Charming

Confession: I actually haven't actually ever read Pride & Prejudice.


I really only have seen the adaptations (my favorite is with Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle and I will die on this hill) but the books have always kind of scared me because I'm used to more dialogue, and not having dialogue/having the time skip like 4 days in two sentences was always hard to wrap my mind around cause #TimeBlind. Jane Austen's writing is beautiful but before when I tried reading it, got so confused trying to get the grasp of a paragraph that extends for half a page and employs 4 semi-colons and maybe 2 periods. Now I fucking love them and can't imagine my life without them. If you me trying to use this in my posts, you know who to blame.

What actually ended up helping me was listening to the audiobook first since then I could hear how the language was meant to be read/interpreted, and now as I read the book I understand the writing so much more. There are still times when I'm confused, but re-reading the paragraph a few times usually does the trick.

I'm not yet halfway thru the book but I'm saving this for when I finish, and can comb back over to read my annotations and such and document them here.

Except this one gripe that I already have. How on earth is the most famous line in this book: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." and not “What are men to rocks and mountains?"???? I'm livid. And listening to the audiobook there's another line at the end that I absolutely remember adoring, but because I was listening to it, I was doing something else, and never remembered to write it down. So I'll also add that here when I'm done.

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This is a discussion thread for people who have read or are reading the book in question. With that in mind, there are likely to be spoilers throughout. However, in the event of major twists or “how it ends”, please wrap content in spoiler tags.

HARK! I HAVE FINISHED.

This was also my first time thoroughly annotating a book, so I've scribbled and written and highlighted it til my heart was content. I think before I start I should say that I was first exposed to P&P via the 2005 movie first, then the 1995 tv series in high school, with a few sprinklings of plays peppered throughout. That I've seen the productions first have definitely influenced my opinion of the book.

I feel as if....everyone here kind of knows P&P, but if you haven't read the book and want to and don't want the finer details of things spoiled, then here's my spoil-free review:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I really fucking adored this book. It was a bit harder to get through due to the language that Austen uses, but I still read it and really loved the characters, and the relationships between one another. On more than one occasion, I fell asleep thinking more about the characters and their lives. I think the Bennet family was absolutely outrageous, even moreso than I realized, and my view of them/the characters has definitely changed in a slight but significant way, so much so that I'm excited to re-watch the media productions and see them in a new light (I kind of already have, and I have THOUGHTS — more on that after my book review.)

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

ONWARD WE MARCH TO PART TWO OF LADY'S RAMBLINGS OF HER FIRST READING OF PRIDE AND PREJUDICE. As implied, this is stream of consciousness and there are bound to be weird grammatical / sentence structure errors.

(Random tangent #1, does anyone linguistically/grammatically inclined here know the difference between using an ampersand v. and? Cause I've just noticed that it's Pride and Prejudice, not Pride & Prejudice)

We now find ourselves at Rosings Park at the home of the ridiculously self-righteous Lady Catherine de Bourgh — I find it hilarious that in a way even though she thinks herself above the Bennet's, she's just as ridiculous as the rest of them. I love the appearance of the Darcys at Rosings Park. I think it's such a great setting for Lizzy and Darcy to see each other outside of their usual setting of balls and parties. I loved seeing them interact together while Elizabeth is playing the piano and Darcy is talking to her about how he was never one for small talk (same, Darcy, same).

Quote:Darcy smiled and said, "You are perferctly right. You have employed your time much better. No one admitted to the privilege of hearing you, can think anything wanting. We neither of us perform to strangers."

I highlighted this last sentence in my book because I think it shows how similar Darcy and Lizzy are, because it's true, but they go about it in different ways.

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SO THE PROPOSAL uh it was perfect? Like, it was such a defining moment for both of them, they had the blow up we all knew was coming, and it was marvelous. She read him to filth and showed him how ridiculous he was being, and he showed her exactly what his (valid) reasons were for commenting (so roodly) about her ridiculous family. She needed that to be laid out in front of her, and frankly he deserved everything she said to his face. It was the spark that started the flame, and it was perfectttt.

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On the opposite end of the spectrum, the next thing that really stood out to me was this quote about Mr. Bennet's affections for his wife — or lack thereof — that threw things into perspective for me concerning my previous thoughts on P & P vs them now:

Quote:Her father capitated by youth and beauty, and all that appearance of good humour, which youth and beauty generally give, had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind, had very early in their marriage put an end to all real affection for her. Respect, esteem and confidence, had vanished for ever; and all his views of domestic happiness were overthrown.

Before reading this, I only thought that Mr. Bennet thought of his wife as meddlesome and a bit tiring, but the fact that he lacks respect for her as well makes Lizzy's determination of marrying for love all the more reasonable. She's seen how her parents are and she doesn't want that for herself. But in that, she also projects her idea of marriage onto others which is why she's so affected by Charlotte's decision to marry someone who, is respectable in the eyes of society, is absolutely incapable of capturing her regard.

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ONTO PEMBERLY!!! K so here's where it gets interesting. Just before they arrive at Pemberly, it says:

Quote:It is not the object of this work to give a description Derbyshire, nor any of the remarkable places through which route thither lay.

BUT literally two pages later on the first page of the first chapter of volume three, Austen proceeds to describe Pemberly:

Quote:It was a large, handsome, stone building, standing well on rising ground, and backed by a ridge of high woody hills; and in front a stream of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance.

I know this is also likely due to the fact that it's necessary for the plot, buuut still, I think it's significant in some way. MJ slid this gem into my DMs which made me pay extra attention to the above when they reached Pemberley. You should 100% read the whole thing, but here's an excerpt:

Quote:Austen, as a rule, doesn’t spend many paragraphs describing locations. [...] So it’s notable and wonderful that Austen goes out of her way to describe Pemberley as an old-fashioned, highly successful, working estate. [...] As Elizabeth and the Gardiners approach and tour the house, they notice and admire its beautiful surrounding woods, and then when they wander outside, the specific word Austen uses is coppice woods. A coppice is a woodland filled with tree species that grow new shoots from their stumps when you chop them down. Darcy probably has oaks on a fifty-year cycle as well as faster-growing species such as hawthorn and hornbeam for firewood, timber and cattle fodder. Coppice forestry is functional and sustainable, and provides habitat for beasts and birds.

Darcy’s a food producer and land conservator, prefers nature over fussy, ornamental landscape design, his servants and tenants like him, he gives money to the poor… and… he’s a trout fisherman! He shoots, too, as do Bingley and Hurst and Mr. Bennet, but it’s a particular mark in his favour that Austen singles him and Mr. Gardiner out as anglers. It’s a pastime that signifies a taste for contemplation and quietness and appreciation of nature

So we can read Lizzy citing Pemberley as the catalyst for falling in love with Darcy as her joking (which I still believe she is), there's some truth in that! Also makes me that much more appreciative of Darcy.

The above in addition to the housekeeper's opinion of Darcy and Wickham also provide greater testament than Wickham's word, I think.

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Honestly I think the second half of this book / volume three is my preferred half, because we get so much more detail of the other relationships than we do in the productions. It's focused a lot on Lizzy and Darcy which makes sense, but as far as the productions go, Bingley proposes, then Darcy does, then bam they're happy and it's done. I like that the book elaborates a bit more on their interpersonal relationships. The one that stood out to me was the relationship between Elizabeth and Bingley. I know some people ship them instead of Lizzy and Darcy, but I freaking love them as brother and sister. Bingley's so much like Jane that it's not a surprise that Lizzy likes Bingley. But Elizabeth is so unlike Caroline that I'm really excited for him that he can experience a sister who is the complete opposite of Caroline.

Quote:Elizabeth had now but little time for convention with her sister; for while he was present Jane had no attention to bestow on anyone else: but she found herself considerably useful to both of them, in those hours of separation that sometimes must occur. In the absence of Jane, he always attached himself to Elizabeth for the pleasure of talking to her; and when Bingley was gone, Jane constantly sought the same means of relief.

IT'S SO WHOLESOME I FUCKING LOVE IT.

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Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted? Lol ok honestly I always thought Catherine de Bourgh was talking about Lizzy when she was talking about this. (I know productions have likely cited the book in what it actually was, but gimme a break, I'm reading this for the first time and now everything is thrown into new light and I understand it :P) Now that I know she's referencing Wickham and Lydia....erm....honestly I can't help but agree with her the teensiest amount xDD

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We're almost done, stay with me <3 more quotes/observations from the end of the book that I loved are below

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Quote:Elizabeth longed to observe that Mr. Bingley had been the most delightful friend; and so easily guided that his worth was invaluable; but she checked herself. She remembered that he had yet to learn to be laughed at, and it was rather too early to begin.

Ugh I love how she's already being more thoughtful of Darcy. I agree he was an ass, but he admitted that she showed him as much when they reconciled, and I love that - now that she has context - she's more willing to be thoughtful of his feelings, but all the more determined to see that he breaks out of his shell.

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Quote:Her heart did whisper that he had done it for her.

Quote:In a few minutes he approached the table where she was sitting with Kitty; and, while pretending to admire her work, said in a whisper, "Go to your father; he wants you in the library." She was gone directly.

So I downloaded Pride and Prejudice from Project Gutenberg so I could better type out the quotes instead of trying to balance my book on my knee while I type. I'm glad I did this because while I was typing the 2nd quote, I thought to search the word 'whisper' in the search bar. I did this because I wondered why this second quote made such an impression on me. From my search I found approximately 14 instances where the word 'whisper' is in this book. Most of the time, it's in the context of gossip, or secrecy: Mrs. Bennet to Mrs. Phillips, women talking to each other at a ball etc. The exceptions are the above — well that and when Bingley whispers something to Jane before going to her father to ask for her hand.

The two quotes above are in the context of romance rather than gossip or secrecy (not that romance can't include the latter two), and I think that's why it made such an impact on me. Darcy whispering to Elizabeth is in such contrast to what interactions we've seen them have before. It's intimate, private, and Elizabeth knows what this means too. It's a contrast to their communication and perhaps it's to show us how far they've come already.

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Quote:"Shall you ever have courage to announce to Lady Catherine, what is to befall her?"

"I am more likely to want time than courage, Elizabeth. But it ought to be done, and if you will give me a sheet of paper, it shall be done directly."

this made me laugh

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Mr. Bennet is a delight when he's not being a bumbling father.

Quote:DEAR SIR,

I must trouble you once more for congratulations. Elizabeth will soon be the wife of Mr. Darcy. Consol Lady Catherine as well as you can. But, if I were you, I would stand by the nephew. He has more to give.

Quote:He delighted in going to Pemberley, especially when he was least expected.

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Quote:Kitty, to her very material advantage, spent the chief of her time with her two elder sisters. In society so superior to what she had generall known, her improvement was great. She was not of so ungovernable a tempter as Lydia, and, removed from the influence of Lydia's example, she became, by proper attention and management, less irritable, less ignorant, and less insipid.

I was pleased to learn of this and I'm glad Kitty became more tolerable at the end under Lizzy and Jane's influence.

Quote:With the Gardiners they were always on the most intimate terms. Darcy, as well as Elizabeth, really loved them; and they were both ever sensible of the warmest gratitude dowards the persons who, by bringing her to Derbyshire, had been the means of uniting them.

I LOVE THE GARDINERS SO MUCH UGH.

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If you genuinely read through all of that rambling, god bless you, you deserve a medal, and thank you for listening to my thoughts <333

I know a lot of people do a yearly re-reading of this book and I can safely say that I'll be also adding it into my rotation. It was such a delight, and I'm excited to read it through again after a rest, with a fresh perspective so I can find more gems.

NOW, ONTO THE MOVIE/TV SHOW COMPARISONS! (Gimme another few days/a week lol I haven't done an analysis like this since I graduated and my brain is not used to it anymore. I need a nap.)