Onondaga Central
Pride and Prejudice is yet another fantastic classic written by the renowned author, Jane Austen. The novel, written in 1813, portrays a woman with courage and strength speaking her mind during a time when women were silenced, whose pure purpose in life was being demure, marrying, and bearing sons to create yet another generation of the family name. Elizabeth Bennett, the main character and second eldest of the four Bennet sisters, was brazen and shameless. She would not settle for a marriage she did not want, even if that was the status-quo. She was determined to marry for love in a time when women were to marry when asked, love or no love, and live a proper life. Her father, Mr. Bennett of Longburn Estate, owns property that only a male heir can entail. Therefore, it is crucial that at least one sister marries well to support all the others and their mother. This is pivotal to the plot of the story. The novel is set in the rural countryside of England in the early 1800s. The novel begins with a rich bachelor moving into a neighbor estate known as Netherfield. Mrs. Bennet, desperate and fanatical to met Mr. Bingely, begs her husband to visit Mr. Bingley. After pleading with Mr. Bennett, he visits Mr. Bingley, much to Mrs. Bennet’s surprise and pleasure. Mr. Bingley then goes on to hold a ball where Jane and Mr. Bingley hit it off and Elizabeth meets Mr. Darcy. Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley’s friend, turns out to be a crucial character to the novel. Mr. Darcy, a proud man, finds himself allured by Elizbeth. Miss Bingley, Mr. Bingley’s sister, is wildly in love with Mr. Darcy and her jealousy drives the plot of the story, bringing twists and turns along the way. From first meeting Mr. Darcy, Elizabeth sets her mind to the fact that Mr. Darcy is an awful, proud man that she could never befriend, let alone love. But has Elizabeth judged Mr. Darcy too harshly? As the story progresses, Elizabeth and her sisters build and break many relationships. Their journey for marriage, or no marriage, is filled with turbulent and confusing times for the young ladies. Elizabeth, the head-strong Bennett sister, will face her challenges in satisfying her independent spirit and her uncontrollable love. Throughout the novel, unrequited and requited love hover above each and every character. While inheritance, marriage, and love may seem to be a central focus of the story, character and the cultural norms of the times play a more important role in the novel. Although the story may seem slow at times and overly detailed, I would rate this story a 5 out of 5 for its powerful moral and heart-wrenching plot twists. Elizabeth is a woman who steps outside the social norms in a society where a women’s reputation is of the utmost importance and can easily be tarnished. Elizabeth will find herself to be the “Prejudice” and Mr. Darcy to define the title’s “Pride.” But the question is how and why? You will just have to read to find out.
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