Pride and Prejudice
At the beginning of Pride and Prejudice, Mr. and Mrs. Bennet discuss the arrival of Mr. Bingley in the neighborhood. Mrs. Bennet hopes that this rich, young bachelor will marry one of her five daughters. Mr. Bennet delights in Mrs. Bennet's silliness and makes her think that he will not call on Bingley, thus making it difficult for any sort of visiting to be arranged. However, he does visit Bingley, and Bingley returns the visit, although he doesn't meet any of the daughters. They do meet at a ball following soon afterward, however, and Bingley is charmed by the eldest daughter, Jane. Jane is beautiful and sensible. The next oldest, Elizabeth, is pretty and lively and intelligent. Mary is plain, stodgy, and pompous. Kitty is silly and looks only to Lydia, the youngest, who is vivacious and active but flighty. Bingley travels with his sister and friend, Mr. Darcy. Darcy refuses to dance with Elizabeth, saying she is not attractive enough to tempt him. Elizabeth, understandably, is offended and makes fun of him.
As soon as Darcy calls her plain, he begins to find her attractive. Without meaning to, he falls in love with her, enchanted by her beauty and wit and spirit. Elizabeth doesn't realize it. One day, Jane goes to visit the Bingleys, and stays for the night because of the weather. She falls ill and Elizabeth comes to stay with the family and nurse Jane back to health. Elizabeth doesn't like Miss Bingley-- she is petty and obviously sets her sights on Darcy. Miss Bingley is aware of Darcy's growing admiration of Elizabeth and makes fun of her to him, trying to convince him that she is not worth his attention. Bingley is still very much in love with Jane. When Jane has recovered, they go home.
Lydia and Kitty spend a lot of time in town, where the militia is stationed, going to balls with officers.
Mr. Bennet receives a letter from his nephew, Mr. Collins, who will receive the estate after Mr. Bennet has died. Mr. Collins wants to come visit, and so he does. He very obviously decides to marry one of the Bennet daughters to make up for his inheritance, and decides to marry Elizabeth. Unfortunately, Mr. Collins is pompous and silly and annoying. Elizabeth is less than pleased, and when Mr. Collins finally does propose to her, she rejects him. Elizabeth's friend Charlotte Lucas, a practical girl of 28, goes after Mr. Collins and he proposes to her. Charlotte accepts. Elizabeth is horrified, but Charlotte assures her that all she wants is financial security. Elizabeth also finds herself in the middle of romantic intrigue when the family meets an officer named Mr. Wickham. They meet him in the street, as Darcy is passing by, and Elizabeth notes the discomfort of both men. Wickham tells her that he was raised by Darcy's father and was a favorite of his, and was promised a parsonage at Pemberley, Darcy's estate. However, Darcy denied him the living. Elizabeth grows even angrier at Darcy for this, and finds herself enchanted by Wickham's grace and wit and good looks. She looks for him at a ball held by Bingley, but of course he is not there. Darcy, however, asks her to dance and she is surprised enough that she accepts. She doesn't understand it. Mrs. Bennet speaks of Bingley and Jane's marriage within the hearing of Darcy.
Bingley leaves for London on business, planning to return soon. However, the rest of the party follows soon after, and Miss Bingley sends a note to Jane, telling her that they will not return. She says that she hopes Bingley will marry Miss Darcy. Jane is upset and thinks that Bingley does not love her. Elizabeth realizes the truth. The Gardiners, intelligent and well-bred relatives who deal in trade, invite Jane to visit them in London and she accepts. She is not visited by Bingley and so she believes that he must have forgotten about her. Elizabeth, at home, loses the attentions of Wickham as he begins to court a very rich young woman instead. She then goes to visit Charlotte, who has married Mr. Collins. While staying with her, she meets Mr. Collins's patron, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Lady Catherine is Darcy's aunt, and is a rude, elitist old woman. She hopes that Darcy will marry her sickly daughter. Darcy comes to visit and proposes to Elizabeth, making it very evident that his proposal is one of passion and he cannot believe that he is making such an imprudent match. Elizabeth rejects him, citing his pride, destruction of her sister's happiness, and cruelty to Wickham. The next day, Darcy gives Elizabeth a letter, explaining that Wickham actually turned down the living for a monetary compensation instead, and then tried to seduce and elope with Miss Darcy.
Elizabeth is shocked and realizes she has been wrong.
Elizabeth goes home, collecting Jane on her way. Lydia leaves for Brighton with a wife of one of the officers. The Gardiners come to visit and take Elizabeth for a short holiday in the country. While they are there, they go to visit Pemberley. Elizabeth is nervous, but is told that Darcy will not return until the next day. As they are touring the grounds, Darcy stumbles upon them. Both are mortified, but he is very kind and courteous to her and her family. Elizabeth realizes that he must still love her, and while they are in the country, he pays her visits and she comes to Pemberley. She meets Miss Darcy and finds her charming. One day, Elizabeth gets a letter saying that Lydia has eloped with Wickham, but that it's doubtful that they will marry. Elizabeth goes home, and the Gardiners return to London to search for Lydia. They meet with success-- for a very small amount of money, Wickham agrees to marry Lydia-- and the marriage takes place. Mr. Bennet knows Mr. Gardiner must have bribed him with much more money.
Lydia and Wickham come to visit their family and are met with joy only by Mrs. Bennet. Lydia reveals that Darcy had some role in what took place. Elizabeth writes to Mrs. Gardiner and asks what this might be. Mrs. Gardiner says that Darcy hunted Wickham down and bribed him to marry Lydia, paying him with cash and with a place in the military. He also attended the wedding. Elizabeth is amazingly gratified and finds herself believing she might love Darcy.
Lady Catherine unexpectedly shows up and, rather rudely, tells Elizabeth that she'd better not have her sights on Darcy. Elizabeth is offended and tells her that she will marry as she likes. Lady Catherine's sense of elitism is challenged by her impertinence and after scolding her, she storms off. Mr. Bennet receives a letter from Mr. Collins advocating Lady Catherine's case.
Bingley and Darcy come to visit. Bingley reveals that he thought Jane didn't love him, but on finding her in love, proposes and is accepted. Darcy proposes soon afterwards and is likewise accepted. After some trouble trying to prove to everyone else that she doesn't hate Darcy, all is well. There is a double wedding and Elizabeth goes to Pemberley, and the Bingleys settle nearby.
I feel like that's a pretty short summary.
As soon as Darcy calls her plain, he begins to find her attractive. Without meaning to, he falls in love with her, enchanted by her beauty and wit and spirit. Elizabeth doesn't realize it. One day, Jane goes to visit the Bingleys, and stays for the night because of the weather. She falls ill and Elizabeth comes to stay with the family and nurse Jane back to health. Elizabeth doesn't like Miss Bingley-- she is petty and obviously sets her sights on Darcy. Miss Bingley is aware of Darcy's growing admiration of Elizabeth and makes fun of her to him, trying to convince him that she is not worth his attention. Bingley is still very much in love with Jane. When Jane has recovered, they go home.
Lydia and Kitty spend a lot of time in town, where the militia is stationed, going to balls with officers.
Mr. Bennet receives a letter from his nephew, Mr. Collins, who will receive the estate after Mr. Bennet has died. Mr. Collins wants to come visit, and so he does. He very obviously decides to marry one of the Bennet daughters to make up for his inheritance, and decides to marry Elizabeth. Unfortunately, Mr. Collins is pompous and silly and annoying. Elizabeth is less than pleased, and when Mr. Collins finally does propose to her, she rejects him. Elizabeth's friend Charlotte Lucas, a practical girl of 28, goes after Mr. Collins and he proposes to her. Charlotte accepts. Elizabeth is horrified, but Charlotte assures her that all she wants is financial security. Elizabeth also finds herself in the middle of romantic intrigue when the family meets an officer named Mr. Wickham. They meet him in the street, as Darcy is passing by, and Elizabeth notes the discomfort of both men. Wickham tells her that he was raised by Darcy's father and was a favorite of his, and was promised a parsonage at Pemberley, Darcy's estate. However, Darcy denied him the living. Elizabeth grows even angrier at Darcy for this, and finds herself enchanted by Wickham's grace and wit and good looks. She looks for him at a ball held by Bingley, but of course he is not there. Darcy, however, asks her to dance and she is surprised enough that she accepts. She doesn't understand it. Mrs. Bennet speaks of Bingley and Jane's marriage within the hearing of Darcy.
Bingley leaves for London on business, planning to return soon. However, the rest of the party follows soon after, and Miss Bingley sends a note to Jane, telling her that they will not return. She says that she hopes Bingley will marry Miss Darcy. Jane is upset and thinks that Bingley does not love her. Elizabeth realizes the truth. The Gardiners, intelligent and well-bred relatives who deal in trade, invite Jane to visit them in London and she accepts. She is not visited by Bingley and so she believes that he must have forgotten about her. Elizabeth, at home, loses the attentions of Wickham as he begins to court a very rich young woman instead. She then goes to visit Charlotte, who has married Mr. Collins. While staying with her, she meets Mr. Collins's patron, Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Lady Catherine is Darcy's aunt, and is a rude, elitist old woman. She hopes that Darcy will marry her sickly daughter. Darcy comes to visit and proposes to Elizabeth, making it very evident that his proposal is one of passion and he cannot believe that he is making such an imprudent match. Elizabeth rejects him, citing his pride, destruction of her sister's happiness, and cruelty to Wickham. The next day, Darcy gives Elizabeth a letter, explaining that Wickham actually turned down the living for a monetary compensation instead, and then tried to seduce and elope with Miss Darcy.
Elizabeth is shocked and realizes she has been wrong.
Elizabeth goes home, collecting Jane on her way. Lydia leaves for Brighton with a wife of one of the officers. The Gardiners come to visit and take Elizabeth for a short holiday in the country. While they are there, they go to visit Pemberley. Elizabeth is nervous, but is told that Darcy will not return until the next day. As they are touring the grounds, Darcy stumbles upon them. Both are mortified, but he is very kind and courteous to her and her family. Elizabeth realizes that he must still love her, and while they are in the country, he pays her visits and she comes to Pemberley. She meets Miss Darcy and finds her charming. One day, Elizabeth gets a letter saying that Lydia has eloped with Wickham, but that it's doubtful that they will marry. Elizabeth goes home, and the Gardiners return to London to search for Lydia. They meet with success-- for a very small amount of money, Wickham agrees to marry Lydia-- and the marriage takes place. Mr. Bennet knows Mr. Gardiner must have bribed him with much more money.
Lydia and Wickham come to visit their family and are met with joy only by Mrs. Bennet. Lydia reveals that Darcy had some role in what took place. Elizabeth writes to Mrs. Gardiner and asks what this might be. Mrs. Gardiner says that Darcy hunted Wickham down and bribed him to marry Lydia, paying him with cash and with a place in the military. He also attended the wedding. Elizabeth is amazingly gratified and finds herself believing she might love Darcy.
Lady Catherine unexpectedly shows up and, rather rudely, tells Elizabeth that she'd better not have her sights on Darcy. Elizabeth is offended and tells her that she will marry as she likes. Lady Catherine's sense of elitism is challenged by her impertinence and after scolding her, she storms off. Mr. Bennet receives a letter from Mr. Collins advocating Lady Catherine's case.
Bingley and Darcy come to visit. Bingley reveals that he thought Jane didn't love him, but on finding her in love, proposes and is accepted. Darcy proposes soon afterwards and is likewise accepted. After some trouble trying to prove to everyone else that she doesn't hate Darcy, all is well. There is a double wedding and Elizabeth goes to Pemberley, and the Bingleys settle nearby.
I feel like that's a pretty short summary.
posted by Joey at 4:53 PM
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