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What are readers saying about Pride & Prejudice (Wordsworth Classics)?
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-02-10 02:39:41.
(Language: English)
 
A book that I thought that I should start reading some clasical litrature. A sharp and witty comedy of manners played out in early 19th Century English society, a world in which men held virtually all the power and women were required to negotiate mine-fields of social status, respectability, wealth, love, and sex in order to marry both to their own liking and to the advantage of their family. Flawless prose, crackling wit, good drama, fully developed characters and a perfect plotline make this the best novel in the English language.
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Yes (56) 
No (16) |
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-11-18 11:27:26.
(Language: English)
Absolutely beautiful. You will be taken to an era where making a good marriage was a lady's only aspiration but like any other era there are also those who don't follow the rules such as Elisabeth Bennet. And then first impressions and the slow realisation that one was mistaken and that what seemed sweet and perfect was rotten, and what seemed cold and distant was someone with principles, perhaps someone who needed some polishing when it came to social skills. A very good read. A very realistic love story. Sometimes instead of perfection fading away as time goes by, sometimes what we disliked so much becomes the object of our desires... But then is it to late, when so much has been said and when the wrong answers have been given?
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-06-10 04:23:37.
(Language: English)
Many critics take the novel's title as a starting point when analysing the major themes of Pride and Prejudice; however, Robert Fox cautions against reading too much into the title since commercial factors may have played a role in its selection. "After the success of Sense and Sensibility, nothing would have seemed more natural than to bring out another novel of the same author using again the formula of antithesis and alliteration for the title".[7]A major theme in much of Austen's work is the importance of environment and upbringing on the development of young people's character and morality. [3] Social standing and wealth are not necessarily advantages. In Pride and Prejudice, the failure of Mr and Mrs Bennet (particularly the former) as parents is blamed for Lydia's lack of moral judgement; Darcy, on the other hand, has been taught to be principled and scrupulously honourable, but also proud and overbearing.[3] Kitty, rescued from Lydia's bad influence and spending more time with her older sisters after they marry, is said to improve greatly in their superior society.[8]
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-10-10 09:07:29.
(Language: English)
Finished! I don’t think I have ever felt such a sense of relief and accomplishment upon completion of a novel. Jane Austen is an author I had always felt I ought to have read. At the very least I have always harboured a nagging sense of duty to have watched at least one of the many screen adaptations of her works. I “escaped†studying “Emma†at A-Level, in favour of “Great Expectationsâ€, and I remember at the time being led to believe that as a class, we had been spared from an over-rated, agonising and protracted piece of literature, loosely described as a “glorified Mills & Boon love storyâ€. As such I have never felt inclined to get familiar with the characters of “Mr Darcy†and “Miss Bennetâ€, my sense of prejudice leading me to imagine their tale to be one of doomed lovers, destined to fail overdramatically in their attempts at happiness. But after a few false starts when I returned to the mythical first line, to gain my bearings, I plodded diligently through some of the most intense passages of dialogue I think I have ever encountered. But as I learned to accept the slow, steady rhythm of Austen’s writing, I found myself growing less and less impatient with the pace of the plot. I found myself relishing the precision of the interaction between the characters, entranced by the formality of social contact. I applaud the ending wholeheartedly.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-12-16 09:29:51.
(Language: English)
***SPOILER ALERT***Often I arrive at books - particularly classics - with a preconceived idea of what a novel will be like. For new fiction I am much more open to almost any subject of point of view but with someone like Jane Austen my impression has been so clouded by movies and other references. This novel is much funnier and readable that I had expected. The story revolves around the courtship of primarily the two oldest daughters in the Bennet family which has 5 daughters. Their utmost wish is to marry well. The oldest, Jane, sets her sights on a young Mr. Bingley who is renting an estate near her family's home. Elizabeth, her sister, tries to assist with this endeavour and herself becomes the interest of an even richer but seemingly unfriendly, Mr. Darcy. It appears that things between Bingley and Jane are falling though and Mr. Darcy proposes to Elizabeth but is soundly rejected for what turn out to be misunderstandings. He has interfered with Bingley courtship of Jane because he thought Jane was not interested in Bingley. As it turns out Darcy is not really unpleasant just shy and it becomes clear to Elizabeth after she has rejected him that he really is desirable. In the meantime her younger sister runs away with a man of ill repute but fortunately Mr. Darcy steps in and saves face for the family. All ends well with both couples getting together. The novel is entirely focused on the life, riches and personality of its various characters and their entourage. We are introduced to a variety of "Characters" from the Darcy's aunt the Duchess, to the nephew who will inherit the Bennet's estate, to the conniving Mrs. Bennet, and the relaxed a hilarious Mr. Bennet. The plot seems trivial but the manner of the telling is what makes this a great read.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-07-11 01:06:19.
(Language: English)
Needless to say there are other parts to this plot. The rivalry between Kitty and Lydia the two youngest sisters and the on going baiting of Mrs Bennett by Mr Bennett are two examples. But the above summary should show how complicated the plot really is. There are not a huge number of characters, but the short length of the novel makes each page seem full of action. There's a lot going on, and Austen uses this to create sections that pulse with energy, followed by sections made up of the characters reflections on their situations. Indeed some of the best pieces of the novel are the long conversations between characters. Darcy's proposal is a superb example, both of the novels humour, and of how good the dialogue is. Indeed the dialogue is one of the best pieces of the novel. Elizabeths tart tongue, which says almost always what she means, is guaranteed to liven up any scene. Other characters like Mrs Bennett, prattle away, while Darcy speaks with clipped self-assured tones and Bingley is always gushing. The styles of speech convey the characters personalities and give the novel atmosphere.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-06-24 07:26:21.
(Language: English)
Orgullo y prejuicio fue publicada en 1813, es un clásico de la literatura inglesa.Es una novela romantica que llama mi atención por los personajes que participan en ella :Miss Elizabeth y Mister Darcy, ambos cegados por dos nociones , un antivalor como el prejuicio, un juicio previo que según el filosofo Bacon sería una falsa noción que bloquea el conocimiento, por parte del personaje femenino de esta obra y el orgullo que aparenta Mister Darcy. Ambas secciones o estados animicos finalmente terminan desapareciendo con el final feliz que nos ofrece esta novela romantica.Debo admitir que me gusta la forma de narrar un romanticismo en un personaje femenino que es inteligente y con un dialogo ironico, por un ego ofendido, y un personaje masculino que tambien es muy inteligente, aunque tímido, pero que progresa mostrando su interior honesto.Bah!! también clásicos valores para adorar a los personajes.Típico patrones para una novela de amor siempre similares,patéticos y adorables. Orgullo y prejuicio...fue publicada en 1813,deja puesto en claro la trama novelesca de una especie de inversión de un antivalor como el orgullo y un jucio previo que a veces en filosofía se considera según Bacon una falsa noción que bloquea el conocimiento, pero el punto es que estos al final desaparecen.Ciertamente de no haber sentido orgullo Mister Darcy y un anterior prejuicio el personaje femenino Miss Elizabeth esta obra no sería nada, novela romantica con el típico final feliz,los dos personajes apreden, maduran, se atraen y se quedan juntos.En fin, debo aceptar que lamentablemente me gusto.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-08-10 01:51:47.
(Language: English)
3 stars might seem mean for what most people consider Austen's best work. However, I could not help getting royally pissed off at the main character - a fairly major problem. Lizzy Bennet is an insufferable know-it-all and half of me thought it would have served her right if she'd had to marry Mr Collins. Nonetheless, as always with Austen, it is wonderful to be drawn into such a specific, neatly-drawn world whose social mores, attitudes and patterns of behaviour are so different from our own, yet whose central story (the desire to marry for love, not money - ideally both) can still be sympathised with today. Austen has a way with words that all writers must envy, as is established within the first line of this book - surely one of the best-known sentences in literature. She is funny, extremely intelligent and draws characters with concise brilliance. If only Lizzy had been that little bit more concise herself.
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Scott posted a review at 2010-07-05 06:27:50.
(Language: English)
Pride and Prejudice deals with issues of upbringing, marriage, morals and education.At the centre of the story are themes of how the rituals of courtship led to marriage in upper class society during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth century. The heroine of Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet, is a spirited young woman from a privileged family who meets an eligible man; Fitzwilliam Darcy, and is at first blinded to his better qualities. Reading this book made me wonder if elements Austen’s work could have influenced the framework for the Mills and Boon type romantic fiction I once had to read for a Media Studies assignment at University. Jane Austen novels are often cited as an influence on films like Clueless and Bridget Jones' Diary.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-10-27 12:32:26.
(Language: English)
ammiro jane austen dove mostra una volontà critica guidata da un'innata vis morale,ke cn lo strumento dell'ironia e nn già del sarcasmo,mira a farsi beffe d'ogni specie di esagerazione(1matrimonio nn dovrebbe esser contratto sl x opportunità ed interesse economico=>spesso evidenziato nei suoi romanzi).l'ironia dell'autrice evidenzia gli atteggiamenti presuntuosi di ki si ritiene superiore in virtù della propria posizione sociale(lady catherine de bourgh e del suo nipote darcy al quale viene sottolineata la parola orgoglio).la mondanità viene evidenziata cn la figura di elisabeth descritta dalla austen:"bella snza essere bellissima,cn oki xò fuori dal comune,conquista senza averne l'intenzione,in virtù della sua intelligenza,del suo carattero fermo senza essere duro"...quello ke mi colpisce nn è la diversità ma ke l'amore viene rappresentato attraverso un'energia(sguardi,gesti)e senza nessuna forma di consumismo(sesso o bacio)evidenziato nella scena4del film attraverso la mano...
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-12-29 04:12:32.
(Language: English)
I liked this book in general, but I didn't include it in my favorites. For one thing, some parts of the story are difficult to be understood in our time, at least how Jane Austen intended them to be understood, such as the big concern of the Bennet family for Lydia, who would ruin herself and the others by running away with Wickham unmarried. I know how things were in the 19th century in terms of marriage; still, I wasn't moved by the affair. But leaving that aside, I just thought the whole narrative lacked some interest for me. It went on slowly, and sometimes I was impatient and skipped some chapters to see what happened next. Maybe the writing wasn't enthralling enough. Austen was a good writer, don't throw stones at me! but I can't help thinking that Jane Eyre was so much better than Pride and Prejudice.
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A Reader posted a review at 2011-03-13 03:55:38.
(Language: English)
The wonderful Mr. Darcy. Not sure if living with someone who doesn't know how to express their thoughts and feelings would be quite a dream. The book keeps you breathless till the end, no matter how many times you read it. Was angry at the thought of how women were so dependent in those times. No freedom of choice. Either mothers and wives or spinsters. Terrible. Loved this quote: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered as the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters."
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-12-21 09:28:04.
(Language: English)
Ketika Elizabeth Bennett (Keira Knightley) bertemu dengan si tampan Mr. Darcy (Matthew MacFadyen), dia percaya bahwa lelaki itu adalah lelaki terakhir yang akan dia pilih menjadi suaminya, saat tak ada lelaki lain di muka bumi ini.Tetapi perjalanan kehidupan sungguh tak terduga, dan dia akhirnya menyadari bahwa perasaannya berubah. Dia akhirnya menemukan dirinya terpikat pada lelaki itu, lelaki yang telah dia sumpah akan dibencinya seumur hidupnya.Film dengan setting abad 19 di Inggris ini bercerita tentang keluarga Bennet yang memiliki 5 orang anak, si cantik-baik hati Jane Bennet, si keras kepala Eliza Bennet, Mary Bennet yang seringkali tidak peka dan cuek, Katherine (alias kitty) Bennet dan Lydia Bennet yang genit.Saat kehidupan beranjak tidak berkompromi, pak Bennet berniat menikahkan ke 5 anaknya sebelum dia meninggal. Tetapi Elizabeth hanya mau menikah jika dia bertemu dengan cinta sejati saja. Dia tak mau di jodohkan atau menikah tanpa cinta.Lizzie bertemu Mr. Darcy saat seorang kaya bernama Charles Bingley datang ke desa mereka hendak membeli satu mansion di sana. Dia datang dengan saudara perempuannya, serta seorang temannya, yaitu si Mr. Darcy.Charles Bingley menemukan cintanya kepada Jane, sedangkan Lizzie saat pertama bertemu dengan Mr. Darcy berkata bahwa dia tak cukup tampan untuk memikat hatinya..Tetapi, cinta adalah proses. Kali ini benci saat lain belum tentu. Perjalanan kehidupan, dapat membelokan rasa.. dan kebencian serta sumpah yang telah terucap-pun menjadi berbeda..Indah sekali cerita ini..
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-06-25 06:45:59.
(Language: English)
I just recently completed reading Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" for the first time. I say the first time, because to be perfectly honest, this is a novel that I've attempted a couple of times now. But I've finally done it. It's so hard to get beyond the first line. You have to scrape together every word to grasp the archaic language and flowing prose that those eighteenth century types are so fond of. But once you start - once youKamloops Renaissance Retirement Residence get through the first few pages - the result is pure pleasure. I'm quite serious. Elizabeth Bennett is a heroine of epic proportions. You wince with her when her mother spews a ridiculous comment. You feel the injustice of Lady Catherine's barbs, and your heart soars with joy when she and Mr. Darcy finally, finally end up together. Sorry, I just gave away the ending, but I think we all know how it ends, anyway. Love never fails. But the beauty of "Pride and Prejudice" is that it is so much more than a love story. Sure, the plot is primarily centered around the needs and desires of the Bennett girls to find suitable husbands, but that's not all Miss. Austen's tale is about. This novel is about a young woman who stands up for herself, who does not allow herself to be a doormat, who fights for the people she loves the most. And yet Elizabeth does so in such a way that she is utterly captivating, a vision of womanhood that I think young girls can still look up to. True, Elizabeth is a strong woman and speaks her mind, but she does so in such a way that she is respectful, lovely, and continues to see the best in others. Her open mouth does not in any way deter from her tremendous depth of spirit. You'll fall in love with the silly Mrs. Bennett, wonderfully obnoxious Mr. Collins, angelic Jane Bennett, and the suprisingly chivalrous Mr. Darcy. There is a reason that "Pride and Predjudice" is so timeless. It's because it is a story that we can relate with. We know what it's like to feel very much alone in the world. We want to be swept up in love's mystery, no matter in which way that love manifests itself. Sometimes, like Mr. Darcy, it catches us completely off guard. And to be caught off guard by love is a wonderful thing indeed!
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-01-07 12:45:42.
(Language: English)
Pride and Prejudice, my favorite Jane Austen novel, follows the life of Elizabeth Bennet, a headstrong, intelligent woman who thinks she has the arrogant Mr. Darcy's character down to a tee, and she despises him. " The book begins as the main character Elizabeth Bennet and her family have just heard of the arrival of a very rich man named Charles Bingley. The Bennet family is completely made up of girls the oldest being Jane, then Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and then Lydia. Because there are no men in the family, after the father passes away his entire estate passes on to their cousin Mr. Collins. Mrs. Bennet is very aware that if her husband was ever to pass that her and her daughters would be left homeless, so she has taken it upon herself to get her daughters not only married, but married to more wealthy men, even though they are in the lower ranks of society. So upon hearing Charles Bingley was coming Hertfordshire where they lived, Mrs. Bennet insists her daughters are introduced. Along with Mr. Bingley came his sisters Caroline and Luisa, Luisa's husband Mr. Hurst and Mr. Bingley's friend Fitzwilliam Darcy. The Bennet girls and Mr. Bingley were introduced at a dance and right away Mr. Bingley took a liking to Jane. His sister invites her to dine with her soon after the dance and Jane goes. Her mother tells her she must walk to their house and on her way there is begins to rain. Jane gets very sick and Elizabeth goes to stay with her until she gets better. While she is there Mr. Darcy begins to like Elizabeth although Elizabeth detests him. When Jane regains her health they return home only to find that Mr Collins has come for a visit hoping to find one of the daughters to marry so that the estate could stay in the family. At first he pursues Jane until Mrs. Bennet informs him she is soon to be engaged to Mr. Bingley. He then swtiches his interests to Elizabeth, Elizabeth however has absolutely no interest in Mr. Collins. He asks her to marry him and she rejects him, which results in a big fuss coming from her mother as well as his proposing to her good friend Charlotte Lucas who accepts. Mr. Bingley and Jane Bennet fall in love, but Mr. Darcy who is thought by many to be a very proud man decides he must tear them apart, because he does not believe that Jane is really in love with him and that she only wants his money. So the whole company leaves Hertfordshire and Jane is heartbroken. Jane goes to her aunt and uncle who live in London where Mr. Bingley has gone hoping that he will come to see her, but Mr. Darcy kept her presence there a secret. While Jane is in London Elizabeth has been invited by Charlotte to visit her and Mr. Collins. Mr. Collins is always talking about his patron Lady Catherine De Bourgh and Elizabeth finally gets to meat her. During her visit, Mr. Darcy also shows up at Lady de Bourgh's, he is the her nephew and she wishes Darcy to marry her daughter, however that is not in Darcy's plan, for he proposes to Elizabeth. She is disgusted by the proposal because he is proud, separated her sister and Mr. Bingley and had ruined the happiness of her friend Mr. Wickam back home who claims that Mr. Darcy had cheated him out of a fortune left to him by Mr. Darcy's father. Mr. Darcy leaves dejected and sad, but returns later with a letter explaining his reasons for all he has done, his suspicions of Jane only using Mr. Bingley for money, as well as explaining that all that Mr. Wickham has told her was a lie that he had given him his inheritance and he had swindled it away. Elizabeth feels a little bad about how harsh she was to Mr. Darcy, but still does not want to marry him. Elizabeth returns home and leaves on trip to tour the lakes with her aunt and uncle. On the trip they decide to go tour Pemberley which is where Mr. Darcy lives. At first she says no, but upon being reassured that he is not at home she agrees. They go on the tour and Mr. Darcy returns unexpectedly. This brings about many other meetings between the two during their trip. Elizabeth and her aunt and uncle receive a letter from Elizabeth's family saying that her sister Lydia has run off with Mr. Wickham whom the family had trusted, but after the letter Elizabeth received from Mr. Darcy she now knows otherwise and fears that Mr. Wickham does not plan to marry Lydia at all, but only wants to take advantage of her. Elizabeth informs Mr. Darcy of the circumstances and immediately returns home. Her father and uncle leave in search of Lydia, and return with the news that Lydia is married. Although Mr. Darcy had sworn Wickham and Lydia to secrecy that he was the one who had paid Wickham's debts so that he would marry Lydia the secret was spilled to Elizabeth and her feelings towards him begin to change drastically. News comes that Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy are again in town, and they pay the Bennets a visit. Mr. Bingley proposes to Jane and she accepts. Elizabeth realizes that she loves Mr. Darcy and while they are on a walk one evening the subject comes up again and they decide to get married. Mr. Darcy speaks with Mr. Bennet and he agrees to the marriage. So the story ends happily with Lydia marrying Mr. Wickham, Jane marrying Mr. Bingley and Elizabeth Marrying Mr. Darcy. "
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Meghan posted a review at 2010-03-02 01:19:47.
(Language: English)
Pride and Prejudice is the story of Elizabeth Bennet and her sisters marriages to eligible men of good fortune. It focuses mostly on the relationship between the moody Darcy and Lizzys including the Prejudice and Pride involved. I think that this is such an excellent book for these reasons. I think that it contained humor in the characters and storyline that is not always contained in a classic. I found the characters had lots of depth to them and I enjoyed every moment of conversation between every character becasue I could really look into it! I loved the fight between Darcy and Lizzy in the middle of the book and I enjoyed the first chapter also. I thought it was excellent how Jane Austen brought the reader in by Mrs Bennets funny scene with her nerves. The book was so romantic and it had a reasonable pace to it! I didn't find the scene in which Mr Darcy and Lizzy get engadged in very romantic but I thought it was lovely in a sentimental way. I enjoyed the way that Jane Austen tied all of the ends of the characters storys up in the final chapter, it gave me the re assurance that they will live happily ever after!
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-07-26 05:06:26.
(Language: English)
There is much to much to say about this book. I will say that it didn't warrant to become a favorite until the second to last chapter, when the story reminded me of another of my favorites "Bid Time Return" by Richard Matheson. For those of you who have read Matheson's book before, no I am not saying the stories are at all related in content, but in sentiment, yes. As for being a great love story, maybe not. The story is less concerned with love, and more concerned with how the characters of the time act. Maybe, in the time, this would have been considered a romance novel for women, but now it is a documentation of the middle-class attitudes, or at least how Austen saw them. The love story is subdued in a way that lets the world Austen creates shine through as the leading character. If anything I would say this was a comedic book. I was set to laughing out loud from the first page, and nearly all the lines I laughed at were from Mr. Bennet. The exception being Mr. Darcy's first confession of his love. I almost lost my balance and hit the floor with the humour of it. I have yet to see any movie renditions of this book. I like to read books before I see the movies. I know I will only be disappointed, but the version with Colin Firth as well as the newest with Kira Knightly are ones I would like to see in the near future. Since we are on the topic of movies, while I was in the beginning of the book, I could not help but notice a resemblance of "Pride and Prejudice" to the first "Bridget Jones' Diary" movie. Maybe this was not purposeful, but Colin Firth's character in that movie, with his pompous attitude and seemingly easy temper greatly resembled that of Mr. Darcy, as well as his relationship with Bridget. Maybe that is why he got the part. In any case. A+ grade. Might not read again, but I did love it!
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-04-04 09:59:58.
(Language: English)
Elizabeth Bennet is a country gentleman's daughter in 19th Century England. She is one of five daughters, a plight that her father bears as best he can with common sense and a general disinterest in the silliness of his daughters. Elizabeth is his favorite because of her level-headed approach to life when his own wife's greatest concern is getting her daughters married off to well-established gentlemen. Only Jane, Elizabeth's older sister, is nearly as sensible and practical as Elizabeth, but Jane is also the beauty of the family, and therefore, Mrs. Bennet's highest hope for a good match. When Mr. Bingley, a young gentleman of London, takes a country estate near to the Bennet's home, Mrs. Bennet begins her match-making schemes without any trace of subtlety or dignity. Despite Mrs. Bennet's embarassing interference, Mr. Bingley and Jane become fond of one another. Mr. Darcy, who has accompanied Bingley to the country, begins his acquaintance with Elizabeth, her family, and their neighbors with smug condescension and proud distaste for the all of the country people. Elizabeth, learning of his dislike, makes it a point to match his disgust with her own venom. She also hears from a soldier that she has a fondness for that Darcy has misused the man. Without thinking through the story, Elizabeth immediately seizes upon it as another, more concrete reason to hate Mr. Darcy. She contradicts and argues with Darcy each time they meet, but somewhere along the way he begins to like Elizabeth. When Bingley leaves the countryside suddenly and makes no attempts to contact Jane anymore, the young woman is heartbroken. Elizabeth, who had thought well of Bingley, believes that there is something amiss in the way that he left Jane in the lurch. Only when Elizabeth goes to visit her friend at the estate of Darcy's aunt does the mystery begin to unfold. After several encounters with Mr. Darcy while visiting her friend, Elizabeth is shocked when Darcy proposes to her. Elizabeth refuses him and questions him about the way that he misused her soldier friend and his undoubted role in the way that Bingley abandoned Jane. Darcy writes a letter to explain himself, and Elizabeth is embarrassed to learn that she had been mislead about Darcy's character. Had she known the truth, she would have loved Darcy as he loved her. Darcy leaves that part of the country before she can sort out her feelings and make amends with him. Then she meets him again when she is touring the gardens of his estate with her aunt and uncle. Darcy treats her with kindness and she believes he may still love her, but before anything can be done about it, she learns that one of her younger sisters has shacked up with the very soldier who mislead Elizabeth and the rest of her family about Mr. Darcy. Elizabeth returns home immediately. When the indignity of her sister's shot-gun wedding is straightened out, Elizabeth is surprised that Darcy returns to the country with Bingley. She expected that the shame of her sister's actions had ruined any chances of a relationship with Mr. Darcy, or Jane and Bingley. Elizabeth learns from her aunt that Darcy did a great part to help get her younger sister properly married to the infamous soldier. Jane and Bingley sort out the misunderstanding that drove him away before and get engaged. Then Elizabeth and Darcy work out their misunderstandings and agree to marry. That's the short summery of the story Ciao Mario
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-07-27 12:35:56.
(Language: English)
I've done the unthinkable. I just finished a Jane Austen book after reading an article, albeit from a feminist, who wrote rather kindly about the author on salon.com. This cocked my eyebrow since I didn't care for Austen's subtle irony on gender politics in the novels I read by her before. I resigned myself to accepting that not only did I not understand her but I didn't WANT to understand her either! She was too complacent, too light-hearted and not passionate enough for me (as opposed to Emily Bronte who violently questioned the patriarchal structure of her times and openly condemned it's oppression). However after reading that one of my favorite authors (J.D. Salinger) liked Jane Austen, my interest was peaked. And then there was the Salon article. After all but detesting her other books, I found myself liking this one - her signature piece. Of course it was well-written but this one actually infused a certain level of human compassion and liveliness (something I found lacking in her other novels). What I'm trying to say is I finally understand the comical, light-hearted style of Jane Austen and I've learnt to accept it for what it is. There is not one character in that novel that does not fit the very definition of some people I know today. I decided that, considering that she was not formally educated or exposed, this was an extraordinary feat. Jane Austen is what she is. Or I should say was what she was. Not every book is meant to be a profound rebellion against the society the author once lived in. Sometimes a biting satire blended with a form of resigned sensibility is profound in it's own way.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-07-04 02:49:22.
(Language: English)
I'm not gonna lie, I love Jane Austen and her writting, but I honestly thought that this book was way over-rated. Yes Lizzy is a great heroine, she's very entertaining and her obvious and numerous flaws make her likeable. But sometimes her bitchyness is a little annoying. Darcy is, has been, and always will be a prick. And I wonder why everyone is so enamored with him. He's certainly not the kind of man I would want to marry. It's a book where the minor characters are a hell of alot more interesting than the major characters and probably the least spectacular of Austen's books. There's nothing new about love-hate relationships and Jane Austen hasn't added anything different to them. It's very formulaic. There's no argument that it's good writting I mean it's Jane Austen, come on. But what people seem to forget is that there's a difference between good writting and a well written story. All in all The book wasn't a waste of time to read, and I was entertained while reading it. but it's not something I would recommend or read over and over again. Oh and just as a side comment as I'm reading the other reviews, the two-part mini series with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle as the main characters is not actually the BBC movie. It was done by Masterpiece Theatre and released on DVD by A&E. The BBC did make a five-part mini series and it is good, (David Rintoul makes a much better Darcy than Colin Firth) but overall the A&E is the one that is the truest to the book
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A Reader posted a review at 2009-05-30 10:42:54.
(Language: English)
Có những tình yêu thật kì lạ. Không phải bắt đầu từ sự cảm mến, hay thương nhớ. Nó bắt nguồn từ lòng kiêu hãnh và định kiến của 2 con người thuộc hai giai cấp khác nhau.Bên nào cũng có lòng kiêu hãnh riêng của mình và định kiến khắc nghiệt về bên kia. Điều này khiến cho nhiều người sẽ nghĩ rằng họ khó mà có thể đến được với nhau. Những cuối cùng chính những vẻ đẹp trong tâm hồn Elizabeth (cái mà Darcy gọi là "Sự sinh động của tâm hồn"), sự thông minh, dí dỏm của cô đã chinh phục Darcy, cũng như bên ngoài vẻ kiêu hãnh, ngạo mạn, khó gần của Darcy là 1 con người rất dễ thương, giàu tình cảm đã chinh phục Eliza tự lúc nào. Có những định kiến xã hội thật khắc nghiệt mà không phải một sớm một chiều có thể vượt qua. Nhiều khi phải mất hàng trăm năm người ta mới xoá bỏ được nó, mà đôi khi điều ấy vẫn chỉ là tương đối. Nếu như trong "Con Hủi", cho dù tình yêu của X và V đẹp đến mấy, họ vẫn không thể vượt qua được những định kiến của xã hội về "địa vị và tầng lớp", dẫn đến một kết thúc buồn cho câu chuyện. Thì trong "Kiêu hãnh và định kiến", Eliza và D đã vuợt qua được những trở ngại về định kiến và kiêu hãnh trong lòng mình để chấp nhận người kia, cho dù sự phản đối của những người khác. Có lẽ xã hội trong "P&P" của Jane Austen đang chuyển mình. Nhưng nhiều khi người ta có thể vượt qua được định kiến của mình, định kiến của xã hội những vẫn không thể nào vượt qua được cái gọi là Định mệnh.... ------------------------------ Trong "Kiêu hãnh và định kiến", có 1 chi tiết khá thú vị đó là ông bố bà mẹ của Eliza khá giống bố mẹ của Sam Thái trong phim "Sao băng". Haha. Tuy nhiên mình rất thích bố của Eliza vì ông ấy rất thông minh, hiểu biết, phải cái sợ vợ =)). .......Vì những cuộc tranh luận thông minh, dí dỏm. Vì cá tính nhân vật đậm nét, dễ thương. Vì cốt truyện hay. Vì kết thúc có hậu. Vote cho truyện này 8 điểm .......Bonus: Năm 2007 "Kiêu hãnh và định kiến" được bình chọn yêu thích nhất ở Anh, Harry Potter xếp thứ 4 :X.
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-08-27 08:43:14.
(Language: English)
It's hard to write a review for a book that's become such a part of my life. I must have read this tale at least a hundred times - and every single time, I'm still thrilled at the verbal sparring between Elizabeth and Darcy. Jane Austen's famous opening line - "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife" - sets the tone that this is a story of irony. Austen isn't so much endorsing the view that all affluent men should marry; instead she mocks the whole notion. What she does so brilliantly in this story - as she has in all her books - is demonstrate the tension between conforming with society's expectations and following individual will. In Elizabeth, Austen has created a character after my own heart - fiesty, sarcastic, witty, and ultimately, smart enough to recognize her own flaws. It's hard to imagine Austen created this character so many years ago - Elizabeth is a thoroughly modern woman who could have been written today. In Darcy - Austen has created a man all women secretly wish for - with brooding sex appeal and heroic compassion. No other author better understands the human psyche. I just love this book. It's my all-time favourite...and I'm sure I'll read it a hundred more times at least.
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A Reader posted a review at 2010-07-13 01:21:20.
(Language: English)
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a man (or woman) in possession of a good mind must be in want of the book Pride and Prejudice. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering the world of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding Jane Austen fans, that he is considered as having joined their ranks before ever having finished Chapter 1. "My dear Mr. Grimm," said his lady to him one day, "have you heard that Pride and Prejudice is one of the most entertaining and humorous books ever written, not to mention one of the earliest romantic comedies?" Mr. Grimm replied that he had not. "But it is," returned she; "for Mrs. Long has just been here, and she told me all about it." Mr. Grimm made no answer. "Do not you want to know what it is all about?" cried his wife impatiently. "You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it." This was invitation enough. "Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that the book is about about the five Bennet sisters - Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia and how their lives are changed when a handsome young man and his friend come into the neighborhood." "What is his name?" "Bingley." "Is he married or single?" "Oh! single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year. What a fine thing for those girls!" "How so? how can it affect them?" "My dear Mr. Grimm," replied his wife, "how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them." "Is that his design in settling there?" "Design! nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must read the book as soon as it comes." "I see no occasion for that. You may read it, as you are a much faster reader than I, while I prefer to take my time over more manly tomes, such as Bleak House, by Charles Dickens." "My dear, you flatter me. I certainly have had my share of books, but I do not pretend to be any thing extraordinary now. When a woman has two grown teenagers, she ought to give over thinking of her own reading enjoyment and become taxi driver for her children." "In such cases, a woman has not often much time to think of." "But, my dear, you must indeed read Pride and Prejudice when it comes from Amazon." "It is more than I engage for, I assure you." "But consider your children. Only think how wonderful it would be for you to discuss the novel with one of them. Eva has already read the book and I do believe is half in love with Mr. Darcy herself. Of course, she did see the movie with Colin Firth in a wet shirt, but that is neither here nor there. You owe it to your children to discover the importance of social class in the novel, male and female attitudes toward relationships and the social criticism of the era’s view of marriage. Indeed you must read it, for it will be impossible for us to discuss the novel at length, if you do not." "You are over-scrupulous, surely. I dare say Pride and Prejudice will be a wonderful reading experience for you; and I will send a few lines by you to Amazon to assure other readers that this book is not one to be missed." "Mr. Grimm, how can you abuse me in such way? You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves." "You mistake me, my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least." "Ah! you do not know what I suffer." "But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many wonderful novels of 400 pages come into the house." "It will be no use to us if twenty such should come, since you will not read them." "Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty I will read them all." Mr. Grimm was so odd a mixture of German heritage, sarcastic humour, electric orange shirts, and beekeeping, that the experience of one and twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character. Her mind was less difficult to develope. She was a woman of impatience, little information, and Facebook. When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous. The business of her life was to get everyone to read her favorite books; its solace was reading novels herself and watching Russell Crowe movies.
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A Reader posted a review at 2008-01-18 07:24:13.
(Language: English)
It doesnt get betta than Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice..Wthr u're a hopeless romantic or jus' a classic lover,u're goin' to love this book...Though i'm only 15, i consider myself a moderately well-read..i love readin' and when i'm b/w books,, my life feels desolate and empty...I picked up the book on my mother's suggestion...But when i read that book in 9th grade,i found the first few chapters lifeless,dull and boring...A year later i was encouraged by a friend to give this book another chance...i did and have since become a Janeite..I fell in love with the book at the first sentence...I jus' love the characters; especially Elizabeth Bennet! I love the Victorian vernavular which works so well for this particular novel...I love the scintillating plot and the suspense created by knowing that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy should be together but their pride and prejudice are temporarily keeping them apart....The language that the novel is written in might be a little more difficult to read than contemporary literature, but once one gets accustomed to it, it makes the novel even more pleasurable. I cannot imagine Elizabeth or Darcy or Bingley or any of the other characters speaking any less eloquently; it would ruin the whole experience! The flowery language completes the whole effect of reading a Jane Austen novel...Jane Austen surely knew what she was doing when she wrote this one! Her Pride and Prejudice will always have an honored spot on my bookshelf...
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A Reader posted a review at 2007-09-29 08:29:56.
(Language: English)
Many writers/screenwriters attempt to add a new spin to her novel, and the intention is good. We all want teenagers to pick up a book and read classics, and there is no better way than to create a modern version and convince them that Jane Austen is all about modern life. Some of them are excellent. For instance, Bridget Jones dairy (Fielding, Helen) is everything from an amusement for Jane Austen's fan to a satire about consumer culture. However, some of the writers cannot see her novel beyond romance. They see them as love stories, and that only solidify the common perception. That, in my opinion, is a pity. I used to joke about what I know about love I know it from Jane Austen. When I was 16, I read Jane Austen and that is how I know about courtship. Yet, here I am, being older and supposedly wiser, I shall remark that I have learnt much more than that. Pride and Prejudice is not only a love story between Lizzy and Darcy. It is about a young woman, in spite of the social disadvantage, her lousy family, and the uncertainty of livelihood, still refuses to compromise. It is about the integrity of a person, who stands on her own ground and rejects marriage out of convenience and of inequality. It is about a person who accepts her social standing and yet demands respect and decency from the others. Getting the prince charming is a bonus, but more importantly is to be able to hold your head up.
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