Pride and Prejudice: Jane Austen

It took me about 23 years, but I finally did it:  I read Pride and Prejudice.  I don't know how, but I somehow managed to get through my undergraduate and graduate studies without reading this book (or anything else by Jane Austen, for that matter), and I'm not quite certain how I managed that given the fact that I focused almost entirely on British literature (my thesis/capstone project was even written on the importance of British literature in the American classroom!).  I will admit that, despite being fully aware that Austen was on the list of the Brit Lit "greats," I stayed pretty far away from her writing.  I don't know why, but I was almost convinced that I wouldn't like her writing - this book in particular - though I cannot recall what gave me that impression.  I think I was partially afraid that I really wouldn't like it and, therefore, I wouldn't be taken seriously as a student and lover of British literature, because what person in my position wouldn't like Jane Austen?  An imposter, that's who!  I realize now that this seems utterly ridiculous and I have lost out on many years of enjoyment.  As you can see, there's been quite a gap in my reading from my last review until now.  This was not entirely because Pride and Prejudice took me so long to read.  There were some health issues and schedule/time constraints that got in my way; therefore, don't take my reviewing hiatus as a sign that this book is a chore to read.  I quite enjoyed it and was pleasantly surprised by how much I did (though, given my apprehensions, liking it to any degree would have been a plus).  I found it much easier to read than I'd believed it would be.  While the writing is flowery and a bit formal (as much British literature of this era is, so it's characteristic), I didn't find it smothering or overbearing.  Mind you, this is coming from someone who dedicated her academic career to reading similarly crafted works, so I may be a bit biased and a casual reader probably won't agree.  I was enthralled mainly because of the depth of feeling this story elicited.  It was a pleasant change for me to read a classic piece of British literature for enjoyment rather than analysis.  I was able to take a step back and appreciate it for what it is.  This depth of emotion was what impressed me tremendously.  I wasn't expecting to connect with Lizzy or Mr. Darcy as much as I did.  (I even joked with my husband several chapters in that I was already half in love with Mr. Darcy, despite the faults that Lizzy kept identifying).  I felt for Jane and her situation; I was completely amused and mortified by Mrs. Bennett.  I thought the plot was interesting and the scenes were beautifully set.  Every single one of the characters was vibrant, unique, and alive.  This is a task one does not often see in modern literature; this story was a work of art.  Perhaps one of the things I appreciated most was the formula Austen laid out for the modern romance novel.  This is probably something only someone with my reading tastes might appreciate, but it is truly something that excited me.  To be able to recognize echoes of Austen's craft in modern works was exciting and inspiring.  I found the story to be much lovelier than I expected and I was so much more invested in the characters than I thought I would be. This is a love story and social commentary which really, truly transcends the centuries.  Only now can I recognize and appreciate how Austen remains such a touted author and why her works remain so popular.

Perhaps one of the biggest reasons for my reticence about reading this book was that I didn't quite understand the title.  Needless to say, I caught on very quickly and appreciated it a great deal.  The title suited the characters and the situations.  I didn't realize how perfectly it fit until I read it and, now, I find it brilliant.  (At the risk of seeming utterly ridiculous, I admit that my preconceived notions caused me to have great "prejudice" against this story.  There.  I'm done now.)

My commentary has to do with the edition of the book I procured from my library.  I'm uncertain whether this was an editing choice or a conscious effort to mimic some original edition, but the spacing and lack of indentations made for a very difficult read for my eyes and mind.  The paragraphs ran together, making it extremely difficult for me to tell who was speaking and to whom, since Austen's style doesn't always include tags.  In my opinion, this was an unfortunate editing and publishing choice for a modern audience and is not actually commentary upon Austen's work.  For reference, the version I read was published in 2015 under ISBN 978-1514648599.  There was, oddly enough, NO identifying publisher in this copy (and, trust me, having a Master's in English, I know how to cite a book...this edition was just so odd and I got it from my local library!).

Do I recommend this book?  Absolutely.  I found it moving, witty, funny, and definitely a piece of literature where one can become emotionally invested.  This is a classic piece of British literature and I can absolutely see why and how it has withstood the test of time.  There are those who would say Austen is overrated, but I find those naysayers to be unfortunately misinformed.  Austen deserves a place as British literature royalty and she is, in my mind, on an unshakable pedestal.

Side Note:  Immediately following my completion of this book, I rented the version of this film adaptation starring Kiera Knightley.  I hadn't watched a single adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, always telling myself I would if I ever got around to reading the original work of literature.  I have to say, I found the movie to be supremely accurate...except for Darcy's iconic declaration of love for Lizzy.  The fact that the wording was changed up was a bit disappointing to me, but I got over it.  I thought the casting was excellent and everything really remained very true to Austen's original story, right down to the fact that Darcy and Elizabeth don't even kiss (and, honestly, I sat there the entire film wondering whether or not they would simply because it is so expected in a romance film).  Though my experience in film adaptations of Pride and Prejudice is extremely limited (to say the least), I have to say that I found this one to be remarkably well done and true to the original.  The filming was spectacular and I especially appreciated how they portrayed Darcy's growing infatuation with Lizzy in such a subtle way (I refer particularly to the ball at Netherfield where he swoops in and out of the camera's line of sight, clearly keeping a very close eye on Lizzy in a manner that was perfectly shown to be love).