Pride and Prejudice was written by Jane Austen in the early 19th century, and is still really popular a novel. The book’s main target audience is probably anyone interested in romantic English literature, and it is surprisingly anarchistic considering its publishing year. The opening almost makes the reader believe the book’s main character would be Jane who is going to get married to polite and charming Mr Bingley, but instead the author chooses smart and levelheaded Elizabeth to be the protagonist. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy’s romance can be seen also as a comment on the rigid social norms of Victorian England’s class society, which is also the book’s setting and context.
The name ”Pride and Prejudice” comes from the moment when rational and cold Mr Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, he has to forget his pride of being of upper social class and to forget his prejudices about members of lower class. This was quite rare in Austen’s times, so the book surprised its audience with ironic depiction of the upper class’ efforts to get married (often to ensure wealth or inheritance).
The book starts when wealthy Mr Bingley moves into Netherfield Park, and Mrs Bennet, who has five single daughters, wants to make his acquaintance, mostly to set one of her daughters to marry him, and to introduce her daughters to high society. But when one of the Bennet Sisters, Jane, dances with Mr Bingley, the interest of the rest of the sisters is drawn by handsome and even more wealthy but unpleasant and rude Mr Darcy.
The story of Pride and Prejudice is told from Elizabeth’s view, but its narrated by a third person omniscient narrator. The language is sometimes a bit complicated, mostly due to the fact the book was published in 1813. The book criticizes slightly the Victorian society norms and shallow view of marriage as a part of a business or a transaction, while maintaining its bright attitude.