Jane Austen (1775-1817)
Born: Steventon, Hampshire, England; the seventh child and second daughter of Cassandra and George
Austen (Clergyman); in her early 20s, wrote a novel called First Impressions; the basis for the book that
eventually became Pride and Prejudice; revised the manuscript & changed the title, released the book in
three volumes in 1813—without identifying her as its author; Austen's most popular novel, and her personal
favorite; called it "my own darling child" and talked about its characters as real people; only upon her
death that her brother Henry revealed her authorship.
Other Important novels: Sense and Sensibility; Emma; and Persuasion
Pride & Prejudice
Written: 1797-1812; Published: 1813; Novel of manners; Setting: Hertfordshire, London, and Pemberley,
England at some time during the Napoleonic Wars (1797–1815); Climax: The Search for Lydia & Wickham;
Protagonist: Elizabeth Bennet; Antagonist: no single antagonist; The sins of pride and prejudice function
as the main antagonizing force; Chapters: 61
Summary: The news that a wealthy young gentleman named Charles Bingley has rented the manor of
Netherfield Park causes a great stir in the nearby village of Longbourn, especially in the Bennet
household. The Bennets have five unmarried daughters—from oldest to youngest, Jane, Elizabeth,
Mary, Kitty, and Lydia—and Mrs. Bennet is desperate to see them all married. After Mr. Bennet pays a
social visit to Mr. Bingley, the Bennets attend a ball at which Mr. Bingley is present. He is taken with Jane
and spends much of the evening dancing with her. His close friend, Mr. Darcy, is less pleased with the
evening and haughtily refuses to dance with Elizabeth, which makes everyone view him as arrogant and
obnoxious.
At social functions over subsequent weeks, however, Mr. Darcy finds himself increasingly attracted to
Elizabeth’s charm and intelligence. Jane’s friendship with Mr. Bingley also continues to burgeon, and Jane
pays a visit to the Bingley mansion. On her journey to the house she is caught in a downpour and catches ill,
forcing her to stay at Netherfield for several days. In order to tend to Jane, Elizabeth hikes through muddy
fields and arrives with a spattered dress, much to the disdain of the snobbish Miss Bingley, Charles
Bingley’s sister. Miss Bingley’s spite only increases when she notices that Darcy, whom she is pursuing,
pays quite a bit of attention to Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth and Jane return home, they find Mr. Collins visiting their household. Mr. Collins is a
young clergyman who stands to inherit Mr. Bennet’s property, which has been “entailed,” meaning that it
can only be passed down to male heirs. Mr. Collins is a pompous fool, though he is quite enthralled by the
Bennet girls. Shortly after his arrival, he makes a proposal of marriage to Elizabeth. She turns him down,
wounding his pride. Meanwhile, the Bennet girls have become friendly with militia officers stationed in a
nearby town. Among them is Wickham, a handsome young soldier who is friendly toward Elizabeth and
tells her how Darcy cruelly cheated him out of an inheritance.
At the beginning of winter, the Bingleys and Darcy leave Netherfield and return to London, much to Jane’s
dismay. A further shock arrives with the news that Mr. Collins has become engaged to Charlotte Lucas,
Elizabeth’s best friend and the poor daughter of a local knight. Charlotte explains to Elizabeth that she is
getting older and needs the match for financial reasons. Charlotte and Mr. Collins get married and Elizabeth
promises to visit them at their new home. As winter progresses, Jane visits the city to see friends (hoping
also that she might see Mr. Bingley). However, Miss Bingley visits her and behaves rudely, while Mr. Bingley
fails to visit her at all. The marriage prospects for the Bennet girls appear bleak.
That spring, Elizabeth visits Charlotte, who now lives near the home of Mr. Collins’s patron, Lady
Catherine de Bourgh, who is also Darcy’s aunt. Darcy calls on Lady Catherine and encounters Elizabeth,
whose presence leads him to make a number of visits to the Collins’s home, where she is staying. One day,
he makes a shocking proposal of marriage, which Elizabeth quickly refuses. She tells Darcy that she
considers him arrogant and unpleasant, then scolds him for steering Bingley away from Jane and
disinheriting Wickham. Darcy leaves her but shortly thereafter delivers a letter to her. In this letter, he
admits that he urged Bingley to distance himself from Jane, but claims he did so only because he thought
their romance was not serious. As for Wickham, he informs Elizabeth that the young officer is a liar and that
Born: Steventon, Hampshire, England; the seventh child and second daughter of Cassandra and George
Austen (Clergyman); in her early 20s, wrote a novel called First Impressions; the basis for the book that
eventually became Pride and Prejudice; revised the manuscript & changed the title, released the book in
three volumes in 1813—without identifying her as its author; Austen's most popular novel, and her personal
favorite; called it "my own darling child" and talked about its characters as real people; only upon her
death that her brother Henry revealed her authorship.
Other Important novels: Sense and Sensibility; Emma; and Persuasion
Pride & Prejudice
Written: 1797-1812; Published: 1813; Novel of manners; Setting: Hertfordshire, London, and Pemberley,
England at some time during the Napoleonic Wars (1797–1815); Climax: The Search for Lydia & Wickham;
Protagonist: Elizabeth Bennet; Antagonist: no single antagonist; The sins of pride and prejudice function
as the main antagonizing force; Chapters: 61
Summary: The news that a wealthy young gentleman named Charles Bingley has rented the manor of
Netherfield Park causes a great stir in the nearby village of Longbourn, especially in the Bennet
household. The Bennets have five unmarried daughters—from oldest to youngest, Jane, Elizabeth,
Mary, Kitty, and Lydia—and Mrs. Bennet is desperate to see them all married. After Mr. Bennet pays a
social visit to Mr. Bingley, the Bennets attend a ball at which Mr. Bingley is present. He is taken with Jane
and spends much of the evening dancing with her. His close friend, Mr. Darcy, is less pleased with the
evening and haughtily refuses to dance with Elizabeth, which makes everyone view him as arrogant and
obnoxious.
At social functions over subsequent weeks, however, Mr. Darcy finds himself increasingly attracted to
Elizabeth’s charm and intelligence. Jane’s friendship with Mr. Bingley also continues to burgeon, and Jane
pays a visit to the Bingley mansion. On her journey to the house she is caught in a downpour and catches ill,
forcing her to stay at Netherfield for several days. In order to tend to Jane, Elizabeth hikes through muddy
fields and arrives with a spattered dress, much to the disdain of the snobbish Miss Bingley, Charles
Bingley’s sister. Miss Bingley’s spite only increases when she notices that Darcy, whom she is pursuing,
pays quite a bit of attention to Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth and Jane return home, they find Mr. Collins visiting their household. Mr. Collins is a
young clergyman who stands to inherit Mr. Bennet’s property, which has been “entailed,” meaning that it
can only be passed down to male heirs. Mr. Collins is a pompous fool, though he is quite enthralled by the
Bennet girls. Shortly after his arrival, he makes a proposal of marriage to Elizabeth. She turns him down,
wounding his pride. Meanwhile, the Bennet girls have become friendly with militia officers stationed in a
nearby town. Among them is Wickham, a handsome young soldier who is friendly toward Elizabeth and
tells her how Darcy cruelly cheated him out of an inheritance.
At the beginning of winter, the Bingleys and Darcy leave Netherfield and return to London, much to Jane’s
dismay. A further shock arrives with the news that Mr. Collins has become engaged to Charlotte Lucas,
Elizabeth’s best friend and the poor daughter of a local knight. Charlotte explains to Elizabeth that she is
getting older and needs the match for financial reasons. Charlotte and Mr. Collins get married and Elizabeth
promises to visit them at their new home. As winter progresses, Jane visits the city to see friends (hoping
also that she might see Mr. Bingley). However, Miss Bingley visits her and behaves rudely, while Mr. Bingley
fails to visit her at all. The marriage prospects for the Bennet girls appear bleak.
That spring, Elizabeth visits Charlotte, who now lives near the home of Mr. Collins’s patron, Lady
Catherine de Bourgh, who is also Darcy’s aunt. Darcy calls on Lady Catherine and encounters Elizabeth,
whose presence leads him to make a number of visits to the Collins’s home, where she is staying. One day,
he makes a shocking proposal of marriage, which Elizabeth quickly refuses. She tells Darcy that she
considers him arrogant and unpleasant, then scolds him for steering Bingley away from Jane and
disinheriting Wickham. Darcy leaves her but shortly thereafter delivers a letter to her. In this letter, he
admits that he urged Bingley to distance himself from Jane, but claims he did so only because he thought
their romance was not serious. As for Wickham, he informs Elizabeth that the young officer is a liar and that
