This is a adaptation of Jane Austen's famous 1813 novel. Although the plot does not adhere to the novel verbatim. In one not the richest English venerable family, five daughters of marriageable age have grown up. And when a decent bridegroom appears in the district, that commotion and intrigue begins.
There are five marriageable girls in the family of Mr. Bennet, a small estate nobleman - Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia. Mrs. Bennet, worried that the Longbourne estate is inherited through the male line, struggles to find profitable parties for her daughters. At one of the balls, the Bennet sisters are introduced to Mr. Bingley, a wealthy bachelor recently settled in Netherfield, and his friend, Mr. Darcy. Bingley is fascinated by the older Miss Bennet. While the good-natured Bingley won the sympathy of everyone present, Darcy's arrogant behavior is repulsive and dislikes Elizabeth.
Later, the Bennets are visited by their distant relative, Mr. Collins, a pompous young man who serves as parish priest to Lady Catherine de Boer. He soon proposes to Lizzie, but is rejected. Meanwhile, Lizzie meets the attractive Lieutenant Wickham. He tells her that Darcy did not fulfill the will of his late father and deprived him of his rightful share of the inheritance.
After Bingley unexpectedly left Netherfield and returned to London, Jane follows him in the hope of rebuilding the relationship. Lizzie finds out that her best friend Charlotte is getting married to Mr. Collins. A few months later, she stays with the Collins and visits Rosings, Lady Catherine's estate, where she meets Darcy again. Relations between them gradually become less alienated.
A little later, Colonel Fitzwilliam, a friend of Mr. Darcy, tells Elizabeth that it was Darcy who convinced Bingley to leave Jane, because he considered that her feelings for Bingley were not serious. Returning to the Collins house, a frustrated Lizzie runs into Darcy, who admits that he loves the girl despite her low social status and proposes her hand in marriage. Outraged by his words, she refuses and accuses him of cruel injustice towards Jane and Charles, as well as towards Wickham. Some time after their conversation, Lizzie receives a letter from Darcy, in which he explains in detail that he was mistaken about Jane, mistaking her shyness with Bingley for indifference, and also tells the truth about Wickham. He squandered his inheritance and, in order to improve his affairs, he decided to seduce Darcy's younger sister, Georgiana. By marrying her, he could have received a substantial dowry of 30,000 pounds. Elizabeth realizes that her judgments about Darcy and Wickham were wrong from the start. Returning to Longbourn, she learns that Jane's trip to London ended in nothing. She didn't get to see Bingley, but now, according to Jane, it doesn't matter anymore.
While traveling around Derbyshire with her aunt and uncle, Mr and Mrs Gardiner, Lizzie visits Pemberley, Darcy's estate, and meets him again. Darcy kindly invites them over and introduces Lizzie to Georgiana. The unexpected news of the escape of Lydia, Elizabeth's sister, and Wickham interrupts their communication, and Lizzie is forced to return home. The Bennet family is in despair, but good news soon arrives: Mr. Gardiner has found the runaway couple, and their wedding has already taken place. Later, in a conversation with Lizzie, Lydia accidentally blurts out that Mr. Darcy actually arranged their wedding with Wickham.
Bingley returns to Netherfield and proposes to Jane, which she gladly accepts. Lizzie admits to her sister that she was blind to Darcy. The Bennets receive a visit from Lady Katherine. She insists that Elizabeth renounce her claims to marriage with Darcy, as he allegedly intends to marry Anna, the daughter of Lady Catherine. Lizzie abruptly cuts off her monologue and asks her to leave, she is unable to continue this conversation. Walking at dawn, she meets Darcy. He again declares his love for her, and Elizabeth agrees to marry him.
"Pride and Prejudice"(eng. Pride and prejudice) - a six-episode dramatic mini-series, released in 1995 in the UK on the BBC channel based on the novel of the same name English writer Jane Austen, published in 1813.
The action takes place in early XIX century. Mr and Mrs Bennet have five unmarried daughters with very little dowry. When a rich young man, Mr. Bingley, appears in the district, he is not only fascinated by the eldest of the Bennet sisters, Jane, but truly falls in love at first sight. But his sisters do not approve of his choice, it seems to them that the Bennets are ill-mannered and poor. In this their opinion is supported by Bingley's friend, Mr. Darcy, a wealthy young gentleman. But suddenly he himself begins to realize that he is falling in love with Elizabeth, the second daughter of the Bennet family. However, Wickham, a handsome young lieutenant, knows something about Mr. Darcy that is very likely to hurt the latter in the eyes of local society and especially in the eyes of Elizabeth.
The New York Times called the adaptation "a witty mixture of love affair and social inequality, diluted with the ambitions and illusions of the provincial nobility. The series was critically acclaimed and was a great success in the UK. Jennifer Ehle, who plays Elizabeth Bennet, won a BAFTA for Best Actress and the series also won an Emmy for Best Costumes. The role of Mr. Darcy elevated Colin Firth to star status. The scene with Mr. Darcy in his shirt, wet from swimming in the lake, is considered "one of the most unforgettable moments in the history of television in Britain." The series inspired Helen Fielding to write a series of books about Bridget Jones. Colin Firth played the role of Mark Darcy, boyfriend main character, in the films "Bridget Jones' Diary", "Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason" and "Bridget Jones 3".
This series is the seventh adaptation of the novel. The previous ones came out in 1938, , , 1958, 1967 and years. The eighth was the production of 2005.
Plot
Episode 1: Mr. Charles Bingley, a wealthy gentleman from the north of England, rents Netherfield Manor in Hertfordshire, near the town of Meryton, for the summer. Mrs. Bennet is obsessed with marrying him one of her five daughters: Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, or Lydia. Bingley takes an immediate liking to Jane, whom he asks to dance at the first ball, while his friend Mr. Darcy (who is rumored to have double Bingley's annual income) refuses to dance with anyone and speaks rather impolitely of Elizabeth. . She hears his remark, and her unfavorable opinion of Mr. Darcy is later confirmed at a reception at Lucas Lodge. The two days Elizabeth spends in Netherfield caring for an ailing Jane further deepen her dislike for Darcy.
Episode 2: The Bennets are visited by their relative - Mr. Collins, a priest from Kent. He must inherit their house, Longbourn, as the Bennets have no male heir. Collins decides to marry Elizabeth in order to keep the house for the family. During a walk in Meryton, the Bennet sisters meet recently arrived officers, including Lieutenant George Wickham. Elizabeth notices the coldness of the meeting between Darcy and Wickham, and then the officer tells her how Darcy deceived him by refusing to grant the parish promised by Darcy's father. Now Wickham has no money, no prospects for the future. Lizzie is imbued with the liveliest sympathy for him. At a ball at Netherfield, Mr. Darcy surprises Elizabeth with an invitation to a dance, which she reluctantly accepts. The next morning after the ball, Mr. Collins proposes to her, but she refuses. Mrs. Bennet wants to force Lizzie to marry Collins while the father takes his daughter's side. Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth's friend, invites Collins to Lucas Lodge.
Episode 3: Elizabeth is shocked to learn that Charlotte has accepted Collins' marriage proposal. Meanwhile, Mr. Bingley leaves Netherfield for London. Jane is visiting her uncle, Mr. Gardiner, in London, but soon realizes that Mr. Bingley's sisters are openly ignoring her. Elizabeth leaves for Kent to visit Charlotte and her husband. Mr. Collins' house is near Rosings, the residence of Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Since Lady Catherine is Darcy's aunt, Lizzie meets him several times. On the same day that Elizabeth learns of the decisive role of Darcy's opinion in the separation of Bingley and her sister, Darcy unexpectedly proposes to her, saying that he passionately loves her, despite the low position of her family. Elizabeth rejects him, pointing out to him his pride, arrogance, contempt for the feelings of others, and mentioning his guilt in Jane's unhappy love and Wickham's hopeless situation.
Episode 4: Darcy writes a letter to Elizabeth explaining his actions towards Jane and Wickham. He was mistaken in Jane's feelings, thinking that she was indifferent to Bingley. Wickham, on the other hand, turned out to be a villain who tried to run away with Darcy's sister, 15-year-old Georgiana, in order to get her huge dowry. Elizabeth, realizing how wrong she was, feels guilty for speaking so rudely to Darcy. Returning to Longbourn, she learns that Mr. Bennet has allowed Lydia to go to Brighton as companion to Colonel Forster's wife. Lizzie herself leaves with Uncle and Aunt Gardiner on a trip down the Peak District and visits Derbyshire. Her aunt persuades her to visit Pemberley, Mr. Darcy's estate. Elizabeth agrees after learning that the family is living in London for the summer. Pemberley causes sincere admiration in Lizzie, and she attentively listens to the stories of the housekeeper about the kindness and nobility of the owner. Meanwhile, Mr. Darcy, without warning anyone, returns to the estate. When he arrives, he decides to take a dip in the lake, and walking towards the house in a wet shirt and with wet hair, he meets Elizabeth. After an awkward conversation with her, he manages to delay the Gardiners' departure. Elizabeth is surprised by his courtesy and friendliness.
Episode 5: The Gardiners and Elizabeth receive an invitation to Pemberley, where Darcy and Lizzie exchange expressive glances. The next morning, Elizabeth receives a letter from Jane telling of Lydia's elopement with Mr. Wickham. Darcy's unexpected visit takes her by surprise and she tells him everything. Darcy expresses sympathy and leaves soon after. Elizabeth thinks that she may never see him again. In Longbourn, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet try to cover up a Lydia scandal. Soon they receive a letter from Mr. Gardiner, where he writes that Lydia and Wickham have been found and will soon be married at the urging of the Gardiners. Mr. Bennet worries that his uncle paid Wickham a large amount of money to force him to marry, and he will not be able to return it to him.
Episode 6: Lydia inadvertently blurts out that Darcy was at her and Wickham's wedding. Elizabeth writes a letter to her aunt, and she tells her niece that it was Darcy who found Lydia and paid all the expenses, including Wickham's debts. Bingley returns to Netherfield, and after Darcy apologizes for his interference with Jane, Bingley travels to Longbourn and proposes to her. Meanwhile, rumors reach Lady Catherine that her nephew is engaged to Elizabeth. Enraged, she makes a surprise visit to Longbourn, in conversation with Elizabeth asking her about her engagement to Darcy. However, she insists that Darcy marry her daughter Ann. Elizabeth refuses to promise that she will not accept Darcy's offer if he does, and an angry Lady Katherine leaves. During Darcy's visit to Longbourn, Elizabeth thanks him for helping Wickham and Lydia marry. He, encouraged by what Lady Catherine told him, confesses that his feelings and intentions towards Elizabeth have not changed. Elizabeth agrees to marry him, and later, in a conversation with a surprised father, she confesses that she loves Darcy. The film ends with Bingley's double wedding to Jane and Darcy to Elizabeth.
Cast
Benjamin Whitrow and Alison Steadman were chosen to play Elizabeth's parents. The latter was approved for the role without prior audition and audition. For the role of Elizabeth's sisters, it was necessary to find different types of girls. Suzanne Harker played the beautiful older sister Jane, who sees only the good in all people. Lucy Bryers, Polly Maberly and Julia Savalia played the younger sisters - insipid Mary, good-natured but capricious Kitty and frivolous and stubborn Lydia. Julia Savalia (Lydia) was 10 years older than her character, but her acting experience allowed her to cope with the role, she was approved without audition. Joanna David and Tim Wilton played Elizabeth's maternal aunt and uncle. David Bamber embodied the image of the flattering priest Mr. Collins, Mr. Bennet's cousin. Lucy Scott played Elizabeth's best friend and Mr Collins' wife, Charlotte Lucas.
Crispin Bonham Carter was cast as Charles Bingley, whose appearance contrasted best with Collin Firth's Mr. Darcy. For Crispin, this was the first major role on television. Initially, the actor auditioned for the role of George Wickham, an attractive officer whose charm hides promiscuity and greed, but they did not approve him, but Adrian Lukis. Anna Chancellor, best known for her role in Four Weddings and a Funeral, played Mr Bingley's sister. It is noteworthy that Anna is a descendant of Jane Austen (niece in the 8th generation). Mr. Bingley's second sister and son-in-law were played by Lucy Robinson and Rupert Vansittart. Quite difficult was the search for an actress for the role of Mr. Darcy's younger sister, Georgiana. We needed a young girl who looked innocent, proud, but at the same time shy, who could play the piano. After auditioning 70 actresses, Simon Langton was offered the role of Joana Davids' (Mrs. Gardiner's) daughter, Emilia Fox. Barbara Leigh-Hunt was offered the role of Mr. Darcy's aunt, Lady Catherine de Burgh, also without an audition or audition.
Adaptation of the work
Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice has already been adapted for television and cinema several times, including BBC television versions in 1938, 1952, 1958, 1967 and 1980. In the fall of 1986, after seeing a preview of another Austen work called Northanger Abbey, Sue Burwistle and Andrew Davies decided to adapt one of their favorite books, Pride and Prejudice, for television. Burwistle, in particular, believed that the new adaptation would benefit from previous films that looked too "undernourished" and "prosaic". The need to adapt to television forced Davis to increase the number of episodes to six, as opposed to the planned five episodes. In late 1986, Burwistle and Davies submitted the first three scripts to ITV, but the series had to be delayed. When renewed interest in the adaptation was announced by ITV in 1993, producer Michael Wearing commissioned the remaining parts of the script in association with American television network A&E. Director Simon Langton joined the series in January and February 1994.
Despite Burwistle and Davies' intention to stick to the tone and spirit of the novel, they wanted to create a "fresh, living history O real people, rather than "an old BBC studio drama on Sunday 5 to 7". By focusing on sex and money, Davies shifted his focus from Elizabeth to Elizabeth and Darcy, anticipating the latter's role in the story's outcome. To add humanity to the novel's characters, Davies added a few short scenes, such as the dressing of the Bennet daughters as they attempted to make a name for themselves in the bride market.New scenes depicting men's leisure time softened the novel's focus on women.The greatest technical difficulty was adapting the lengthy letters in the second part of the story. Davies used techniques such as voice-overs, flashbacks, characters reading letters aloud to themselves and to each other, and several dialogues were added to clarify some of the novel's nuances to modern audiences, though much of the dialogue was left intact.
Directed by Simon Lanton:
We treated the novel with great respect, but if we wanted to convey everything as accurately as possible, we would have hired someone to recite it on the radio.
filming
The estimated budget for each episode was £1 million (total budget $9.6 million) and the series took 20 weeks of filming to complete. The shooting week consisted of five days, each shooting day lasted 10.5 hours, not counting the time for fitting and makeup. Two weeks before filming, about 70% of the cast and crew gathered for script reading, rehearsals, dance lessons, horseback riding, swordsmanship, and other skills that needed to be honed before filming began. Filming continued from June to November 1994 in order to reflect the change of seasons in the story, subsequent editing and preparation lasted until mid-May 1995. Scenes filmed in the same locations were combined into a filming schedule.
During filming, 24 locations were involved, most of which are owned by the National Trust of Great Britain, as well as eight studio sites. The difference in the material situation of the families of the main characters was supposed to be reflected in their place of residence: a small cozy house was presented as the Bennets' home in Longbourn, while Mr. Darcy's residence in Pemberley was supposed to look like "the most a nice place", to be an example of good taste and the historical heritage of the ancestors. The first place approved by the producers was the village of Lacock in Wiltshire, which became the prototype of the village of Maryton. The mansion in the village of Lookington served as the external architecture and interior decoration of Longbourn. Lime Hall in Cheshire was chosen to create image of Pemberley, however, organizational problems forced to move the shooting of the interiors to Sudbury Hall, Derbyshire.
Rosings, the estate of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, was meant to appear oversized and pompous in order to reflect the difficult nature of its owner. Lincolnshire's Belton House was chosen as the mansion for Rosings. Hunsford Parsonage, Mr Collins' modest home, was rented from an old house, also once owned by a minister, in the Rutland village of Tay. Netherfield was filmed at Edgecot House, near the small market town of Banbury, with the exception of the interiors at the ball, which were filmed at Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire. The streets of London, as well as the inn, were filmed at Lord Leicester's Home in Warwick, Warwickshire. Ramsgate, where Wickham and Georgianna's escape was planned, was filmed at the English resort of Weston-super-Mare.
Costumes and makeup
Since "Pride and Prejudice" is a historical work, more careful study of the costumes and appearance characters. The personal qualities and wealth of the heroes were reflected in their outfits, the wealthy Bingley sisters, for example, never wore dresses with prints and always wore large feathers in their hair. Since the BBC's 19th century costume pool was limited, designer Dina Collin created most of the costumes inspired by museum visits. She wanted the models she created to be attractive to a modern audience. And only a few costumes, especially those intended for extras, were borrowed from earlier productions or rented.
Elizabeth's dresses had an earthy hue and were tailored in such a way that it was easy to move in them, given the liveliness of the heroine. The dresses of the other sisters were made in creamy shades in order to emphasize the innocence and simplicity of the girls, richer colors were used in the outfits of the Bingley sisters and Lady Catherine de Burgh. Colin Firth was involved in costume discussions and insisted that his character wear darker clothing, leaving more bright hues Mr Bingley.
The producers imagined Darcy as a brunette, although there was no direct indication of this in the novel, so Firth was asked to dye his hair, eyebrows and eyelashes black. All male actors were instructed to let their hair grow out before filming and to shave off their mustaches. Three dark wigs were made for Jennifer Ehle to cover up her short white hair, and one for Alison Steadman (Mrs. Bennet) as the latter had thick and heavy hair. Suzanne Harker's (Jane) hair has been lightly highlighted to create a greater contrast with Elizabeth and styled in a classic Greek style to emphasize the beauty of the heroine. Mary's simplicity was achieved by dots on Lucy Brier's face, her hair oiled to create an unwashed effect and styled to emphasize the actress's slightly protruding ears. Since Lydia and Kitty were too young and wild to have their hair styled by the servants, the hair of the actresses did not undergo much change. Make-up artist Carolyn Noble always imagined Mr. Collins sweaty, wet upper lip, she also oiled David Bamber's hair and parted it in the middle to hint at the presence of a bald spot.
The novel "Pride and Prejudice" was written by the famous writer. From the first pages of the book, the reader is transported to late XIX century. During this period, it was very difficult for girls from poor families to get married because they did not have a dowry.
For a father to marry his daughter to a decent and wealthy man was an almost impossible task. The heroine of the novel was able to find a life partner not only rich, but also beloved . Read about it in famous novel Jane Austen "Pride and Prejudice" website.
Briefly about Jane Austen
Jane was born in England in 1775, in a poor family of a rural priest. Since the family was large and poor, they could not fully study. Her father taught her to read, write and count. Austin tried to use her skills in practice. She read almost the entire home library. Reading made Jane want to write books herself.
She wrote her first work "Love and Friendship" at the age of 14, and "Pride and Prejudice" in 1813, when she was about 38 years old.. Due to Addison's illness, Jane Austen died in 1817, but her works "live" to this day, one of them is Pride and Prejudice.
Plot
The events of the novel mainly take place in the outback of Longbourn, in the county of Hertfordshire. The fun started when a young, handsome, rich, and, most importantly, a bachelor, Mr. Charles Bingley arrived in the village . It so happened that Charles rented an estate just next door to the estate of Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and their five unmarried daughters.
The parents, of course, were very eager to marry one of their daughters to Bingley, because such a match would be brilliant. About two days later the Bennet family had the honor of attending a ball at Netherfield and they had the opportunity to get to know Mr. Bingley, and also his friend, Mr. Darcy, and his sisters better.
Charles, trusting and good-natured, drew Special attention on the eldest daughter - calm and kind Jane, and the proud Darcy fell in love with Elizabeth, who stood out for her stubbornness and selflessness. . The main characters of the novel are Elizabeth and Darcy.
Young people hide their feelings not only from each other and others, but also from themselves. It's all about pride and prejudice. At each chance meeting, they tried to behave indifferently, and if they had a dialogue, then it was a continuous verbal duel.
Each of them suffered their love alone . And so it went on for a long time, but the happy ending of the novel comes unexpectedly. Once Elizabeth met her lover, in whom there is no longer arrogance and no despised look, which the girl did not like so much.
Although Darcy once confessed his feelings, he did it in irregular shape. Now, finally, that long-awaited moment has come when all the cards are revealed and they can openly talk about their great feelings.
“Remember, if our sorrows come from Pride and Prejudice, then we also owe deliverance from them to Pride and Prejudice, for good and evil are so wonderfully balanced in the world.”
These words really fully reveal the intention of Jane Austen's novel.
A provincial family, as they say, of a “middle hand”: the father of the family, Mr. Bennet, is quite noble blood, phlegmatic, prone to a stoically doomed perception of both life around him and himself; he treats his own wife with particular irony: Mrs. Bennet really cannot boast of either origin, intelligence or upbringing. She is frankly stupid, blatantly tactless, extremely limited and, accordingly, has a very high opinion of her own person. The Bennets have five daughters: the eldest, Jane and Elizabeth, will become the central characters of the novel.
The action takes place in a typical English province. In the small town of Meryton, in the county of Hertfordshire, sensational news comes: one of the richest estates in the Netherfield Park district will no longer be empty: it was rented by a wealthy young man, a “metropolitan thing” and an aristocrat, Mr. Bingley. To all the above-mentioned virtues, there was added one more, the most essential, truly priceless: Mr. Bingley was a bachelor. And the minds of the surrounding mothers were darkened and confused by this news for a long time; mind (more precisely, instinct!) Mrs. Bennet in particular. It's a joke to say - five daughters! However, Mr. Bingley does not arrive alone, he is accompanied by his sisters, as well as his inseparable friend Mr. Darcy. Bingley is simple-minded, trusting, naive, open to communication, devoid of any snobbery and ready to love everyone and everyone. Darcy is the complete opposite of him: proud, arrogant, withdrawn, full of consciousness of his own exclusivity, belonging to a chosen circle.
The relationship that develops between Bingley - Jane and Darcy - Elizabeth is quite consistent with their characters. In the former, they are imbued with clarity and spontaneity, both are simple-hearted and trusting (which at first will become the soil on which mutual feelings will arise, then the cause of their separation, then bring them together again). With Elizabeth and Darcy, everything will turn out to be completely different: attraction-repulsion, mutual sympathy and equally obvious mutual hostility; in a word, the very “pride and prejudice” (both!) that will bring them a lot of suffering and mental anguish, through which they will be painfully, while never “departing from the face” (that is, from themselves), to break through to each other . Their first meeting will immediately indicate mutual interest, more precisely, mutual curiosity. Both are equally outstanding: just as Elizabeth sharply differs from the local young ladies in her sharpness of mind, independence of judgments and assessments, so Darcy - in her upbringing, manners, restrained arrogance, stands out among the crowd of officers of the regiment stationed in Meryton, the very ones that brought them together with their uniforms and epaulettes crazy little Miss Bennet, Lydia and Kitty. However, at first, it was Darcy's arrogance, his emphasized snobbery, when with all his behavior, in which cold courtesy for a sensitive ear can, not without reason, sound almost insulting, it is precisely these qualities that cause Elizabeth and hostility, and even indignation. For if the pride inherent in both of them immediately (inwardly) brings them together, then Darcy's prejudices, his class arrogance can only repel Elizabeth. Their dialogues - in rare and random meetings at balls and in drawing rooms - are always a verbal duel. A duel of equal opponents - invariably courteous, never going beyond the limits of decency and secular conventions.
Mr. Bingley's sisters, quickly seeing the mutual feeling that has arisen between their brother and Jane Bennet, do everything to alienate them from each other. When the danger begins to seem quite inevitable to them, they simply “take away” him to London. Subsequently, we learn that very essential role Darcy played in this unexpected flight.
As it should be in the "classic" novel, the main story line overgrown with numerous branches. So, at some point, Mr. Bennet's cousin Mr. Collins appears in the house of Mr. Bennet, who, according to the English laws on majorate, after the death of Mr. Bennet, who has no male heirs, must come into possession of their Longbourn estate, as a result of which Mrs. Bennet and her daughters may end up without a roof over their heads. The letter received from Collins, and then his own appearance, testify to how limited, stupid and self-confident this gentleman is - precisely because of these virtues, as well as another very important one: the ability to flatter and please - who managed to get a parish on the estate of a noble ladies lady de Boer. Later it turns out that she is Darcy's own aunt - only in her arrogance, unlike her nephew, there will not be a glimpse of a living human feeling, not the slightest ability for a spiritual impulse. Mr. Collins comes to Longbourn not by chance: having decided, as required by his dignity (and Lady de Boer too), to enter into a legal marriage, he opted for the family of his cousin Bennett, confident that he would not meet with refusal: after all, his marriage to one of Miss Bennet will automatically make the happy chosen one the rightful mistress of Longbourn. His choice falls, of course, on Elizabeth. Her refusal plunges him into the deepest amazement: after all, not to mention his personal virtues, with this marriage he was going to benefit the whole family. However, Mr. Collins consoled himself very soon: Elizabeth's closest friend, Charlotte Lucas, turns out to be more practical in all respects and, having judged all the advantages of this marriage, gives Mr. Collins her consent. Meanwhile, another man appears in Meryton, a young officer of the Wickham regiment stationed in the city. Appearing at one of the balls, he makes a rather strong impression on Elizabeth: charming, helpful, at the same time not stupid, able to please even such an outstanding young lady as Miss Bennet. Elizabeth develops a special trust in him after she realizes that he is familiar with Darcy - the arrogant, unbearable Darcy! - and not just a sign, but, according to the stories of Wickham himself, is a victim of his dishonesty. The halo of a martyr who suffered through the fault of a person who causes such hostility in her makes Wickham even more attractive in her eyes.
Some time after the sudden departure of Mr. Bingley with his sisters and Darcy, the older Miss Bennet themselves end up in London - to stay at the house of their uncle Mr. Gardiner and his wife, a lady to whom both nieces have sincere emotional affection. And from London, Elizabeth, already without a sister, goes to her friend Charlotte, the very one that became the wife of Mr. Collins. At Lady de Boer's house, Elizabeth again encounters Darcy. Their conversations at the table, in public, again resemble a verbal duel - and again, Elizabeth turns out to be a worthy opponent. And given that the action still takes place at the turn of the 18th - 19th centuries, then such impudence from the lips of a young lady - on the one hand a lady, on the other - a dowry may seem like real free-thinking: “You wanted to embarrass me, Mr. Darcy ... but I'm not at all afraid of you ... Stubbornness does not allow me to show cowardice when others want it. When you try to intimidate me, I become even more impudent. But one fine day, when Elizabeth is sitting alone in the living room, Darcy suddenly appears on the threshold; “All my struggle was in vain! Nothing comes out. I can't handle my feeling. Know that I am infinitely fascinated by you and that I love you!” But Elizabeth rejects his love with the same determination with which she once rejected the claims of Mr. Collins. At Darcy's request to explain both her refusal and the hostility towards him, so undisguised by her, Elizabeth speaks of Jane's happiness destroyed because of him, of Wickham insulted by him. Again - a duel, again - a scythe on a stone. For, even when making an offer, Darcy cannot (and does not want to!) hide the fact that, while making it, he still always remembers that, having married Elizabeth, he thereby inevitably “will enter into kinship with those who are so below him on the social ladder." And it is these words (although Elizabeth understands no less than him how limited her mother is, how ignorant her younger sisters are, and much more than he suffers from this) that hurt her unbearably painfully. In the scene of their explanation, equal temperaments, equal "pride and prejudice", clash. The next day, Darcy hands Elizabeth a voluminous letter - a letter in which he explains to her his behavior towards Bingley (desire to save a friend from the very misalliance that he is ready for now!), - explains, without looking for excuses, without hiding his an active role in this matter; but the second is the details of the "Wickham case", which put both of its participants (Darcy and Wickham) in a completely different light. In Darcy's story, it is Wickham who turns out to be both a deceiver and a low, licentious, dishonorable person. Darcy's letter stuns Elizabeth - not only by the truth revealed in it, but, no less, by her awareness of her own blindness, experienced by shame for the involuntary insult that she inflicted on Darcy: “How shameful I have acted! .. I, who was so proud of my insight and relying so much on her own common sense!” With these thoughts, Elizabeth returns home to Longbourn. And from there, together with Aunt Gardiner and her husband, he goes on a short trip around Derbyshire. Among the sights that lie in their path is Pemberley; beautiful old manor, owned by... Darcy. And although Elizabeth knows for sure that these days the house should be empty, just at the moment when the housekeeper Darcy proudly shows them the interior, Darcy reappears on the threshold. For several days that they constantly meet - now in Pemberley, now in the house where Elizabeth and her companions are staying - he invariably amazes everyone with his courtesy, and friendliness, and ease of handling. Is this the same proud Darcy? However, the attitude of Elizabeth herself towards him also changed, and where previously she was ready to see only flaws, now she is quite inclined to find many advantages. But then an event occurs: from the letter received from Jane, Elizabeth learns that their younger sister, the unlucky and frivolous Lydia, ran away with a young officer - none other than Wickham. Such - in tears, in confusion, in despair - finds her Darcy in the house, alone. Beside herself with grief, Elizabeth talks about the misfortune that has befallen their family (dishonor is worse than death!), And only then, when, having bowed dryly, he suddenly abruptly leaves, she realizes what happened. Not with Lydia, with herself. After all, now she can never become the wife of Darcy - she, whose own sister has forever disgraced herself, thereby imposing an indelible stigma on the whole family. In particular - on their unmarried sisters. She hurriedly returns home, where she finds everyone in despair and confusion. Uncle Gardiner hastily leaves for London in search of the fugitives, where he unexpectedly quickly finds them. Then, even more unexpectedly, he persuades Wickham to marry Lydia. And only later, from a casual conversation, Elizabeth learns that it was Darcy who found Wickham, it was he who forced him (with the help of a considerable amount of money) into marriage with the girl he had seduced. After this opening, the action is rapidly approaching a happy denouement. Bingley with her sisters and Darcy again comes to Netherfield Park. Bingley proposes to Jane. There is another explanation between Darcy and Elizabeth, this time the last one. Having become Darcy's wife, our heroine also becomes the full mistress of Pemberley - the very one where they first understood each other. And Darcy's young sister Georgiana, with whom Elizabeth "established the closeness that Darcy expected, learned from her experience that a woman can afford to treat her husband in a way that a younger sister cannot treat her brother."
For more than two centuries, reader interest in the novels of Jane Austen has not waned. The founder of realism English literature, the founder of the "ladies' novel" even in the 21st century cannot be called old-fashioned, because fashion passes, but Austen remains. Today you won’t surprise anyone with ladies’ novels, you won’t follow everyone, but for good literature in this genre, it’s better to turn to the original source. Walter Scott, the first connoisseur of the works of Jane Austen, admired her pictorial gift, subtle and deep understanding human relations, brilliant ironic dialogues inheriting the drama. In family romances Jane Austen - always a happy ending, wedding bells and a wedding ... At the same time, there is no place for sugaryness and illusions - the author is aware of life's realities, perfectly uses his natural gift of observation and propensity for analysis, always keeps ironic means in reserve and parody layer. And most importantly: the heroes of Austen are not only people with their multifaceted characters, but also their key feelings, similar to communicating vessels.
Description added by user:
"Pride and Prejudice" - plot
The novel begins with Mr. and Mrs. Bennet talking about the arrival of a young gentleman, Mr. Bingley, in Netherfield Park. The wife persuades her husband to visit her neighbor and get to know him better. She believes that Mr. Bingley will certainly like one of their daughters, and he will propose to her. Mr. Bennet pays a visit to the young man, and after a while he answers him in kind.
The next meeting of Mr. Bingley with the Bennet family takes place at a ball, where the Netherfield gentleman arrives accompanied by his sisters (Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst), as well as Mr. Darcy and Mr. Hurst. At first, Mr. Darcy makes a favorable impression on those around him because of the rumor that his annual income exceeds 10 thousand pounds. However, later the society changes its point of view, deciding that he is too "important and inflated", because the young man does not want to meet anyone and dances at the ball with only two ladies he knows (the Bingley sisters). Bingley is a huge success. His special attention is drawn to the eldest daughter of the Bennets, Jane. The girl also falls in love with a young man. Mr. Bingley draws Darcy's attention to Elizabeth, however, he says that he is not interested in her. Elizabeth becomes a witness to this conversation. Although she doesn't show it, she begins to develop a strong dislike for Mr. Darcy.
Soon Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst invite Jane Bennet to dine with them. The mother sends her daughter on horseback in the pouring rain, as a result of which the girl catches a cold and cannot return home. Elizabeth walks to Bingley's house to visit her sick sister. Mr. Bingley leaves her to look after Jane. Elizabeth does not enjoy being around Netherfield society, as only Mr. Bingley shows genuine interest and concern for her sister. Miss Bingley is completely infatuated with Mr. Darcy and tries unsuccessfully to get his attention to her. Mrs. Hurst is in solidarity with her sister in everything, and Mr. Hurst is indifferent to everything except sleep, food and playing cards.
Mr Bingley falls in love with Jane Bennet and Mr Darcy takes a liking to Elizabeth. But Elizabeth is sure that he despises her. In addition, during the walk, the Bennet sisters meet Mr. Wickham. The young man makes a favorable impression on everyone. Somewhat later, Mr. Wickham tells Elizabeth the story of Mr. Darcy's misbehavior towards himself. Darcy allegedly did not comply last will late father and refused Wickham the priesthood he had been promised. Elizabeth develops a bad opinion of Darcy (prejudice). And Darcy feels that the Bennets are “out of his circle” (pride), Elizabeth’s acquaintance and friendship with Wickham are also not approved by him.
At a ball at Netherfield, Mr. Darcy begins to realize the inevitability of Bingley and Jane's marriage. The Bennet family, with the exception of Elizabeth and Jane, show a complete lack of manners and etiquette. The next morning, Mr. Collins, a relative of the Bennets, proposes to Elizabeth, which she rejects, much to the chagrin of her mother, Mrs. Bennet. Mr. Collins recovers quickly and proposes to Charlotte Lucas, a close friend of Elizabeth. Mr. Bingley suddenly leaves Netherfield and returns to London with the whole company. Elizabeth begins to suspect that Mr. Darcy and the Bingley sisters have decided to separate him from Jane.
In the spring, Elizabeth visits Charlotte and Mr. Collins in Kent. They are often invited to Rosings Park by Mr Darcy's aunt, Lady Catherine de Boer. Soon Darcy comes to visit her aunt. Elizabeth meets Mr. Darcy's cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, who, in a conversation with her, mentions that Darcy takes credit for saving his friend from an unequal marriage. Elizabeth realizes that it is about Bingley and Jane, and her dislike for Darcy grows even more. Therefore, when Darcy unexpectedly comes to her, confesses his love and asks for a hand, she resolutely refuses him. Elizabeth blames Darcy for ruining her sister's happiness, for what he did meanly to Mr. Wickham, and for his arrogant behavior towards her. Darcy replies to her in a letter explaining that Wickham exchanged the inheritance for money he spent on entertainment and then made an attempt to run away with Darcy's sister Georgiana. As for Jane and Mr. Bingley, Darcy decided that Jane "had no deep feeling for him [for Bingley]." In addition, Darcy speaks of the "total lack of tact" that Mrs. Bennet and her younger daughters constantly displayed. Elizabeth is forced to accept the truth of Mr. Darcy's observations.
A few months later, Elizabeth and her aunt and uncle the Gardiners are on a road trip. Among other attractions, they visit Pemberley, Mr. Darcy's estate, certain that the owner is not at home. Suddenly, Mr. Darcy returns. He is very polite and hospitable to Elizabeth and the Gardiners. Elizabeth begins to realize that she likes Darcy. Their renewed acquaintance, however, is interrupted by the news that Lydia, Elizabeth's youngest sister, has run off with Mr. Wickham. Elizabeth and the Gardiners return to Longbourn. Elizabeth worries that her relationship with Darcy has ended because of her younger sister's shameful flight.
Lydia and Wickham, already as husband and wife, visit Longbourn, where Mrs. Wickham casually lets slip that Mr. Darcy was at the wedding ceremony. Elizabeth learns that it was Darcy who found the fugitives and arranged the wedding. The girl is very surprised, but at this time Bingley proposes to Jane, and she forgets about it.
Lady Catherine de Boer arrives unexpectedly in Longbourn to dispel rumors of Elizabeth and Darcy's marriage. Elizabeth rejects all of her demands. Lady Catherine leaves and promises to tell her nephew about Elizabeth's behavior. However, this gives Darcy hope that Elizabeth has changed her mind. He travels to Longbourn and proposes again, and this time, his pride and her prejudice are overcome by Elizabeth agreeing to the marriage.
Story
Jane Austen began work on the novel when she was barely 21 years old. The publishers rejected the manuscript, and it lay under the cloth for more than fifteen years. It was only after the success of Sense and Sensibility, published in 1811, that Jane Austen was finally able to publish her first brainchild. Before publication, she subjected it to a thorough revision and achieved an extraordinary combination: cheerfulness, spontaneity, epigrammaticity, maturity of thought and skill.
Reviews
Pride and Prejudice Book Reviews
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Anna Aleksandrovna
world of feeling
How many of those who have read, how few of those who have understood.
This book is one of my favourites. I have read it 5 times and still find it interesting every time. Our world is full of love, and this book provides a simple example of that love that we are all looking for. When I close the binding and I know for sure that there is love, it has not died and that you need to continue to believe in it.
Let's move on to the character, which for me is the apogee of the book. For every girl, girl, woman, Mr. Darcy will always be perfect. His attractiveness and intelligence will conquer any heart that is sensual. Everything he does, he does like a gentleman. His life is the path of a hermit, a man who is strong and self-confident, but longs for love in the depths of his soul. It was the thirst for sincere love that opened the way for him to the heart of Elizabeth.
Eltzabeth. Which of us hasn't compared ourselves to her? Simplicity and intelligence, love of books and an accurate idea of the male gender, will and honesty with oneself. And most importantly, what the author gave her, like all her main characters, is a sense of humor. Undoubtedly, this is what attracts us to Elizabeth.
The whole book is a path that is worth going with the characters and more than once. After passing it, you will believe in love.
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4 / 0
Araika
Peerless classic
Classic at its best at its best. Most of all I am captivated by her humor and wit in her works.
I believe that it is precisely such good works that make a Human out of us, prompting us to the sublime.
It is thanks to such books that perhaps you realize why you need to read.
Because after that you will never be the same again.
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1 / 0
Dasha Mochalova
I would forgive him his pride if he didn't hurt mine!
The novel "Pride and Prejudice" was and remains a classic for all time. A good combination of humor and romance leaves a lasting impression, so that for the third and fourth time you admire not only the beautifully written characters, but also the lively language of the story. The very idea of the novel - about falling in love, which is not afraid of any obstacles - makes it popular for all ages and generations, and a beautiful ending gives faith in beauty.
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