Jane visits her Aunt and Uncle Gardiner in London to raise her spirits, while Elizabeth's hatred for Mr. Darcy grows, as she suspects he was responsible for Mr. Bingley's departure. In the spring, Elizabeth visits Charlotte and Mr. Collins in

Kent Kent is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Essex across the Thames Estuary to the north, the Strait of Dover to the south-east, East Sussex to the south-west, Surrey to the west, and Gr ...

. Elizabeth and her hosts are invited to Rosings Park, Lady Catherine's home. Mr. Darcy and his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, are also visiting Rosings Park. Fitzwilliam tells Elizabeth how Mr. Darcy recently saved a friend, presumably Bingley, from an undesirable match. Elizabeth realises that the prevented engagement was to Jane. Mr. Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, declaring his love for her despite her low social connections. She is shocked, as she was unaware of Mr. Darcy's interest, and rejects him angrily, saying that he is the last person she would ever marry and that she could never love a man who caused her sister such unhappiness; she further accuses him of treating Wickham unjustly. Mr. Darcy brags about his success in separating Bingley and Jane and sarcastically dismisses the accusation regarding Wickham without addressing it. The next day, Mr. Darcy gives Elizabeth a letter explaining that Wickham, the son of his late father's steward, had refused the "

living Living or The Living may refer to: Common meanings *Life, a condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms ** Living species, one that is not extinct *Personal life, the course of an individual human's life * ...

" his father had arranged for him and was instead given money for it. Wickham quickly squandered the money and tried to elope with Darcy's 15-year-old sister, Georgiana, for her considerable

dowry A dowry is a payment such as land, property, money, livestock, or a commercial asset that is paid by the bride's (woman's) family to the groom (man) or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price ...

. Mr. Darcy also writes that he separated Jane and Bingley because he believed her to be indifferent to Bingley and because of the lack of propriety displayed by her family. Elizabeth is ashamed by her family's behaviour and her own prejudice against Mr. Darcy. Pickering - Greatbatch - Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice - She then told him what Mr

Pickering - Greatbatch - Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice - She then told him what Mr

Months later, Elizabeth accompanies the Gardiners on a tour of

Derbyshire Derbyshire ( ) is a ceremonial county in the East Midlands of England. It borders Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and South Yorkshire to the north, Nottinghamshire to the east, Leicestershire to the south-east, Staffordshire to the south a ...

. They persuade Elizabeth to visit

Pemberley Pemberley is the fictional country estate owned by Fitzwilliam Darcy, the male protagonist in Jane Austen's 1813 novel ''Pride and Prejudice''. It is located near the fictional town of Lambton, and believed by some to be based on Lyme Park, so ...

, Darcy's estate, noting that he is unlikely to be at home. When Mr. Darcy returns unexpectedly, he is exceedingly gracious with Elizabeth and the Gardiners. Elizabeth is surprised by Darcy's behaviour and grows fond of him, even coming to regret rejecting his proposal. She receives news that her sister Lydia has run off with Wickham. She tells Mr. Darcy; both depart in haste. After an agonising interim, Wickham agrees to marry Lydia; all assume that Gardiner has paid Wickham. Lydia and Wickham visit the Bennet family at Longbourn; Lydia tells Elizabeth that Mr. Darcy was at her wedding. Though Mr. Darcy had sworn everyone involved to secrecy, Mrs. Gardiner now feels obliged to inform Elizabeth that he secured the match, at great expense and trouble to himself. Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy return to Netherfield. Jane accepts Mr. Bingley's proposal. Lady Catherine, having heard rumours that Elizabeth intends to marry Mr. Darcy, visits her and demands she promise never to accept Mr. Darcy's proposal, as she and Darcy's late mother had already planned his marriage to her daughter Anne. Elizabeth refuses and asks the outraged Lady Catherine to leave. Darcy, heartened by his aunt's indignant relaying of Elizabeth's response, again proposes to her and is accepted.

Characters

– the second-eldest of the Bennet daughters, she is attractive, witty and intelligent – but with a tendency to form tenacious and prejudiced first impressions. As the story progresses, so does her tumultuous relationship with Mr. Darcy. The course of Elizabeth and Darcy's relationship is ultimately decided when Darcy overcomes his pride, and Elizabeth overcomes her prejudice, leading them both to surrender to their love for each other. * Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy – Mr. Bingley's friend and the wealthy owner of the estate of

in Derbyshire, said to be worth at least £10,000 a year. Although he is handsome, tall, and intelligent, Darcy lacks ease and

social graces {{Short pages monitor

Major themes

Many critics take the title as the start when analysing the themes of ''Pride and Prejudice'' but Robert Fox cautions against reading too much into the title (which was initially ''First Impressions''), because commercial factors may have played a role in its selection. "After the success of ''

Sense and Sensibility ''Sense and Sensibility'' ( working title; ''Elinor and Marianne'') is the first novel by the English author Jane Austen, published in 1811. It was published anonymously: ''By A Lady'' appears on the title page where the author's name might h ...

'', nothing would have seemed more natural than to bring out another novel of the same author using again the formula of antithesis and alliteration for the title." The qualities of the title are not exclusively assigned to one or the other of the protagonists; both Elizabeth and Darcy display pride and prejudice." The phrase "pride and prejudice" had been used over the preceding two centuries by Joseph Hall,

Jeremy Taylor Jeremy Taylor (1613–1667) was a cleric in the Church of England who achieved fame as an author during the Protectorate of Oliver Cromwell. He is sometimes known as the "Shakespeare of Divines" for his poetic style of expression, and he is fr ...

Joseph Addison Joseph Addison (1 May 1672 – 17 May 1719) was an English essayist, poet, playwright, and politician. He was the eldest son of Lancelot Addison. His name is usually remembered alongside that of his long-standing friend Richard Steele, with w ...

and

Samuel Johnson Samuel Johnson ( – 13 December 1784), often called Dr Johnson, was an English writer who made lasting contributions as a poet, playwright, essayist, moralist, literary critic, sermonist, biographer, editor, and lexicographer. The ''Oxford ...

. Austen is thought to have taken her title from a passage in

Fanny Burney Frances Burney (13 June 1752 – 6 January 1840), also known as Fanny Burney and later Madame d'Arblay, was an English satirical novelist, diarist and playwright. In 1786–1790 she held the post of "Keeper of the Robes" to Charlotte of Mecklen ...

's ''

Cecilia Cecilia is a personal name originating in the name of Saint Cecilia, the patron saint of music. History The name has been popularly used in Europe (particularly the United Kingdom and Italy, where in 2018 it was the 43rd most popular name for g ...

'' (1782), a novel she is known to have admired: A theme in much of Austen's work is the importance of environment and upbringing in developing young people's character and morality. Social standing and wealth are not necessarily advantages in her works, and a further theme common to Austen's work is ineffectual parents. In ''Pride and Prejudice'', the failure of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet as parents is blamed for Lydia's lack of moral judgment. Darcy has been taught to be principled and scrupulously honourable but he is also proud and overbearing. Kitty, rescued from Lydia's bad influence and spending more time with her older sisters after they marry, is said to improve greatly in their superior society. The American novelist Anna Quindlen observed in an introduction to an edition of Austen's novel in 1995:

Marriage

The opening line of the novel announces: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife." This sets marriage as a motif and a central idea in the novel. Readers are poised to question whether or not these single men need a wife, or if the need is dictated by the "neighbourhood" families and their daughters who require a "good fortune". According to

American Book Review ''American Book Review'' is a literary journal edited at the University of Houston-Victoria and published by the University of Nebraska Press. Its mission is to "specialize in reviews of frequently neglected published works of fiction, poetry, an ...

the opening line of Pride and Prejudice is considered second on their list of top 100 greatest opening lines in English literature after ''Moby Dick'''s "Call me Ishmael". Marriage is a complex social activity that takes political and financial economy into account. In the case of Charlotte Lucas, the seeming success of her marriage lies in the comfortable financial circumstances of their household, while the relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Bennet serves to illustrate bad marriages based on an initial attraction and surface over substance (economic and psychological). The Bennets' marriage is an example that the youngest Bennet, Lydia, re-enacts with Wickham and the results are far from felicitous. Although the central characters, Elizabeth and Darcy, begin the novel as hostile acquaintances and unlikely friends, they eventually work toward a better understanding of themselves and each other, which frees them to truly fall in love. This does not eliminate the challenges of the real differences in their technically equivalent social status as gentry and their female relations. It does however provide them with a better understanding of each other's point of view from the different ends of the rather wide scale of differences within that category. When Elizabeth rejects Darcy's first proposal, the argument of marrying for love is introduced. Elizabeth accepts Darcy's proposal only when she is certain she loves him and her feelings are reciprocated. Austen's complex sketching of different marriages ultimately allows readers to question what forms of alliance are desirable especially when it comes to privileging economic, sexual, or companionate attraction.

Wealth

Money plays a fundamental role in the marriage market, for the young ladies seeking a well-off husband and for men who wish to marry a woman of means. George Wickham tries to elope with Georgiana Darcy, and Colonel Fitzwilliam states that he will marry someone with wealth. Marrying a woman of a rich family also ensured a linkage to a higher-class family, as is visible in the desires of Bingley's sisters to have their brother married to Georgiana Darcy. Mrs. Bennet is frequently seen encouraging her daughters to marry a wealthy man of high social class. In chapter 1, when Mr. Bingley arrives, she declares "I am thinking of his marrying one of them". Inheritance was by descent but could be further restricted by

entailment Logical consequence (also entailment or logical implication) is a fundamental concept in logic which describes the relationship between statements that hold true when one statement logically ''follows from'' one or more statements. A valid l ...

, which in the case of the Longbourn estate restricted inheritance to male heirs only. In the case of the Bennet family, Mr. Collins was to inherit the family estate upon Mr. Bennet's death in the absence of any closer male heirs, and his proposal to Elizabeth would have ensured her security; but she refuses his offer. Inheritance laws benefited males because married women did not have independent legal rights until the second half of the 19th century. For the upper-middle and aristocratic classes, marriage to a man with a reliable income was almost the only route to security for the woman and the children she was to have. The irony of the opening line is that generally within this society it would be a woman who would be looking for a wealthy husband to have a prosperous life.

Class

Austen might be known now for her "romances" but the marriages in her novels engage with economics and class distinction. ''Pride and Prejudice'' is hardly the exception. When Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, he cites their economic and social differences as an obstacle his excessive love has had to overcome, though he still anxiously harps on the problems it poses for him within his social circle. His aunt, Lady Catherine, later characterises these differences in particularly harsh terms when she conveys what Elizabeth's marriage to Darcy will become, "Will the shades of Pemberley be thus polluted?" Although Elizabeth responds to Lady Catherine's accusations that hers is a potentially contaminating economic and social position (Elizabeth even insists she and Darcy, as gentleman's daughter and gentleman, are "equals"), Lady Catherine refuses to accept the possibility of Darcy's marriage to Elizabeth. However, as the novel closes, "...through curiosity to see how his wife conducted herself", Lady Catherine condescends to visit them at Pemberley. The Bingleys present a particular problem for navigating class. Though Caroline Bingley and Mrs. Hurst behave and speak of others as if they have always belonged in the upper echelons of society, Austen makes it clear that the Bingley fortunes stem from trade. The fact that Bingley rents Netherfield Hall – it is, after all, "to let" – distinguishes him significantly from Darcy, whose estate belonged to his father's family and who through his mother is the grandson and nephew of an

earl Earl () is a rank of the nobility in the United Kingdom. In modern Britain, an earl is a member of the Peerages in the United Kingdom, peerage, ranking below a marquess and above a viscount. A feminine form of ''earl'' never developed; instead, ...

. Bingley, unlike Darcy, does not own his property but has portable and growing wealth that makes him a good catch on the marriage market for poorer daughters of the gentry, like Jane Bennet, or of ambitious merchants. Class plays a central role in the evolution of the characters and Jane Austen's radical approach to class is seen as the plot unfolds. An undercurrent of the old Anglo-Norman upper class is hinted at in the story, as suggested by the names of Fitzwilliam Darcy and his aunt, Lady Catherine de Bourgh; '' Fitzwilliam'', '' D'Arcy'', '' de Bourgh'' (''

Burke Burke (; ) is a Normans in Ireland, Norman-Irish surname, deriving from the ancient Anglo-Norman and Hiberno-Norman noble dynasty, the House of Burgh. In Ireland, the descendants of William de Burgh (''circa'' 1160–1206) had the surname'' de B ...

''), and even '' Bennet'', are traditional Norman surnames.

Self-knowledge

Through their interactions and their critiques of each other, Darcy and Elizabeth come to recognise their faults and work to correct them. Elizabeth meditates on her own mistakes thoroughly in chapter 36: Other characters rarely exhibit this depth of understanding or at least are not given the space within the novel for this sort of development. Tanner writes that Mrs. Bennet in particular, "has a very limited view of the requirements of that performance; lacking any introspective tendencies she is incapable of appreciating the feelings of others and is only aware of material objects". Mrs Bennet's behaviour reflects the society in which she lives, as she knows that her daughters will not succeed if they do not get married. "The business of her life was to get her daughters married: its solace was visiting and news." This shows that Mrs. Bennet is only aware of "material objects" and not of her feelings and emotions. A notable exception is Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth Bennet's close friend and confidant. She accepts Mr. Collins's proposal of marriage once Lizzie rejects him, not out of sentiment but acute awareness of her circumstances as "one of a large family". Charlotte's decision is reflective of her prudent nature and awareness.

Style

''Pride and Prejudice'', like most of Austen's works, employs the narrative technique of

free indirect speech Free indirect speech is the literary technique of writing a character's first-person thoughts in the voice of the third-person narrator. It is a style using aspects of third-person narration conjoined with the essence of first-person direct spee ...

, which has been defined as "the free representation of a character's speech, by which one means, not words actually spoken by a character, but the words that typify the character's thoughts, or the way the character would think or speak, if she thought or spoke". Austen creates her characters with fully developed personalities and unique voices. Though Darcy and Elizabeth are very alike, they are also considerably different. By using narrative that adopts the tone and vocabulary of a particular character (in this case, Elizabeth), Austen invites the reader to follow events from Elizabeth's viewpoint, sharing her prejudices and misapprehensions. "The learning curve, while undergone by both protagonists, is disclosed to us solely through Elizabeth's point of view and her free indirect speech is essential ... for it is through it that we remain caught, if not stuck, within Elizabeth's misprisions." The few times the reader is allowed to gain further knowledge of another character's feelings, is through the letters exchanged in this novel. Darcy's first letter to Elizabeth is an example of this as through his letter, the reader and Elizabeth are both given knowledge of Wickham's true character. Austen is known to use irony throughout the novel especially from viewpoint of the character of Elizabeth Bennet. She conveys the "oppressive rules of femininity that actually dominate her life and work, and are covered by her beautifully carved trojan horse of ironic distance." Beginning with a historical investigation of the development of a particular literary form and then transitioning into empirical verifications, it reveals free indirect discourse as a tool that emerged over time as practical means for addressing the physical distinctness of minds. Seen in this way, free indirect discourse is a distinctly literary response to an environmental concern, providing a scientific justification that does not reduce literature to a mechanical extension of biology, but takes its value to be its own original form.

Development of the novel

Austen began writing the novel after staying at Goodnestone Park in Kent with her brother Edward and his wife in 1796. It was originally titled ''First Impressions'', and was written between October 1796 and August 1797. On 1 November 1797 Austen's father sent a letter to London bookseller Thomas Cadell to ask if he had any interest in seeing the manuscript, but the offer was declined by return post. The militia were mobilised after the French declaration of war on Britain in February 1793, and there was initially a lack of barracks for all the militia regiments, requiring the militia to set up huge camps in the countryside, which the novel refers to several times. The Brighton camp for which the militia regiment leaves in May after spending the winter in Meryton was opened in August 1793, and the barracks for all the regiments of the militia were completed by 1796, placing the events of the novel between 1793 and 1795. Austen made significant revisions to the manuscript for ''First Impressions'' between 1811 and 1812. As nothing remains of the original manuscript, study of the first drafts of the novel is reduced to conjecture. From the large number of letters in the final novel, it is assumed that ''First Impressions'' was an

epistolary novel An epistolary novel () is a novel written as a series of letters between the fictional characters of a narrative. The term is often extended to cover novels that intersperse other kinds of fictional document with the letters, most commonly di ...

. She later renamed the story ''Pride and Prejudice'' around 1811/1812, when she sold the rights to publish the manuscript to Thomas Egerton for £110 (). In renaming the novel, Austen probably had in mind the "sufferings and oppositions" summarised in the final chapter of

's ''

'', called "Pride and Prejudice", where the phrase appears three times in block capitals. It is possible that the novel's original title was altered to avoid confusion with other works. In the years between the completion of ''First Impressions'' and its revision into ''Pride and Prejudice'', two other works had been published under that name: a novel by

Margaret Holford Margaret Holford (1778–1852) (also published as Margaret Hodson) was an English poet and translator. Her most successful work was a historical verse romance, ''Wallace, or, The Fight of Falkirk'' (1809). Life Her mother, also Margaret Holfo ...

and a comedy by Horace Smith.

Publication history

Austen sold the copyright for the novel to Thomas Egerton from the Military Library, Whitehall in exchange for £110 (Austen had asked for £150). This proved a costly decision. Austen had published ''

'' on a

commission In-Commission or commissioning may refer to: Business and contracting * Commission (remuneration), a form of payment to an agent for services rendered ** Commission (art), the purchase or the creation of a piece of art most often on behalf of anot ...

basis, whereby she indemnified the publisher against any losses and received any profits, less costs and the publisher's commission. Unaware that ''Sense and Sensibility'' would sell out its edition, making her £140, she passed the copyright to Egerton for a one-off payment, meaning that all the risk (and all the profits) would be his. Jan Fergus has calculated that Egerton subsequently made around £450 from just the first two editions of the book. Egerton published the first edition of ''Pride and Prejudice'' in three hardcover volumes on 28 January 1813. It was advertised in ''

The Morning Chronicle ''The Morning Chronicle'' was a newspaper founded in 1769 in London. It was notable for having been the first steady employer of essayist William Hazlitt as a political reporter and the first steady employer of Charles Dickens as a journalist. It ...

'', priced at 18s. Favourable reviews saw this edition sold out, with a second edition published in October that year. A third edition was published in 1817. Foreign language translations first appeared in 1813 in French; subsequent translations were published in German, Danish, and Swedish. ''Pride and Prejudice'' was first published in the United States in August 1832 as ''Elizabeth Bennet or, Pride and Prejudice''. The novel was also included in

Richard Bentley Richard Bentley FRS (; 27 January 1662 – 14 July 1742) was an English classical scholar, critic, and theologian. Considered the "founder of historical philology", Bentley is widely credited with establishing the English school of Hellenis ...

's Standard Novel series in 1833. R. W. Chapman's scholarly edition of ''Pride and Prejudice'', first published in 1923, has become the standard edition on which many modern published versions of the novel are based. The novel was originally published anonymously, as were all of Austen's novels. However, whereas her first published novel, ''Sense and Sensibility'' was presented as being written "by a Lady," ''Pride and Prejudice'' was attributed to "the Author of ''Sense and Sensibility''". This began to consolidate a conception of Austen as an author, albeit anonymously. Her subsequent novels were similarly attributed to the anonymous author of all her then-published works.

Reception

19th century

The novel was well received, with three favourable reviews in the first months following publication.

Anne Isabella Milbanke Anne Isabella Noel Byron, 11th Baroness Wentworth and Baroness Byron (; 17 May 1792 – 16 May 1860), nicknamed Annabella and commonly known as Lady Byron, was an educational reformer and philanthropist who established the first industrial s ...

, later to be the wife of

Lord Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824) was an English poet. He is one of the major figures of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as being among the greatest poets of the United Kingdom. Among his best-kno ...

, called it "the fashionable novel". Noted critic and reviewer

George Henry Lewes George Henry Lewes (; 18 April 1817 – 30 November 1878) was an English philosopher and critic of literature and theatre. He was also an amateur Physiology, physiologist. American feminist Margaret Fuller called Lewes a "witty, French, flippan ...

declared that he "would rather have written ''Pride and Prejudice'', or ''

Tom Jones Tom Jones may refer to: Arts and entertainment *Tom Jones (singer) (born 1940), Welsh singer *Tom Jones (writer) (1928–2023), American librettist and lyricist *''The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling'', a novel by Henry Fielding published in 1 ...

'', than any of the

Waverley Novels The Waverley novels are a long series of novels by Sir Walter Scott (1771–1832). For nearly a century, they were among the most popular and widely read novels in Europe. Because Scott did not publicly acknowledge authorship until 1827, the se ...

". Throughout the 19th century, not all reviews of the work were positive.

Charlotte Brontë Charlotte Nicholls (; 21 April 1816 – 31 March 1855), commonly known as Charlotte Brontë (, commonly ), was an English novelist and poet, the eldest of the three Brontë family, Brontë sisters who survived into adulthood and whose novel ...

, in a letter to Lewes, wrote that ''Pride and Prejudice'' was a disappointment, "a carefully fenced, highly cultivated garden, with neat borders and delicate flowers; but ..no open country, no fresh air, no blue hill, no bonny beck". Along with her,

Mark Twain Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910), known by the pen name Mark Twain, was an American writer, humorist, and essayist. He was praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced," with William Fau ...

was overwhelmingly negative of the work. He stated, "Everytime I read ''Pride and Prejudice'' I want to dig ustenup and beat her over the skull with her own shin-bone." Austen for her part thought the "playfulness and epigrammaticism" of ''Pride and Prejudice'' was excessive, complaining in a letter to her sister Cassandra in 1813 that the novel lacked "shade" and should have had a chapter "of solemn specious nonsense, about something unconnected with the story; an essay on writing, a critique on Walter Scott or the history of Buonaparté".

Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European literature, European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'' (18 ...

wrote in his journal, "Read again and for the third time at least, Miss Austen's very finely written novel of ''Pride and Prejudice''."

20th century

The American scholar Claudia L. Johnson defended the novel from the criticism that it has an unrealistic fairy-tale quality.Johnson (1988) p.74 One critic,

Mary Poovey Mary Louise Poovey is an American cultural historian and literary critic whose work focuses on the Victorian Era. She is currently Samuel Rudin University Professor in the Humanities at New York University, and Director of the Institute for th ...

, wrote that the "romantic conclusion" of ''Pride and Prejudice'' is an attempt to hedge the conflict between the "individualistic perspective inherent in the bourgeois value system ''and'' the authoritarian hierarchy retained from traditional, paternalistic society". Johnson wrote that Austen's view of a power structure capable of reformation was not an "escape" from conflict. Johnson wrote the "outrageous unconventionality" of Elizabeth Bennet was in Austen's own time very daring, especially given the strict censorship that was imposed in Britain by the Prime Minister, William Pitt, in the 1790s when Austen wrote ''Pride and Prejudice''. In the early twentieth century, the term "Collins," named for Austen's William Collins, came into use as slang for a thank-you note to a host.

21st century

* In 2003 the BBC conducted a poll for the " UK's Best-Loved Book" in which ''Pride and Prejudice'' came second, behind ''

The Lord of the Rings ''The Lord of the Rings'' is an Epic (genre), epic high fantasy novel written by English author and scholar J. R. R. Tolkien. Set in Middle-earth, the story began as a sequel to Tolkien's 1937 children's book ''The Hobbit'' but eventually d ...

''. * In a 2008 survey of more than 15,000 Australian readers, ''Pride and Prejudice'' came first in a list of the 101 best books ever written. * The 200th anniversary of ''Pride and Prejudice'' on 28 January 2013 was celebrated around the globe by media networks such as the ''

Huffington Post ''HuffPost'' (''The Huffington Post'' until 2017, itself often abbreviated as ''HPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and covers ...

'', ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...

'', and ''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a British daily broadsheet conservative newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed in the United Kingdom and internationally. It was found ...

'', among others.

Adaptations

Film, television and theatre

Numerous screen adaptations have contributed in popularising ''Pride and Prejudice''. The first television adaptation of the novel, written by Michael Barry, was produced in 1938 by the

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

. It is a

lost television broadcast Lost television broadcasts are Television show, television programs that were not preserved after their original airing, rendering them permanently unavailable for both public and private screening. Because of this, they are considered a form o ...

. Some of the notable film versions include the 1940 Academy Award-winning film, starring

Greer Garson Eileen Evelyn Greer Garson (29 September 1904 – 6 April 1996) was a British-American actress and singer. She was a major star at Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer who became popular during the Second World War for her portrayal of strong women on the homef ...

and

Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier ( ; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director. He and his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud made up a trio of male actors who dominated the British stage of the m ...

(based in part on Helen Jerome's 1935 stage adaptation) and that of 2005, starring

Keira Knightley Keira Christina Knightley ( ; born 26 March 1985) is an English actress. Known for her work in independent films and Blockbuster (entertainment), blockbusters, particularly Historical drama, period dramas, she has received List of awards and no ...

(an Oscar-nominated performance) and

Matthew Macfadyen David Matthew Macfadyen (; born 17 October 1974) is an English actor. Known for his performances on stage and screen, he Breakthrough role, gained prominence for his role as Mr. Darcy in Joe Wright's ''Pride & Prejudice (2005 film), Pride & Prej ...

. Television versions include two by the

: a 1980 version starring

Elizabeth Garvie Elizabeth Garvie (born 1957) is an English actress known for her role as Elizabeth Bennet in the 1980 BBC dramatisation of ''Pride and Prejudice''. Her other screen roles include Nancy Rufford in ''The Good Soldier'' (1981), Lady Elizabeth Mon ...

and

David Rintoul David Rintoul (born David Wilson; 29 November 1948) is a Scottish stage and television actor. Rintoul was born in Aberdeen, Scotland. He studied at the University of Edinburgh, and won a scholarship to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art ...

and a 1995 version, starring

Jennifer Ehle Jennifer Anne Ehle (; born December 29, 1969) is an American actress. She received the British Academy Television Award for Best Actress for her role as Elizabeth Bennet in the BBC miniseries ''Pride and Prejudice'' (1995). Ehle started her car ...

and

Colin Firth Colin Andrew Firth (born 10 September 1960) is an English actor and producer. He is the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Colin Firth, several accolades, including an Academy Award, two British Academy Film Awards, BAFTA Aw ...

. A stage version created by Helen Jerome premiered at the

Music Box Theatre The Music Box Theatre is a Broadway theatre, Broadway theater at 239 West 45th Street (George Abbott Way) in the Theater District, Manhattan, Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City, New York, U.S. Opened in 1921, the Music Box ...

in New York in 1935, starring

Adrianne Allen Adrianne Allen (7 February 1907 – 14 September 1993) was an English stage actress. Most often seen in light comedy, Allen played Sybil Chase in the original West End production of ''Private Lives'' and Elizabeth Bennet in the 1935 Broadway ...

and

Colin Keith-Johnston Colin Keith-Johnston (8 October 1896 – 3 January 1980) was a British actor. Keith-Johnston was born in London, the son of Robert Keith-Johnston and Jessy Macfie, and was a prominent actor of the stage. As well as film appearances, he appeare ...

, and opened at the

St James's Theatre The St James's Theatre was in King Street, St James's, King Street, St James's, London. It opened in 1835 and was demolished in 1957. The theatre was conceived by and built for a popular singer, John Braham (tenor), John Braham; it lost mone ...

in London in 1936, starring

Celia Johnson Dame Celia Elizabeth Johnson (18 December 1908 – 26 April 1982) was an English actress, whose career included stage, television and film. She is especially known for her roles in the films ''In Which We Serve'' (1942), ''This Happy Breed ...

and

Hugh Williams Hugh Anthony Glanmor Williams (6 March 1904 – 7 December 1969) was a British actor and dramatist of Welsh descent. Early life and career Hugh Anthony Glanmor Williams (nicknamed "Tam") was born at Bexhill-on-Sea, Sussex to Hugh Dafydd Antho ...

. '' Elizabeth Refuses'' a play by Margaret Macnamara of scenes from the novel was made into a TV programme by the

Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is Australia’s principal public service broadcaster. It is funded primarily by grants from the federal government and is administered by a government-appointed board of directors. The ABC is ...

in 1957. '' First Impressions'' was a 1959 Broadway musical version starring

Polly Bergen Polly Bergen (born Nellie Paulina Burgin; July 14, 1930 – September 20, 2014) was an American actress, singer, television host, writer, and entrepreneur. She won an Emmy Award in 1958 for her performance as Helen Morgan (singer), Helen ...

Farley Granger Farley Earle Granger Jr. (July 1, 1925 – March 27, 2011) was an American actor. Granger was first noticed in a small stage production in Hollywood by a Goldwyn casting director, and given a significant role in '' The North Star'' (1943), a co ...

, and

Hermione Gingold Hermione Ferdinanda Gingold (; 9 December 189724 May 1987) was an English actress known for her sharp-tongued, eccentric character. Her signature drawling, deep voice was a result of nodules on her vocal cords she developed in the 1920s and ea ...

. In 1995, a musical concept album was written by

Bernard J. Taylor Bernard J. Taylor is a writer and composer of musicals and stage plays. His stage works have been produced around the world and translated into German, Romanian, Polish, Hungarian, Spanish and Italian. He is also the writer of 14 novels and thre ...

, with Claire Moore in the role of Elizabeth Bennet and Peter Karrie in the role of Mr Darcy. A new stage production, ''Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, The New Musical'', was presented in concert on 21 October 2008 in Rochester, New York, with Colin Donnell as Darcy. The Swedish composer Daniel Nelson based his 2011 opera ''

Stolthet och fördom ' (''Pride and Prejudice'') is a three-act opéra comique by Daniel Nelson, to a libretto by Swedish playwright (born 1968) based on the popular 1813 English novel by Jane Austen. The piece was written in 2010 to 2011 for the opera festival at ...

'' on ''Pride and Prejudice''. Works inspired by the book include ''

Bride and Prejudice ''Bride and Prejudice'' (also known as ''Bride and Prejudice: The Bollywood Musical'') is a 2004 romantic comedy-drama film directed by Gurinder Chadha. The screenplay by Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges is a Bollywood-style adaptation of Jane A ...

'' and ''

Trishna Trishna may refer to * TRISHNA, a planned Indo-French satellite * Taṇhā, the Buddhist concept of thirst or desire * Trishna (Vedic thought), the Vedic concept of thirst or desire * ''Trishna'' (1978 film), a drama directed and produced by Sip ...

'' (1985 Hindi TV series). ''

The Lizzie Bennet Diaries ''The Lizzie Bennet Diaries'' is an American web series adapted from Jane Austen's 1813 novel ''Pride and Prejudice.'' The story is conveyed in the form of vlogs. It was created by Hank Green and Bernie Su, produced by Jenni Powell and stars Ashle ...

'' – which premiered on a dedicated

YouTube channel YouTube is an American social media and online video sharing platform owned by Google. YouTube was founded on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim who were three former employees of PayPal. Headquartered in San B ...

on 9 April 2012, and concluded on 28 March 2013 – is an Emmy award-winning web-series which recounts the story via

vlog A vlog (), also known as a video blog or video log, is a form of blog for which the medium is video. Vlog entries often combine embedded video (or a video link) with supporting text, images, and other metadata. Entries can be recorded in one ta ...

s recorded primarily by the Bennet sisters. It was created by

Hank Green William Henry Green II (born May 5, 1980) is an American YouTuber, science communicator, novelist, Stand-up comedy, stand-up comedian, and entrepreneur. He produces the YouTube channel Vlogbrothers with his older brother, author John Green, a ...

and

Bernie Su Bernie Su is an American web series creator, writer, director and producer. He is best known for his work on the Emmy Award-winning web series '' The Lizzie Bennet Diaries'' with Hank Green, a modern vlog-style adaptation of Jane Austen's ''Pride ...

. In 2017, the bicentenary year of Austen's death, ''Pride and Prejudice – An adaptation in Words and Music'' to music by

Carl Davis Carl Davis (October 28, 1936 – August 3, 2023) was an American-born British conductor and composer. He wrote music for more than 100 television programmes, notably the landmark ITV series '' The World at War'' (1973) and BBC's '' Pride and P ...

from the 1995 film and text by Gill Hornby was performed in the UK, with

Hayley Mills Hayley Catherine Rose Vivien Mills (born 18 April 1946) is an English actress. The daughter of Sir John Mills and Mary Hayley Bell and younger sister of actress Juliet Mills, she began her acting career as a child and was hailed as a promisi ...

as the narrator This adaptation was presented in 2024 at the

Sydney Opera House The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue Performing arts center, performing arts centre in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Located on the foreshore of Sydney Harbour, it is widely regarded as one of the world's most famous and distinctive b ...

and the

Arts Centre Melbourne Arts Centre Melbourne, originally known as the Victorian Arts Centre and briefly called the Arts Centre, is a performing arts centre consisting of a complex of theatres and concert halls in the Melbourne Arts Precinct, located in the central M ...

, narrated by

Nadine Garner Nadine Lynette Garner (born 14 December 1970 in Knoxfield, Melbourne) is an Australian actor who started her career as a teen performer. Biography Garner first came to public attention in 1985, as Tamara Henderson in the Australian TV series ...

. In 2018, part of the storyline of the Brazilian soap opera ''

Orgulho e Paixão ''Orgulho e Paixão'' (in English: ''Pride and Passion'') is a Brazilian telenovela produced and broadcast by TV Globo. It premiered on 20 March 2018, replacing '' Tempo de Amar'', and concluded on 24 September 2018, being replaced by '' Espelh ...

'', aired on

TV Globo TV Globo (stylized as tvglobo; , ), formerly known as Rede Globo de Televisão (; shortened to Rede Globo) or simply known as Globo, is a Brazilian free-to-air Television broadcasting, television network, launched by media proprietor Roberto M ...

, was inspired by the book. The soap opera was also inspired by other works of Jane Austen. It features actors,

Nathalia Dill Nathalia Goyannes Dill Orrico (; born 24 March 1986) is a Brazilian actress. She has played the lead role in three telenovelas, the lead antagonist role in another two and the lead role in 2012's film ''Artificial Paradises''. Career Nathal ...

Thiago Lacerda Thiago Ribeiro Lacerda (born 19 January 1978) is a Brazilian actor. Biography Lacerda spent his childhood between Rio de Janeiro, where he was born, and Recreio, a mining town where his grandparents lived. From the age of three to 16, he devo ...

, Agatha Moreira,

Rodrigo Simas Rodrigo Sang Simas (born 6 January 1992) is a Brazilian actor. Biography Simas was born in Rio de Janeiro, the son of capoeirista Beto Simas and brother of the actors Bruno Gissoni and Felipe Simas. Since 2018 he's been dating actress Agatha ...

Gabriela Duarte Gabriela Duarte Franco (born 15 April 1974) is a Brazilian actress. She is also the daughter of actress Regina Duarte. Biography She is the daughter of actress Regina Duarte and businessman Marcos Flávio Cunha Franco. Career Her firs ...

, ,

Alessandra Negrini Alessandra Vidal de Negreiros Negrini (born 29 August 1970) is a Brazilian actress. She is known for her roles in Brazilian telenovelas and films. She began her television career after starring in '' Olho no Olho'' (1993) playing the role of Cla ...

, and

Natália do Vale Natália do Vale (born March 6, 1953) is a Brazilian actress. She appeared in leading roles in several television programs, including '' Olho no Olho'', '' Água Viva'' and ''Women in Love''. Biography Vale was born in Floriano, the daughter of ...

. ''

Fire Island Fire Island is the large center island of the outer barrier islands parallel to the South Shore of Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. In 2012, Hurricane Sandy once again divided Fire Island into two islands. Together, these two isl ...

'' is a movie written by

Joel Kim Booster Joel Alexander Kim Booster (born February 29, 1988), born Kim Joonmin (), is an American actor, comedian, producer, and writer. He co-produced and wrote for '' Big Mouth'' and '' The Other Two'' and as an actor has appeared on '' Shrill'', '' Se ...

that reimagines ''Pride and Prejudice'' as a gay drama set on the quintessential gay vacation destination of

. Booster describes the movie "as an unapologetic and modern twist on Jane Austen's ''Pride and Prejudice''." The movie was released in June 2022 and features a main cast of Asian-American actors.

Literature

In Gwyn Cready's comedic romance novel, ''Seducing Mr Darcy'', the heroine lands in ''Pride and Prejudice'' by way of magic massage, has a fling with Darcy and unknowingly changes the rest of the story. Abigail Reynolds is the author of seven Regency-set variations on ''Pride and Prejudice''. Her Pemberley Variations series includes ''Mr Darcy's Obsession'', ''To Conquer Mr Darcy'', ''What Would Mr Darcy Do'' and ''Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy: The Last Man in the World''. Her modern adaptation, ''The Man Who Loved Pride and Prejudice'', is set on Cape Cod. Bella Breen is the author of nine variations on ''Pride and Prejudice''. ''Pride and Prejudice and Poison'', ''Four Months to Wed'', ''Forced to Marry'' and ''The Rescue of Elizabeth Bennet''. In March 2009,

Seth Grahame-Smith Seth Grahame-Smith (born Seth Jared Greenberg; January 4, 1976) is an American writer and film producer, best known as the author of ''The New York Times'' best-selling novels '' Pride and Prejudice and Zombies'' and '' Abraham Lincoln, Vampire ...

's ''

Pride and Prejudice and Zombies ''Pride and Prejudice and Zombies'' is a 2009 parody novel by Seth Grahame-Smith. It is a mashup combining Jane Austen's classic 1813 novel ''Pride and Prejudice'' with elements of modern zombie fiction, crediting Austen as co-author. It was f ...

'' takes Austen's work and mashes it up with

zombie A zombie (Haitian French: ; ; Kikongo: ''zumbi'') is a mythological undead corporeal revenant created through the reanimation of a corpse. In modern popular culture, zombies appear in horror genre works. The term comes from Haitian folkl ...

hordes,

cannibalism Cannibalism is the act of consuming another individual of the same species as food. Cannibalism is a common ecological interaction in the animal kingdom and has been recorded in more than 1,500 species. Human cannibalism is also well document ...

ninja A , or was a spy and infiltrator in pre-modern Japan. The functions of a ninja included siege and infiltration, ambush, reconnaissance, espionage, deception, and later bodyguarding.Kawakami, pp. 21–22 Antecedents may have existed as ear ...

and ultraviolent mayhem. In March 2010, Quirk Books published a prequel by

Steve Hockensmith Steve Hockensmith (born August 17, 1968) is an American author. He was born in Louisville, Kentucky. He currently lives in California's bay area with his wife, two children, and pet dog. Early life and education Hockensmith attended Bridgeport ...

that deals with Elizabeth Bennet's early days as a zombie hunter, '' Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls''. The 2016 film of Grahame-Smith's adaptation was released starring

Lily James Lily Chloe Ninette Thomson (born 5 April 1989), known professionally as Lily James, is an English actress. She studied acting at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London and began her career in the British television series '' Just Wi ...

Sam Riley Samuel Peter W. Riley (born 8 January 1980) is an English actor and singer.James Mottram: The only people for me are the mad ones. ''Independent on Sunday: The New Review'', 30 January 2011, pp 10–13 He is best known for his performance in t ...

and

Matt Smith Matthew Robert Smith (born 28 October 1982) is an English actor. He is known for playing the Eleventh Doctor in the BBC science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'' (2010–2013), Prince Philip in Netflix's historical series ''The Crown ( ...

. Marvel has also published their take on this classic by releasing a short comic series of five issues that stays true to the original storyline. The first issue was published on 1 April 2009 and was written by Nancy Hajeski. It was published as a graphic novel in 2010 with artwork by Hugo Petrus. Pamela Aidan is the author of a trilogy of books telling the story of ''Pride and Prejudice'' from Mr Darcy's point of view: '' Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman''. The books are ''An Assembly Such as This'', ''Duty and Desire'' and ''These Three Remain''. Detective novel author

P. D. James Phyllis Dorothy James White, Baroness James of Holland Park (3 August 1920 – 27 November 2014), known professionally as P. D. James, was an English novelist and life peer. Her rise to fame came with her series of detective novels featuri ...

has written a book titled ''

Death Comes to Pemberley ''Death Comes to Pemberley'' is a 2011 historical mystery novel by British writer P.D. James that continues the story of Jane Austen's 1813 novel ''Pride and Prejudice'' and adds a murder mystery. In the book, Captain Denny, a minor character ...

'', which is a murder mystery set six years after Elizabeth and Darcy's marriage.

Sandra Lerner Sandy Lerner (born 1955) is an American businesswoman and philanthropist. She co-founded Cisco Systems, and used the money from its sale to pursue interests in animal welfare and women's writing. One of her main projects, Chawton House, is in En ...

's sequel to ''Pride and Prejudice'', ''Second Impressions'', develops the story and imagined what might have happened to the original novel's characters. It is written in the style of Austen after extensive research into the period and language and published in 2011 under the pen name of Ava Farmer. Jo Baker's bestselling 2013 novel ''

Longbourn ''Longbourn'' is a 2013 novel by the British author Jo Baker. It gives an alternative view of the events in Jane Austen's 1813 novel ''Pride and Prejudice'', telling the story from the perspective of the servants at Longbourn, the Bennet famil ...

'' imagines the lives of the servants of ''Pride and Prejudice''. A cinematic adaptation of ''Longbourn'' was due to start filming in late 2018, directed by

Sharon Maguire Sharon Maguire (born 17 August 1960) is a film director best known for directing the romantic comedy film '' Bridget Jones's Diary'' (2001). The film was based on the book of the same name by her close friend, Helen Fielding, and one of the ma ...

, who also directed ''

Bridget Jones's Diary ''Bridget Jones's Diary'' is a 2001 romantic comedy film directed by Sharon Maguire from a screenplay by Helen Fielding, Andrew Davies and Richard Curtis. It is based on the 1996 novel of the same name by Fielding, which was itself a loose ...

'' and ''

Bridget Jones's Baby ''Bridget Jones's Baby'' is a 2016 romantic comedy film directed by Sharon Maguire from a screenplay by Helen Fielding, Dan Mazer and Emma Thompson, based on a story by Fielding. It is the sequel to '' Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason'' (2004) ...

'', screenplay by

Jessica Swale Jessica Swale (born 27 February 1982) is a British playwright, theatre director and screenwriter. Her first play, '' Blue Stockings,'' premiered at Shakespeare's Globe in 2013. It is widely performed by UK amateur companies and is also studied o ...

, produced by Random House Films and StudioCanal. The novel was also adapted for radio, appearing on BBC Radio 4's ''Book at Bedtime'', abridged by Sara Davies and read by

Sophie Thompson Sophie Thompson (born 20 January 1962) is a British actress. She has worked in film, television and theatre and she won the 1999 Olivier Award for Best Actress in a Musical for the London revival of ''Into the Woods''. She has been nominated for ...

. It was first broadcast in May 2014; and again on Radio 4 Extra in September 2018. In the novel '' Eligible'',

Curtis Sittenfeld Elizabeth Curtis Sittenfeld (born August 23, 1975) is an American writer. She is the author of 2 collections of short stories, ''You Think it, I’ll Say It'' (2018) and ''Show don't tell'' (2025), as well as seven novels: ''Prep'' (2005), the s ...

sets the characters of ''Pride and Prejudice'' in modern-day Cincinnati, where the Bennet parents, erstwhile Cincinnati social climbers, have fallen on hard times. Elizabeth, a successful and independent New York journalist, and her single older sister Jane must intervene to salvage the family's financial situation and get their unemployed adult sisters to move out of the house and onward in life. In the process they encounter Chip Bingley, a young doctor and reluctant reality TV celebrity, and his medical school classmate, Fitzwilliam Darcy, a cynical neurosurgeon. ''Pride and Prejudice'' has also inspired works of scientific writing. In 2010, scientists named a pheromone identified in male mouse urine ''darcin'', after Mr Darcy, because it strongly attracted females. In 2016, a scientific paper published in the '' Journal of Inherited Metabolic Disease'' speculated that Mrs Bennet may have been a carrier of a rare genetic disease, explaining why the Bennets didn't have any sons, and why some of the Bennet sisters are so silly. In summer 2014, Udon Entertainment's Manga Classics line published a manga adaptation of ''Pride and Prejudice''.Manga Classics: Pride and Prejudice (2014) UDON Entertainment

References

External links

* * *
Digital resources relating to Jane Austen
from the British Library's Discovering Literature website {{DEFAULTSORT:Pride And Prejudice 1813 British novels British novels adapted into films British novels adapted into operas British novels adapted into television shows British romance novels Novels about nobility Novels adapted into comics Novels by Jane Austen Novels set in Hertfordshire Novels set in the 18th century Regency era