Pride and Prejudice

[austenaddict]

I am still in high school, but I found Emma and Northanger Abbey to be just as interesting as Pride and Prejudice. I have read Persuasion and am reading Mansfield Park currently, and I like them also, but not quite as much as the other three. I can't give an opinion on Sense and Sensibility, but I plan on reading it this summer.

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Everyman wrote:
Read them again in twenty years, and see whether your opinions is still the same. My own experience is that P&P is more attractive to younger Austen readers, being more romantic and having the wider cast of characters and more exciting events, but that after time Emma, with its more careful study of character, gets more appreciation. It is now my favorite Austen novel. But that's just my own experience.

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purpledot505 wrote:

I took your advice and I am reading Emma right now. I can hardly put it down, I love it. But it is not as good as Pride and Preduice.

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[cafeaukait]

That's a great idea!  Thank you!  I just hope I can finish the book in time to participate in the discussion.  I have finals this week.

[Squiddy92]

Unfortunately, there are no sequels to P&P. *sniffles* My friend and I are now hooked on Jane Austen. We love her. She was so brilliant. On a trip to Nashville, I bought the complete set of JA's novels. I've read almost all of them, but overall, of course, my favorite is Pride & Prejudice...then probably comes Sense & Sensibility. There are a few follower novels from different authors for P&P. Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife and Darcy & Elizabeth: Days & Nights at Pemberley are novels from Linda Berdoll. There are both breathtaking. Linda follows Jane's style of writing and loveliness beautifully!

[bellsofireland]

I'm replying to this a bit late, but I have to say 3 things about Pride and Prejudice, which is one of my all-time favorite books. I actually did not read anything else for 3 days after finishing it because I didn't want to ruin it by following it with something not as good.

First, I love the language. I wish people today were as well-spoken as Jane Austen's characters.

Second, I realize that this may be due to the author's celibate lifestyle, but I'm grateful to her for not putting any hint of sexuality in this story. I'm not by any means a prude, but I hate it when authors (and a lot of them do this) try to use sex to represent love or romance. It's a cheap shortcut. The courtship period for Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy was portrayed in a purely romantic fashion, which allows us to believe in the reality of their attachment all the more.

And third, I have noticed that Mr. Darcy has many female admirers out there in the world of Jane Austen readers, but most of them seem to have fallen for him when he underwent that drastic character change midway through the book. I must admit, I fell for him at the very beginning. I loved him arrogant, and I loved him contrite. There is something magnetic about all sides of Mr. Darcy.

[cafeaukait]

Bellsofireland,

I could not agree with you more.  First of all, the language is spectacular!  While the time period should take some credit for that, Jane Austen perfected it.  Second of all, I've witnessed the use of sex as a representation of love.  That's why I have quit on most pop fiction.  Third, I fell for Mr. Darcy from the beginning as well.  What a dream beau!  :-)

--cafeaukait

[bellsofireland]

The period definitely does deserve *some* of the credit, I'm sure the language wasn't nearly as romantic to them then as it is to us now. I keep thinking I wish people spoke that eloquently now, but if they did, I probably wouldn't be able to appreciate it as much.

[Mshell518]

Hi,

I'm new to this book club, but I have read all of Jane Austen's novels, I took a class entitled, "Jane Austen in Context"...and of course the class was great!  I agree and think that the language Austen uses in  is very rich and eloquent in Pride and Prejudice, but also in her other novels as well, because she mastered irony and wit in her writing.  One of my favorites is Northanger Abbey, because the conversations between Catherine Morland and Henry Tilney perfectly display Austen's ability (and it was only her first published novel too!) I also think Persuasion is pretty great, as well as very underrated, which probably relates to the fact that it was somewhat different from her other novels.

Bye for now!

[Super_Nerd]

I saw the movie and was enthralled by the book, but then I picked it up and didn't really understand it.. would anyone not mind explaining it to me? I mean, I get the plot and everything, but could someone outline any underlying themes in it for me..


Please? I'm a desperate high school student attempting to expand her reading horizons!

[Everyman]

Looking for a bit of help with a school paper, perhaps?

Why don't you take a crack at what you think some of the themes are, and we can comment on and perhaps help you develop them, rather than doing your homework for you.

If this is just pleasure reading and not an assignment, I apologize for sounding suspicious, but we do get a fair number of help-in-writing-papers requests here, and while I for one am glad to help students refine their work, I'm not willing to do it for them.

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Super_Nerd wrote:
I saw the movie and was enthralled by the book, but then I picked it up and didn't really understand it.. would anyone not mind explaining it to me? I mean, I get the plot and everything, but could someone outline any underlying themes in it for me..


Please? I'm a desperate high school student attempting to expand her reading horizons!

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[Choisya]

There is a great deal more irony in Emma than in Pride & Prejudice and IMO readers often fail to observe and appreciate this and see only the 'love story' elements.  It is also written with a much 'finer brush' than P&P and is a better piece of literary craftmanship.  And it is much funnier!

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pedsphleb wrote:

Austen did say that in Emma she had created a heroine that only she could love. 

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purpledot505 wrote:

I took your advice and I am reading Emma right now. I can hardly put it down,  I love it. But it is not as good as Pride and Preduice.

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Message Edited by Choisya on 07-03-2008 01:21 PM

[Melissa_W Moderator]

I'm going to echo Everyman a bit here.  Could you tell us where you kind of "went off the rails" or maybe if there is language that is throwing you?

Also, which adaptation did you watch?  If you watched the 2005 Keira Knightley version that may be what is throwing you.  A number of scenes and ideas were thrown out to cut the script down to feature-length-film size.

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Super_Nerd wrote:
I saw the movie and was enthralled by the book, but then I picked it up and didn't really understand it.. would anyone not mind explaining it to me? I mean, I get the plot and everything, but could someone outline any underlying themes in it for me..


Please? I'm a desperate high school student attempting to expand her reading horizons!

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[bellsofireland]

I agree with Everyman that it does sound like you need help with a paper (and I also apologize if I'm jumping to conclusions here) and that we shouldn't do your work for you, but I will say that for a high school assignment, the title of the book is a good place to start looking for themes. And I'd be happy to discuss that further if you let us know what you're thinking.

[laloz]

Hi All... Can I start by saying... thank God I found this thread... I've been part of another for a while but P&P is my ALL TIME favourite book... back in school it was that old book advanced english used to do.. however after seeing "you've got mail" I was sorely tempted to try  is as Meg Ryans character reread it over and over and was always wondering if they got 2gether... can can I say I know it sounds lame... but I am actually doing the same thing.. I have now read P&P 17 times no exageration and I'm always sitting back hoping it will end well...

The 1st adaption I saw was the Kiera Knightly version and thought it was good... then was advised to see the BBC Adaption... I always loved the Mr. Darcy character.. however once I saw Colin Firth portray Mr. Darcy I found myself in love! There is no hero in any book I've ever read that compares to Mr. Darcy.. in the words of Ms. Austen herself.. "he is what a young man ought to be Lizzy..." (given this line was about Mr. Bingley)

ok enough about my love affair with P&P... But does anyone know of a better version perhaps of P&P? although it will be quite a task...

Or do you believe JA has created a better hero then our Mr. Darcy? Mr. Knightley perhaps?

And was it just me or did JA make the 'vicors' a little odd in P&P and Emma??

[dulcinea3]

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laloz wrote:

Hi All... Can I start by saying... thank God I found this thread... I've been part of another for a while but P&P is my ALL TIME favourite book... back in school it was that old book advanced english used to do.. however after seeing "you've got mail" I was sorely tempted to try  is as Meg Ryans character reread it over and over and was always wondering if they got 2gether... can can I say I know it sounds lame... but I am actually doing the same thing.. I have now read P&P 17 times no exageration and I'm always sitting back hoping it will end well...

The 1st adaption I saw was the Kiera Knightly version and thought it was good... then was advised to see the BBC Adaption... I always loved the Mr. Darcy character.. however once I saw Colin Firth portray Mr. Darcy I found myself in love! There is no hero in any book I've ever read that compares to Mr. Darcy.. in the words of Ms. Austen herself.. "he is what a young man ought to be Lizzy..." (given this line was about Mr. Bingley)

ok enough about my love affair with P&P... But does anyone know of a better version perhaps of P&P? although it will be quite a task...

Or do you believe JA has created a better hero then our Mr. Darcy? Mr. Knightley perhaps?

And was it just me or did JA make the 'vicors' a little odd in P&P and Emma??

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I think that the Colin Firth adaptation is by far the best version of Pride & Prejudice.  Of course, it is the longest, and so could do the most justice to the plot.  There is an older, 2-part BBC adaptation that is not as polished, but I also think that it is very good.  Those 1980's BBC presentations often feel like you're watching a stage play.  The old classic with Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson is entertaining, and I'm quite fond of it, but it strays from the plot quite a bit.  Lady Catherine DeBurgh in particular is nothing like she is in the novel, but she is hilarious!

You might also want to try some of the movies that are more loosely based on the novel.  There is one actually called Pride and Prejudice, which is in a Mormon setting.  That one I wasn't so crazy about.  Bridget Jones' Diary is based on P&P, and even has Colin Firth as 'Darcy'!  I love that movie.  I also enjoyed a Bollywood adaptation, called Bride and Prejudice.  I'm sure there are others, as well.

[laloz]

I have seen Bridget jones diary... I loved it... I can't get over how similar the story is even though its set nearly 200 years later!

I also really enjoyed Becomeing Jane, just because I could sit there and point out what bit came from what book.

[Jansten75]

The Annotated Pride and Prejudice is a good book for any beginner to read as it explains much about the  thinking behind a particular line. Some points made are pretty obvious, but there are many things a modern day reader would miss as they would not know of the reference to particular customs or social behaviors behind a seemingly unimportant sentence.  The book is set up in an easy-to-read format. The left page is the story with the reference number and the right page has the reference number with the explanation. You do not have to flip back and forth in the book. It is right there for you.  

I joined the Jane Austen Society of North America to put myself with others who are fascinated by Jane and enjoy her writing. The more I read and hear about Jane Austen, the more I learn about the incredible genius of her writing.

Reading  Letters of Jane Austen ( the version edited by Deirdre Le Faye is recommended; she is considered one of the best sources on Jane) will give great insight into Jane's life and personality. Some of her wit and humor comes through in her letters.

Reading the book, Becoming Jane, is a far better way to spend your time than watching the movie that makes all Janeites roll their eyes in agony over the portrayal of Jane's character and lovelife. By the way, I am not referring to the book Becoming Jane that is a companion to the movie, but the book by Jon Spence.

Hope these are helpful and fun to anyone interested.

"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbors, and laugh at them in our turn?" Pride and Prejudice

[lone_star_state]

im going to 7th grade and i have read most classic books. im not bragging. Pride and Prejudice is one of my favorite classic books.

[ABookWormsPara…]

I loved Pride and Prejudice, and that will probably be my favorite of all time, but a close second came with Emma. I like it almost as much as P&P..

[laloz]

Some one above emntioned sequels to P&P... I know this is not one it is actually a cover of P&P from Mr. Darcy's point of view... I know I have above stated I love mr. Darcy but for those of you who like him, love him or hate him I think you should read The confessions of Fitwilliam Darcy by Mary Street!

If you liked him or hated him you will then join us in loving him... Mary Street has portrayed Darcy in such a light that you forget what you initally thought of him and fall in love al over again! It shows his relationship with Georgiana which I thought was great because I've read a few sequels and Darcy versions and noone ever gave Georgiana credit before this. As well as Darcy's intention of redeaming himself in Elizabeths eyes even if he cant have her, the role of "not having him think ill of her' is reversed to her thinking ill of him!!!

 I only finished it last night and I can't wait to go home and start my 2nd read through!

[Bibliocrates]

I didn't much care for Emma when I first read it, but have since skimmed through and reread bits and pieces of it and think it is quite funny. I also enjoyed the movie, the one with Ewan MacGregor and a whole slew of other famous people whose names I don't remember, not the Gwyneth Paltrow one, though it wasn't half bad. I recently got a nice collection of all Jane Austen's books and can't wait to read them all, can't believe I haven't yet! I think I will read Pride & Prejudice next since it tops many favorite books lists.