Pride & Prejudice
by Jane Austen
“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.”
I realize this is a sentence many girls memorize and quote a dozen times during their dating years. Pride and Prejudice is a very famous story, easily the favorite among Jane Austen’s novels, but for the life of me, I can’t understand why.
Elizabeth Bennett isn’t likable. It’s as if Austen traveled forward in time to the 2000s, observed the modern teenage girl, traveled back in time and wrote a novel of an incredibly unlikable girl with a major attitude problem. I know, I know, the title. But it’s possible to give Miss Bennett her prejudice without making the rest of her character rotten! Why are we rooting for her? Usually when readers root for a character it’s because she is either completely likable or likable except for one or two faults, which readers wish would change. If the entire person needs to change, why root for her at all?
Besides my obvious issues with Elizabeth, I found hardly any of the other character worthwhile. Yes, I realize most of the women reading this review are ready to throw something at me. Maybe the men will forgive me, as I seem to be the only woman alive who doesn’t drool at the mention of Mr. Darcy. I much prefer the heroes and heroines of Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, and Emma to those featured in this book. The Bennett family is annoying and, frankly, low class. Why does the mother believe her daughters are worthy of highbrow suitors? They don’t behave as proper young ladies in society should; they’d be an embarrassment to any man.
I suppose this story is for the utterly hopeless romantics out there. The same type of people who want Julia Roberts to end up with Richard Gere in Pretty Woman will like Pride and Prejudice. Me, I’m not in favor of the rich, handsome, successful businessman falling in love with a streetwalker.
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the 1940 film adaptation here!
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the 2005 film adaptation here!
I realize this is a sentence many girls memorize and quote a dozen times during their dating years. Pride and Prejudice is a very famous story, easily the favorite among Jane Austen’s novels, but for the life of me, I can’t understand why.
Elizabeth Bennett isn’t likable. It’s as if Austen traveled forward in time to the 2000s, observed the modern teenage girl, traveled back in time and wrote a novel of an incredibly unlikable girl with a major attitude problem. I know, I know, the title. But it’s possible to give Miss Bennett her prejudice without making the rest of her character rotten! Why are we rooting for her? Usually when readers root for a character it’s because she is either completely likable or likable except for one or two faults, which readers wish would change. If the entire person needs to change, why root for her at all?
Besides my obvious issues with Elizabeth, I found hardly any of the other character worthwhile. Yes, I realize most of the women reading this review are ready to throw something at me. Maybe the men will forgive me, as I seem to be the only woman alive who doesn’t drool at the mention of Mr. Darcy. I much prefer the heroes and heroines of Sense and Sensibility, Persuasion, and Emma to those featured in this book. The Bennett family is annoying and, frankly, low class. Why does the mother believe her daughters are worthy of highbrow suitors? They don’t behave as proper young ladies in society should; they’d be an embarrassment to any man.
I suppose this story is for the utterly hopeless romantics out there. The same type of people who want Julia Roberts to end up with Richard Gere in Pretty Woman will like Pride and Prejudice. Me, I’m not in favor of the rich, handsome, successful businessman falling in love with a streetwalker.
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the 1940 film adaptation here!
Be sure and check out Hot Toasty Rag's review of the 2005 film adaptation here!