Pride and Prejudice

"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife."

Spoken by Mrs. Bennet to Mr. Bennet upon hearing of a young and wealthy gentleman coming near the estates of Netherfield Park.

The Bennets have five unmarried daughters, no son. Their estate is ;omited, only restricted in inheritance, to Mr. Collins, a family cousin. Upon Mr. Bennet's death, Mr. Collins will inherit the family lands, which will leave the Bennet daughters without a home or money. It becomes important, therefore, that at least one of the daughters should marry in order to support their sisters and the whole family should other siblings not be able to marry.

Mr. Bingley alone came, and shortly brought his two sisters, Miss Bingley and Mrs. Hurst; his brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst; and his friend, Mr. Darcy, who also happens to be wealthy and unmarried. Mrs. Bennet insists Mr. Bennet to call on Mr. Bingley so that she can introduce her daughters to him. Mr. Bennet refuses to play any part in match-making any one of his daughters with Bingley. He told his wife that if she so insists, Mr. Bingley must be the one to come brining the visitor. Manners follow though that a woman should never call a stranger to her house, and so Mrs. Bennet is saddened thinking that her daughters will never be able to meet with the eligible bachelor. But then, Mr. Bennet called on Bingley, surprising Mrs. Bennet about what he had done as he loves to do so.

The Bennet girls met the Mr. Bingley and he seems to be personable and polite to them. Mr. Darcy, while handsome and noble looking, appears with haught and indifferent to joining other guests in the party.

Jane, the eldest of the Bennets, is drawn to Bingley, and he seems equally attracted to her. Jane is portrayed as gentle, unselfish, and very mannerly. Elizabeth is also well mannered, but possess a very sharp wit and refuses to be intimidated by anyone. Inclined to be protective of Jane and her family, she nonetheless recognizes the faults of her parents and other sisters. At a party, Elizabeth is left sitting. She overhears Bingley encouraging Darcy to dance, suggesting that he ask Elizabeth. Darcy curtly replies that "she is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men." Elizabeth, though insulted, refuses to give Darcy's comment any weight, instead telling the story to all her friends and ridiculing his pretentious behavior.

Jane and Bingley becomes close after Jane has been sick after her visit to Netherfield Park, she asked Elizabeth to come to her and help care for her. It is where she discovers that the Bingleys only pretend to be close to Jane and the Bingleys detest the Bennets.

Soon, Mr. Bingley returns, bringing his sisters with him and declaring they would never come back and announces that Mr. Bingley will have to marry Miss Darcy, Mr. Darcy's sister.

Elizabethe met Mr. Wickham whom he is immediately drawn to, who told her untruthful stories of his connection with Mr. Darcy, telling her he was fooled by the Darcys. Soon, Wickham married another and leaves Elizabeth.

Jane is invited to visit Mr. Bennet's relatives in London, but the Bingleys never even told Mr. Bingley that Jane is around. Jane soon slowly accepted rejection.

Soon, Elizabeth goes to London and ironically meets with Mr. Darcy again, there he offered marriage of which Elizabeth strongly refused citing Jane's situation and the stories told by Wickham.

For the third time after twice she came to London, Elizabeth met Darcy, and even his sisters who declared Darcy's renewed personality.

Elizabeth was just called for home when it is revealed that Lydia ran off with Mr. Wickham, she returned home while Mr. Bennet and his cousin searches for Lydia in London. Ironically, it was Darcy who found the two and it was Darcy who paid Wickham the dowry in order to marry Lydia.

Bingley returns to Netherfield to continue coyrting Jane, and Mr. Darcy took Jane's jands in marriage after a lot has been said and done, many exchanges of insults and strong words have been inflicted between families.

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Of course, this is Jane Austen's best book for me, and her writing style reminds us of love that has to fight worlds.

I remember my own course of first love, drastic, and same as with this story, intimacy has been neglected because of the fire and ice exchanges of families. Oh, of young and first love.

But Elizabeth was right, her stand of waiting and trying to know Mr. Darcy better lead them to love each other inside and out. They have known each other's strengths and weaknesses because their hearts knew what to love and why it should be loved.

This book of Jane Austen is the one that captured me thoroughly, and had me glued to it, even if it meant reading it through pdf, and trying to glue my eyes on my desktop monitor. The English are well presented in that, I can easily understand it, not like those classics that make me easily find some Zzzzzz.

Pride and Prejudice is the best title for this book too. Elizabeth being a little both of funny and witty has portrayed her character in this book like it has been her life all along.

An excellent romance, with a lot of swooning...