I am so glad I finally read this book! I loved it so much more than I thought I would. And this might sound clumsy, but it reminded me of when I picked up a “Bible as literature” textbook shortly after college and was like “WHOA! So THAT is where all those references come from!” Reading literature was so much richer with a working knowledge of the Bible.
I do love historical fiction, and who doesn’t love a good romance novel or rom com movie and now I know where that genre comes from! I mean, you can enjoy a lot of this genre on its own, but it’s even more fun when you know the OG rom com.
I do have a question though—did this novel reflect an actual social transition that was occurring at the time? It feel like it did—the tension between the old and the new—-England was transitioning from an agrarian society where land was wealth and landed aristocrats controlled actual wealth, to an industrial economy where business owners and merchants controlled the wealth. While there were wealthy land owners, you get the sense that by the early 19th century a lot of those families were running out of money—thus the frantic game of musical chairs to hook up with families that still controlled enough land that they could throw off a comfortable income from agriculture. Arranged marriage in the landed classes was important because in order to have an income, you had to own a lot of land, and you had to keep that land in the family. With industry—wealth could be created by anybody who had the money and talent to start a business. It was relatively “open” compared to landowning and that is probably why it was seen as grubby and arriviste—if anybody could get rich as a merchant or a trader or by opening a factory, then it wasn’t as good as a system where only a few people could be rich depending on who their ancestors were. So the people in the industrial/merchant class had more choices about who they could marry, since income and wealth could be created independently of family alliances. That leads to selecting a spouse on the basis of affection or attraction.
I can imagine young women in Jane Austen’s world reading this book and seeing a way of being that was opening up—rather than having to marry the old goat next door whose latest wife had just died in childbirth, being able to marry an attractive man closer in age because he was attractive and interesting must have been a wonderful escapist fantasy for many women!
Hi Jenn! I am so happy to read this was such a great reading experience for you.
You are SPOT ON with your observation that the novel is about much more than the individuals of the novel; Austen's beautiful project here is the way she makes larger cultural changes evident in the lived experiences of single lives or personalities. She chooses her setting intentionally, weaving this story about marriage expectations, and a young woman wrestling with those expectations, within the larger social context of social change and newly developing attitudes about what marriage was really all about.
In the first sentence, we get this profoundly economic proposition; in the last sentence, we see how all these individuals lives and realities have been wrapped up into connection and network and relationship — still tethered to economic reality, yes, but also SO MUCH MORE than that. I often wonder about how women felt reading this novel back before they had voting rights, or the right to divorce, or the ability to own property or credit cards or business licenses in their own names. What did Elizabeth mean to them?
Thank you so much for being here and reading along with me!
To your question about how women in the past would have viewed this novel-the beauty of Austen’s novel is that she only goes so far in terms of women having agency. Charlotte Lucas is very clear about the reality of living as an unmarried woman in that time and place—it was preferable to marry a dweeb who was well meaning and mostly left her alone as it gave her a degree of freedom that she could not have as a never-married woman. Lizzy’s agency only extends to rejecting suitors that she knows would result in an unhappy marriage—maybe she sees more than she admits to herself what is wrong with her parents’ marriage—the lack of mutual respect. Maybe the message to her readers is “you do have the ability to say “no” to somebody you don’t respect” and nothing more than that. She doesn’t seem, in this book, to question the whole premise that marriage is the be all and end all for women in her class.
The best situated woman in the novel in terms of autonomy was Catherine de Burgh—as a widow she had way more freedom than a never married woman; wasn’t at any risk of dying in childbirth; and had the luck to marry into a family that did not entail their land.
Lady Catherine, through Collins, attempts to convince a confused and amused Mr. Bennet ("his flabbers are gasted" indeed!) to reject Darcy's proposal to Elizabeth. Lady Catherine, arrives in person to attack Elizabeth and attempt to use Lydia's forced marriage as some sort of blackmail, but she's met her match in Elizabeth! Elizabeth has journeyed from doubt to confidence in herself and her choices. She gives a master class in how to address a surprise personal attack, in a way I've only ever been able to do on rehashing my response in the ladies room post confrontation. Role model extraordinaire! Luckily the meddling attempts backfire and instead send Darcy and Lizzy into each other's arms (well not technically, since all ends well but without even mention of a kiss.) I like Lizzy's comment on the future of their relationship: "My good qualities are under your protection, and you are to exaggerate them as much as possible, and, in return, it belongs to me to find occasions for teasing and quarreling with you as often as may be". I think she's ready for her new role as wife. I also like how she shields him from the most annoying members of her family though "this took from the season of courtship much of its pleasure". I think this indicates she's also ready to manage any sticky situations she'll encounter as mistress of Pemberly.
Since "happily ever after" is only the beginning of a marriage, I'd love to have a look at these couples 10 or even 20 years on. As Haley put it for an earlier section of the book, we have had fulfillments but also emerging provocations. There are still those unmarried sisters among the Bennet, Bingley, and Darcy families. Bailing out the Wickhams is going to continue to be a challenge. Mr. Bennet likes to visit the Darcys, "especially when not expected". And seriously, who is going to get stuck dealing with a widowed Mrs. Bennet if she outlives her husband?
As far as we can see from the final chapter, everything seems to be going well for the eldest Bennet sisters. The newly wed couples so far seem adept at managing their difficult relatives. Still, the pragmatist in me thinks even if not needed to assure future marital bliss, then at least for future security, both Jane and Elizabeth should quickly have sons.
I love your close reading of Lady Catherine's many-pronged approach to stopping the Darcy-Lizzy engagement! I hadn't realized how manipulative she was in the background of Collins' letter but of course you're so right! She would've known how all of that would've been transmitted--and she certainly knows she has an undying devotion in Mr. Collins (who perhaps somewhat unwittingly ends up doing much of her bidding).
I love your final note about how Jane and Lizzy should have some sons — post haste! I am so curious what Elizabeth would be like as a mother. I think Jane feels more clear to me (angelic, patient, ever sweet). I wonder if Lizzy would end up being more like her aunt Gardiner (she certainly wouldn't be like her own mother!)
So much happens in these last chapters that I think the very ending feels a little odd. After such a stunning and illustrative first sentence, I feel like that last one is a bit anticlimactic. At the same time, I love the way everything is wrapped up and we do get a pretty clear idea of how life will continue on for our characters.
Lizzy and Darcy and Jane and Bingley will, of course, be happy and continue to complement each other, and several of the other characters will learn and change very little. I do love that both Kitty and Mary seem to have their own version of a happy ending - Kitty with increased family involvement, and Mary with the space to stop being compared with her sisters.
So much to say! Especially now no dangers of spoilers - phew! Firstly thanks for running this group, it’s been lovely to join in, I thought I knew this novel inside out but I still found plenty new (like that I in the final chapter!). I love the ending and especially the conversations between Elizabeth and Darcy after they are engaged, but my favourite bit is Mrs Bennet’s reaction! So many !!!! “Pray apologise for my having disliked him so much before.” I will do a separate comment on other versions of this story as I have views! But thanks again, I won’t join you for next books (although they sound great) as my TBR pile is too huge, but plan to be back for Middlemarch - as I’ve been wanting to read it again.
On shades of Pemberley & visiting other people’s houses I think it was ‘The thing about Austen podcast’ that had episodes on both those topics which were fascinating. Showing people around houses was a good money earner for house keepers! On other versions of the story/sequels I remember back in the 1990s reading one that really annoyed me, but last year I read both The Other Bennet Sister and Death Comes to Pemberley and really enjoyed both. The first is the one about Mary. It’s not a patch on Austen - partly it’s far too wordy, but it’s an enjoyable story even if the odd irritation (with behaviour of particular characters). Death comes to Pemberley is a bit unlikely - a murder mystery at Pemberley but a fun read, I quite liked the version of the Darcy’s marriage in this one 😊 There is a TV series but I haven’t seen it. I also picked up a copy of Longbourne which is a retelling from the servant’s perspective. Not read yet but looking forward to it as apart from Hill who has a name and a brief mention of a butler at the end the servants are so invisible- as good servants were I guess. Finally and completely differently I enjoyed The Lizzie Bennet Diaries on YouTube- a fun modern retelling of the story (with a great version of Mrs Bennet - you never actually see her, but hear a lot about her!). I only knew it existed from this article - so many more Austen TV series to watch! https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/jan/31/best-jane-austen-tv-dramas-ranked?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Thanks for sharing. A murder mystery at Pemberly sure seems like a strange choice, but since the mysteries on BritBox are favorite comfort watches, that might be something I'd explore.
So many great quotes from this section.... For "most poignant moment", I'd have to go with Mr Bennet: "My child, let me not have the grief of seeing YOU unable to respect your partner in life." I've had my quarrels with Mr B over the course of the novel, but he certainly illustrates the dangers of choosing badly (always assuming you have a choice...) Thanks so much to Haley and all the reading community! I've learnt so much from revisiting this book in your company.
Going back to my reading, I found Pemberley the climax of the story.
In Pemberley Elizabeth changes her opinion of Mr. Darcy and fall in love with him.
"Their eyes instantly met and the cheeks of each were overspread with the deepest blush "
It was destiny.
Destiny because the Gardiners were supposed to take Elizabeth to the Lakes. But at the last moment they had to change their plans and decide to go no farther north than Derbyshire, near Pemberley.
So the destiny brought together Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.
Throughout the novel, I have noticed places where Austen makes a strategic decision to have the narrator describe important dialogue versus writing a conversation as direct dialogue. Often, we will be in the middle of dialogue between characters, and the writing switches to the narrator’s point of view. I find this fascinating - the abrupt shift in perspective - and also a little maddening!
This writerly move jumped off the page for me when Darcy and Lizzie reunite and affirm their love in the final chapters. We have some lovely dialogue between them and suddenly Austen switches to writing a lengthy paragraph in which the narrator describes the rest of their conversation. Argh! I want the dialogue!
I have loved this reading experience so very much. I’ve long wanted read in this way again for pleasure (many years after grad school) and it’s happening. A joy!
Totally agree, I feel like Austen has such strong dialogue that she does us a disservice when she pans out and only describes conversations! Particularly when it happens between Elizabeth and Darcy, it feels like a missed opportunity to deepen the believability of their relationship. They are each individually such rich characters, and their conflict is incredible, but sometimes I struggle to imagine their real love & connection- I think because such crucial conversations are “glazed over” in this way.
Great point… I agree that the description of dialogue at crucial points does not always facilitate our understanding of their love connection. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this!
i just finished the close reading (mine wasn’t super close since i read it on my kindle on the subway) but helped motivate me to finish it nonetheless. my first austin! loved reading the weekly posts at my own pace, and seeing everyone’s comments. it was a really enjoyable commute book, and at night i listened to the audiobook version by the sleepy bookshelf to fall asleep. lots of good visuals with the audiobook, i highly recommend. thank you!
Thanks for all the work you put into this series to make for a great first reading of Pride and Prejudice!
Thank you so much, Marley! I'm glad you were here for the read-a-long!
I am so glad I finally read this book! I loved it so much more than I thought I would. And this might sound clumsy, but it reminded me of when I picked up a “Bible as literature” textbook shortly after college and was like “WHOA! So THAT is where all those references come from!” Reading literature was so much richer with a working knowledge of the Bible.
I do love historical fiction, and who doesn’t love a good romance novel or rom com movie and now I know where that genre comes from! I mean, you can enjoy a lot of this genre on its own, but it’s even more fun when you know the OG rom com.
I do have a question though—did this novel reflect an actual social transition that was occurring at the time? It feel like it did—the tension between the old and the new—-England was transitioning from an agrarian society where land was wealth and landed aristocrats controlled actual wealth, to an industrial economy where business owners and merchants controlled the wealth. While there were wealthy land owners, you get the sense that by the early 19th century a lot of those families were running out of money—thus the frantic game of musical chairs to hook up with families that still controlled enough land that they could throw off a comfortable income from agriculture. Arranged marriage in the landed classes was important because in order to have an income, you had to own a lot of land, and you had to keep that land in the family. With industry—wealth could be created by anybody who had the money and talent to start a business. It was relatively “open” compared to landowning and that is probably why it was seen as grubby and arriviste—if anybody could get rich as a merchant or a trader or by opening a factory, then it wasn’t as good as a system where only a few people could be rich depending on who their ancestors were. So the people in the industrial/merchant class had more choices about who they could marry, since income and wealth could be created independently of family alliances. That leads to selecting a spouse on the basis of affection or attraction.
I can imagine young women in Jane Austen’s world reading this book and seeing a way of being that was opening up—rather than having to marry the old goat next door whose latest wife had just died in childbirth, being able to marry an attractive man closer in age because he was attractive and interesting must have been a wonderful escapist fantasy for many women!
I too am glad that I finally took the plunge into the Austen catalog.
Hi Jenn! I am so happy to read this was such a great reading experience for you.
You are SPOT ON with your observation that the novel is about much more than the individuals of the novel; Austen's beautiful project here is the way she makes larger cultural changes evident in the lived experiences of single lives or personalities. She chooses her setting intentionally, weaving this story about marriage expectations, and a young woman wrestling with those expectations, within the larger social context of social change and newly developing attitudes about what marriage was really all about.
In the first sentence, we get this profoundly economic proposition; in the last sentence, we see how all these individuals lives and realities have been wrapped up into connection and network and relationship — still tethered to economic reality, yes, but also SO MUCH MORE than that. I often wonder about how women felt reading this novel back before they had voting rights, or the right to divorce, or the ability to own property or credit cards or business licenses in their own names. What did Elizabeth mean to them?
Thank you so much for being here and reading along with me!
To your question about how women in the past would have viewed this novel-the beauty of Austen’s novel is that she only goes so far in terms of women having agency. Charlotte Lucas is very clear about the reality of living as an unmarried woman in that time and place—it was preferable to marry a dweeb who was well meaning and mostly left her alone as it gave her a degree of freedom that she could not have as a never-married woman. Lizzy’s agency only extends to rejecting suitors that she knows would result in an unhappy marriage—maybe she sees more than she admits to herself what is wrong with her parents’ marriage—the lack of mutual respect. Maybe the message to her readers is “you do have the ability to say “no” to somebody you don’t respect” and nothing more than that. She doesn’t seem, in this book, to question the whole premise that marriage is the be all and end all for women in her class.
The best situated woman in the novel in terms of autonomy was Catherine de Burgh—as a widow she had way more freedom than a never married woman; wasn’t at any risk of dying in childbirth; and had the luck to marry into a family that did not entail their land.
Lady Catherine, through Collins, attempts to convince a confused and amused Mr. Bennet ("his flabbers are gasted" indeed!) to reject Darcy's proposal to Elizabeth. Lady Catherine, arrives in person to attack Elizabeth and attempt to use Lydia's forced marriage as some sort of blackmail, but she's met her match in Elizabeth! Elizabeth has journeyed from doubt to confidence in herself and her choices. She gives a master class in how to address a surprise personal attack, in a way I've only ever been able to do on rehashing my response in the ladies room post confrontation. Role model extraordinaire! Luckily the meddling attempts backfire and instead send Darcy and Lizzy into each other's arms (well not technically, since all ends well but without even mention of a kiss.) I like Lizzy's comment on the future of their relationship: "My good qualities are under your protection, and you are to exaggerate them as much as possible, and, in return, it belongs to me to find occasions for teasing and quarreling with you as often as may be". I think she's ready for her new role as wife. I also like how she shields him from the most annoying members of her family though "this took from the season of courtship much of its pleasure". I think this indicates she's also ready to manage any sticky situations she'll encounter as mistress of Pemberly.
Since "happily ever after" is only the beginning of a marriage, I'd love to have a look at these couples 10 or even 20 years on. As Haley put it for an earlier section of the book, we have had fulfillments but also emerging provocations. There are still those unmarried sisters among the Bennet, Bingley, and Darcy families. Bailing out the Wickhams is going to continue to be a challenge. Mr. Bennet likes to visit the Darcys, "especially when not expected". And seriously, who is going to get stuck dealing with a widowed Mrs. Bennet if she outlives her husband?
As far as we can see from the final chapter, everything seems to be going well for the eldest Bennet sisters. The newly wed couples so far seem adept at managing their difficult relatives. Still, the pragmatist in me thinks even if not needed to assure future marital bliss, then at least for future security, both Jane and Elizabeth should quickly have sons.
I love your close reading of Lady Catherine's many-pronged approach to stopping the Darcy-Lizzy engagement! I hadn't realized how manipulative she was in the background of Collins' letter but of course you're so right! She would've known how all of that would've been transmitted--and she certainly knows she has an undying devotion in Mr. Collins (who perhaps somewhat unwittingly ends up doing much of her bidding).
I love your final note about how Jane and Lizzy should have some sons — post haste! I am so curious what Elizabeth would be like as a mother. I think Jane feels more clear to me (angelic, patient, ever sweet). I wonder if Lizzy would end up being more like her aunt Gardiner (she certainly wouldn't be like her own mother!)
So much happens in these last chapters that I think the very ending feels a little odd. After such a stunning and illustrative first sentence, I feel like that last one is a bit anticlimactic. At the same time, I love the way everything is wrapped up and we do get a pretty clear idea of how life will continue on for our characters.
Lizzy and Darcy and Jane and Bingley will, of course, be happy and continue to complement each other, and several of the other characters will learn and change very little. I do love that both Kitty and Mary seem to have their own version of a happy ending - Kitty with increased family involvement, and Mary with the space to stop being compared with her sisters.
So much to say! Especially now no dangers of spoilers - phew! Firstly thanks for running this group, it’s been lovely to join in, I thought I knew this novel inside out but I still found plenty new (like that I in the final chapter!). I love the ending and especially the conversations between Elizabeth and Darcy after they are engaged, but my favourite bit is Mrs Bennet’s reaction! So many !!!! “Pray apologise for my having disliked him so much before.” I will do a separate comment on other versions of this story as I have views! But thanks again, I won’t join you for next books (although they sound great) as my TBR pile is too huge, but plan to be back for Middlemarch - as I’ve been wanting to read it again.
On shades of Pemberley & visiting other people’s houses I think it was ‘The thing about Austen podcast’ that had episodes on both those topics which were fascinating. Showing people around houses was a good money earner for house keepers! On other versions of the story/sequels I remember back in the 1990s reading one that really annoyed me, but last year I read both The Other Bennet Sister and Death Comes to Pemberley and really enjoyed both. The first is the one about Mary. It’s not a patch on Austen - partly it’s far too wordy, but it’s an enjoyable story even if the odd irritation (with behaviour of particular characters). Death comes to Pemberley is a bit unlikely - a murder mystery at Pemberley but a fun read, I quite liked the version of the Darcy’s marriage in this one 😊 There is a TV series but I haven’t seen it. I also picked up a copy of Longbourne which is a retelling from the servant’s perspective. Not read yet but looking forward to it as apart from Hill who has a name and a brief mention of a butler at the end the servants are so invisible- as good servants were I guess. Finally and completely differently I enjoyed The Lizzie Bennet Diaries on YouTube- a fun modern retelling of the story (with a great version of Mrs Bennet - you never actually see her, but hear a lot about her!). I only knew it existed from this article - so many more Austen TV series to watch! https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2025/jan/31/best-jane-austen-tv-dramas-ranked?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other
Thanks for sharing. A murder mystery at Pemberly sure seems like a strange choice, but since the mysteries on BritBox are favorite comfort watches, that might be something I'd explore.
So many great quotes from this section.... For "most poignant moment", I'd have to go with Mr Bennet: "My child, let me not have the grief of seeing YOU unable to respect your partner in life." I've had my quarrels with Mr B over the course of the novel, but he certainly illustrates the dangers of choosing badly (always assuming you have a choice...) Thanks so much to Haley and all the reading community! I've learnt so much from revisiting this book in your company.
Going back to my reading, I found Pemberley the climax of the story.
In Pemberley Elizabeth changes her opinion of Mr. Darcy and fall in love with him.
"Their eyes instantly met and the cheeks of each were overspread with the deepest blush "
It was destiny.
Destiny because the Gardiners were supposed to take Elizabeth to the Lakes. But at the last moment they had to change their plans and decide to go no farther north than Derbyshire, near Pemberley.
So the destiny brought together Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy.
What if this change of plans didn't happen?
Throughout the novel, I have noticed places where Austen makes a strategic decision to have the narrator describe important dialogue versus writing a conversation as direct dialogue. Often, we will be in the middle of dialogue between characters, and the writing switches to the narrator’s point of view. I find this fascinating - the abrupt shift in perspective - and also a little maddening!
This writerly move jumped off the page for me when Darcy and Lizzie reunite and affirm their love in the final chapters. We have some lovely dialogue between them and suddenly Austen switches to writing a lengthy paragraph in which the narrator describes the rest of their conversation. Argh! I want the dialogue!
I have loved this reading experience so very much. I’ve long wanted read in this way again for pleasure (many years after grad school) and it’s happening. A joy!
Totally agree, I feel like Austen has such strong dialogue that she does us a disservice when she pans out and only describes conversations! Particularly when it happens between Elizabeth and Darcy, it feels like a missed opportunity to deepen the believability of their relationship. They are each individually such rich characters, and their conflict is incredible, but sometimes I struggle to imagine their real love & connection- I think because such crucial conversations are “glazed over” in this way.
Great point… I agree that the description of dialogue at crucial points does not always facilitate our understanding of their love connection. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this!
Thank you. I have thoroughly enjoyed revisiting this novel, my favourite of Austen’s by a country mile.
i just finished the close reading (mine wasn’t super close since i read it on my kindle on the subway) but helped motivate me to finish it nonetheless. my first austin! loved reading the weekly posts at my own pace, and seeing everyone’s comments. it was a really enjoyable commute book, and at night i listened to the audiobook version by the sleepy bookshelf to fall asleep. lots of good visuals with the audiobook, i highly recommend. thank you!