I have loved this book since college. In fact, I took two different Jane Austen courses at University of South Florida. Had they offered more, I would have taken them! I named my oldest daughter after the Austen heroine, Emma (at the time, knowing of
no other Emma’s, I thought I was being very clever and unique).
This story has stood the test of time for many reasons, but I believe the primary reason is because we know these characters. We know the pragmatic Charlotte who chooses practicality over passion. We know the slick Wickham who can make girls believe he only has eyes for them – when his eyes are actually roving all over the countryside. We know the ridiculous Mr. Collins who seeks to ingratiate himself with those he hopes will elevate his status.
When Elizabeth says of Jane that she will never be as happy as Jane because she isn’t as good as her, we understand. And when Elizabeth refuses a wealthy, handsome man because she has far too much self-confidence to accept his offensive proposal, we want to believe we would do that, too.
This story has also retained its popularity because it’s a love story between two equals. In a time when marriages were arranged, based on social stature, land ownership, and titles, Elizabeth and Darcy marry for love. And they don’t marry until Darcy sees that Elizabeth is his equal in every way. She accepts nothing less, and we love her for that.
The clergy in Austen novels is always of special interest to me, as they are rarely sympathetic characters. Something to note about this time period (early 19th century) is that a man was given the position of clergy, not because of a calling, necessarily, but because it was a respected occupation, a “living”. As a result, clergy may or may not have been very religious at all. As we see with Mr. Collins, he’s far more concerned with status than souls, and his personality is mercilessly mocked by the author and her protagonist. Darcy shows far more real compassion than Collins ever does.
Austen also mocks the upper classes – as with the Misses Bingley and Lady Catherine. In “real life” during this time period, women like this would always be treated with respect, would marry someone “worthy” of their stations, and would never be thrown over by someone “common”. But in Jane Austen’s world, worth is determined by character, not status, and Elizabeth, therefore, is most worthy.
No matter how many times I’ve read Pride and Prejudice, the story and the characters never get old. If you’ve never read the book, now is the time! The movies – not even A&E’s (in my opinion, the absolute best) – can come close. Austen’s prose is so sharp that even two hundred years later, she can make us laugh, cheer, and swoon.
