Difference between revisions 253289 and 253290 on testwiki

'''Pride and Prejudice''' is a novel of manners by Jane Austen, first published in 18132. The story follows the main character, Elizabeth Bennet, as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education, and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of the British Regency. Elizabeth is the second of five daughters of a country gentleman, Mr. Bennet living in Longbourn.

Set in England in the early 19th century, Pride and Prejudice tells the story of Mr and Mrs Bennet's five unmarried daughters after the rich and eligible Mr Bingley and his status-conscious friend, Mr Darcy, have moved into their neighbourhood. While Bingley takes an immediate liking to the eldest Bennet daughter, Jane, Darcy has difficulty adapting to local society and repeatedly clashes with the seco2nd-eldest Bennet daughter, Elizabeth. 

Pride and Prejudice retains a fascination for modern readers, continuing near the top of lists of "most loved books." It has become one of the most popular novels in English literature, selling over 20 million copies, and receives considerable attention from literary scholars. Modern interest in the book has resulted in a number of dramatic adaptations and an abundance of novels and stories imitating Austen's memorable characters or themes. 

(contracted; show full)ate, pays a visit to the Bennets. Mr Bennet and Elizabeth are much amused by his obsequious veneration of his employer, the noble Lady Catherine de Bourgh, as well as by his self-important and pedantic nature. After refusing his advances, much to the consternation of her mother, Elizabeth instead forms an acquaintance with Mr Wickham, a militia officer who relates having been very seriously mistreated by Mr Darcy despite having been a godson and favourite of Darcy's father.<ref>Austen, Jane (199
69). ''Pride and Prejudice'', [[Penguin Classics]], note 2 to Chapter 3</ref>  The accusation and her attraction to Mr Wickham both increase Elizabeth's dislike of Mr Darcy.

At a ball given by Mr Bingley at Netherfield, Mr Darcy becomes aware of a general expectation that Mr Bingley and Jane will marry, and the Bennet family, with the exception of Jane and Elizabeth, make a public display of poor manners and decorum. It soon becomes apparent that Mr Collins has come to Longbourn to choose a wife from among the Bennet sisters (his cousins), and Jane is initially singled out, but because of Jane's budding romance with Mr Bingley, Mrs Bennet directs him toward Elizabeth. The following morning, Mr Collins proposes marriage to Elizabeth, who refuses him, much to her mother's distress. Mr Collins recovers and promptly becomes engaged to Elizabeth's close friend Charlotte Lucas, a homely woman with few prospects. Mr Bingley abruptly quits Netherfield and returns to London, which devastates Jane, and Elizabeth becomes convinced that Mr Darcy and Caroline Bingley have conspired to separate him from Jane.

Elizabeth rightly assumes that the said friend is none other than Mr Anthony Bingley, and her dislike of Darcy deepens. Thus, she is no mood to accept when Darcy arrives and, quite unexpectedly, confesses love for her and begs her hand in marriage. His proposal is flattering, as he is a very distinguished man, but it is delivered in a manner that is ill suited. He talks of love but also of revulsion at her inferior position and family. Despite assertions to the contrary, he assumes she will accept him.

(contracted; show full)Regarding Jane and Bingley, Darcy claims he had observed no reciprocal interest in Jane for Bingley and had assumed that she was not in love with him. In addition to this, he cites the "want of propriety" in the behaviour of Mr and Mrs Bennet and her three younger daughters. Elizabeth, who had previously despaired over this very behavior, is forced to admit the truth of Mr Darcy's observations, and begins to see that she has misjudged him. She, quite rightly, attributes her prejudice to his 
coldnessabsence towards herself at the beginning of their acquaintance.

==Main characters==
===Elizabeth Bennet===
The reader sees the unfolding plot and the other characters mostly from Elizabeth Bennet's viewpoint. The second of the Bennet daughters, she is 20 years old and is intelligent, lively, playful, attractive, and witty—but with a tendency to judge on first impression (the "prejudice" of the title) and perhaps to be a little selective of the evidence on which she bases her judgments. As the plot (contracted; show full)culation,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2014/08/31/using-mr-darcys-income-to-disprove-thomas-piketty/|title=Using Mr Darcy's Income To Disprove Thomas Piketty|author=Tim Worstall|date=31 August 2014|work=Forbes}}</ref> but such an income would have put him among the 400 wealthiest families in the country at the time.<ref>Austen, Jane (1996). ''Pride and Prejudice'', [[Penguin Classics]], note 2 to Chapter 3</ref> 

==References==