So I'm not sure where to start with this, so let's just start with me rambling and we'll see how lost we are at the end. I'll also be referring to the movie and tv production of it since those are my points of reference, so be warned. — edit: I've decided I'm starting at the beginning and just spewing my thoughts all the way to the end. Then I'll put in my fave quotes, and some vocab words, cause I like to collect those in my dictionary app (then proceed to forget about them).

First of all, I absolutely loved how fleshed out the characters were. I loved how even at times we were treated to their own perspectives in the narrative, including Elizabeth's. I think the most stark realization that I had about this book was the Bennet family itself. Both adaptations (2005 and 1995) have depicted the Bennet family in varying degrees of absurdity and silliness — and I think the 95 adaptation gets close, but I truly was not prepared for how ridiculous they are as family. I don't mean that as an insult though, I think that speaks to how well Austen has fleshed out the Bennets, but the Mrs. Bennet especially is so absurd to the point of being comedic (perhaps its intended effect). And imo, it's not in a charming, meddlesome, trying to play cutesy-matchmaker for her many endearing daughters sort of way. No, the trying to matchmake her daughters part I understand, but her immaturity is another thing; a dear-god-woman-stfu kind of immature. If I knew this woman in real life, I'd avoid her like the goddamn plague. Again, testament to how well Austen fleshes them out as a unit and individually.

Quote:"If I were as rich as Mr. Darcy," cried a young Lucas who came with his sisters, "I should not care how proud I was. I would keep a pack of foxhounds, and drink a bottle of wine every day."

"Then you would drink agreat deal more than you ought," said Mrs. Bennet; "and if I were to see you at it, I should take away your bottle directly." The boy protested that she should not; she continued to declare that she would, and the argument ended only with the visit.

I feel like this is a great demo of Mrs. B; that she'd argue all night with a boy and only leave the matter dead when they left the house at the end of the night. Yes her scheme of making Jane get stuck at Netherfield was genius, but if I were a mother of 5 girls in that time, I'd have to resort to scheming too; I still find her insufferable.

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Another one of the things that I love is how subtle Austen is at exposition; show, not tell. For example: at Netherfield, where Elizabeth, Darcy, Bingley, Caroline and Louisa are chatting about accomplished women. I think both adaptations highlight the banter between the main couple, but what I find amusing is how at first, Caroline objects to Bingley when he claims how "young ladies can have patience to be so accomplished, as they all are." — she contradicts him, agreeing with Darcy when he says that not all women can be so accomplished. But once Elizabeth joins in the conversation marveling how many people they know who could possess all those qualities, both Caroline and Louisa immediately protest saying they know many young women who are as talented. So which is it, Caroline? All or a few? xDD

When we get to the introduction of Mr. Collins, I can also say that in the book he is so much more ridiculous than I imagined, in such a condescending way that I would also gladly slap him across the face if I could. Again, Austen supports this with:

Quote:Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had but little assisted by education or society; [...]

I also love how much Austen shows him as a sycophant to Lady Catherine.

Wickham, go get fucked.

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In contrast — Justice for Charlotte Collins née Lucas. I absolutely adore her. I think she's such an underrated character here, and dare I say: a dark horse. I know some might think that she has no choice in life, but I think her marrying Mr. Collins was a choice. She knows what women face in that life; with the types of introductions to men that they had, there's no real way of knowing what the hell kind of man they're going to get. If you got stuck with an abusive husband, you were stuck.

I came across an article from the New Yorker that I think states it well:

Quote:"Charlotte’s been thinking about marriage for years, and she’s developed for herself a code of conduct for marriage, a set of rules that recognize the reality of her situation and direct her toward a solution. Long ago, she recognized that she was trapped in a social web; rather than ignoring her predicament, she set about understanding it. Charlotte’s father, Sir William Lucas, was once a tradesman; after becoming the mayor of his town, he was presented with a knighthood. He retired, and is now a not-very-rich knight. Charlotte, therefore, is too wealthy, educated, and upper-class to marry a working man—that would be a kind of social demotion for her family—but too poor and average-looking to attract a truly wealthy one. She can’t marry up or down—she can only marry sideways. She knows and understands all of this. Collins, awful as he is, is actually her social equal. He is stupid and horrible (or “neither sensible nor agreeable,” as Charlotte thinks), but, like Charlotte, he occupies the very lowest rung on the ladder of social respectability. For her whole life Charlotte has probably known that she would end up marrying someone like him: a clergyman, probably with some education and the prospect of a growing income in the future. She’s always known that there wouldn’t be a lot of men to choose from."

I know Elizabeth is touted to be the intelligent heroine of the book, but I think Charlotte is the smartest of everyone here. She knows Collins' nature: he's stupid, and he ridiculous; but she knows he has a good attachment/favor of someone in the upper crust, where she knew she would be well provided for — hell, she also knows what he's going to inherit someday! Longbourn! Perhaps as an audience we get lost because Charlotte/Collins' relationship acts as a bit of a foil for Elizabeth/Darcy, but I also just love how she kind of snatched up Mr. Collins for herself after Lizzy rejected him. A poor prize, make no mistake, but I can't say that I wouldn't do the same thing if I were in Charlotte's circumstances. Again, I'm not an Austen scholar, and know only what I've read in the book so far, but I just think Charlotte needs more credit and to be given back her agency. I also have heard that a lot of people speculate that Charlotte Lucas is asexual/aromantic, and I really wanna read more about that too.

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Speaking of foils, I love Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner. They are the breath of fresh air in the chaos that is the Bennet family, and I think Lizzy thinks so too. Esp Mrs. Gardiner, I think she really kind of helps reign in Elizabeth when she gets ahead of herself.

Quote:Mrs. Gardiner then rallied her niece on Wickham's desertion, and complimented her on bearing it so well.

"But my dear Elizabeth," she added, "what sort of girl is Miss King? I should be sorry to think our friend mercenary."

"Pray my dear aunt, what is the difference in matrimonial affairs between the mercenary and the prudent motive? Where does discretion end and avarice begin? Last Christmas you were afraid of his marrying me, because it would be imprudent; and now, because he is trying to get a girl with only ten thousand pounds, you want to find out that he is mercenary."

"If you only tell me what sort of girl Miss King is, I shall know what to think."

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"A man in distressed circumastances has not time for all those elegant decorums which other people may deserve. If she does not object to it, why should we?"

"Her not objecting, does not justify him. It only shews her being deficient in something herself — sense or feeling."

"Well," cried Elizabeth, "have it as you choose. He shall be mercenary, and she shall be foolish."

"No, Lizzy, that is what I do not choose. I should be sorry, you know, to think ill of a young man who has lived so long in Derbyshire."

"Oh! if that is all, I have a very poor opinion of young men who live in Derbyshire; and their intimate friends who live in Hertfordshire are not much better. I am sick of them all. Thank Heaven! I am going to-morrow where I shall find a man who has not one agreeable quality, who has neither manner nor sense to recommend him. Stupid men are the only ones worth knowing, afterall."

"Take care, Lizzy; that speech savours strongly of disappointment."

I just love the relationship between the three of them. I think them visiting Pemberley is also a breath of fresh air, because her aunt and uncle are so delightful and they obviously adore their niece. I have little else to say about them atm cause I don't think they're the least bit problematic within our story xDD

But that brings us to one of my favorite quotes that I mentioned above! What are men to rocks and mountains? Oh, how there's more to this than the mere opportunity for feminism that I thought there was. I searched this into Google (as one does) and I came across an essay written by Sarah Ailwood which explores the topic of masculinity in Jane Austen's novels. Idk how I came upon it but it's a pretty good read (edit: oh it's from the Jane Austen Society of North America, that makes sense). It's long, and it's more in the context of Joe Wright's adaptation (we'll get more into my thoughts in another post I HAVE MANY) but I particularly love this quote:

Quote:“‘What are men to rocks and mountains?’” asks Elizabeth Bennet, anticipating with delight her tour of the “‘[l]akes, mountains, and rivers’” of the Lake District with her aunt and uncle Gardiner, and expressing her intention to absorb the landscape authentically and unlike “‘the generality of travellers’” (154). Elizabeth’s inquiry into the comparative value of men, rocks and mountains can be interpreted in two different ways which turn on her use of the word “men.” If we read Elizabeth’s use of “men” as relating to humankind generally, her question engages with the contemporary Romantic inquiry into the value of the social and natural worlds and their respective capacities to enable the realization of the individual self. The fact that her question occurs during a discussion of a tour to the symbolically Romantic landscape of the Lake District lends support to this interpretation. As it proceeds from her conversation with Mrs. Gardiner regarding the recent deficient behavior of Mr. Bingley and Mr. Darcy, however, Elizabeth’s use of the word “men” can also be read as specifically applying to the male sex, an interpretation which reflects her disillusionment with these representatives of contemporary masculinity.

I think it's also doubly interesting that as careful as I was to not break my book's spine, it happened to break on this exact page where the quote was. I have more to say on this, but I'm losing steam here. I'll come back tomorrow and post a part two xD