The Bennet family meet the charming army officer George Wickham, who tells Elizabeth in confidence about Mr Darcy's unpleasant treatment of him in the past.

Mr Collins, the heir to the Longbourn estate, visits the Bennet family with the intention of finding a wife among the five girls under the advice of his patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh, also revealed to be Mr Darcy's aunt. Despite this first impression, Mr Darcy secretly begins to find himself drawn to Elizabeth as they continue to encounter each other at social events, appreciating her wit and frankness. Although she jokes about it with her friend, Elizabeth is deeply offended. He declines to dance with Elizabeth, the second-eldest Bennet daughter, as she is 'not handsome enough'. Mr Darcy, reputed to be twice as wealthy as Mr Bingley, is haughty and aloof, causing a decided dislike of him. He appears interested in Jane, the eldest Bennet daughter. Mr Bingley's friendly and cheerful manner earns him popularity among the guests. The arrival of Mr Bingley, a rich bachelor who rents the neighbouring Netherfield estate, gives her hope that one of her daughters might contract an advantageous marriage, because 'It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife'.Īt a ball, the family is introduced to the Netherfield party, including Mr Bingley, his two sisters and Mr Darcy, his dearest friend. Mrs Bennet's greatest desire is to marry off her five daughters to secure their futures. In the early 19th century, the Bennet family live at their Longbourn estate, situated near the village of Meryton in Hertfordshire, England. Mr Darcy says Elizabeth is 'not handsome enough to tempt him' to dance. For more than a century, dramatic adaptations, reprints, unofficial sequels, films, and TV versions of Pride and Prejudice have portrayed the memorable characters and themes of the novel, reaching mass audiences. It has become one of the most popular novels in English literature, with over 20 million copies sold, and has inspired many derivatives in modern literature. Pride and Prejudice has consistently appeared near the top of lists of 'most-loved books' among literary scholars and the reading public. Thus, it is imperative that at least one of the daughters marry well to support the others, which is a motivation that drives the plot. His wife also lacks an inheritance, so his family faces becoming poor upon his death. Mr Bennet, owner of the Longbourn estate in Hertfordshire, has five daughters, but his property is entailed and can only be passed to a male heir. The novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist of the book, who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness. Pride and Prejudice is an 1813 novel of manners by Jane Austen.

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