To me this is more a review than blog on one hand... but a blog on the other... but its left to you decide...but you have been warned... its LONG! ^o^ enjoy
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
-JANE AUSTEN
Well now, wow! I mean, WOW! I completely agree with Somerset Maughm! There’s ABSOLUTELY nothing so exciting about the whole story. Ordinary, but handsome looking simple hearted Jane, Clever not-so-handsome-as-her-sister Elizabeth, amiable and handsome Bingley, very handsome PROUD, brooding Mr. Darcy! Complete disapproval, mild love making, ‘talking’! And that’s it! Prejudiced Ms. Liza can change proud Mr. Darcy at the end with nothing extraordinary but by the love he develops for her. Mr. Darcy shreds Liza’s prejudice by the simple act of being a gentleman, but a gentleman in love with her…. Still I turned each page eagerly, to read this ordinary story.
It’s so strange that even though money was more important, aided of course by rank (Not as much as in the present though), it was overcome simply by love. So pure a love it is actually quite astonishing. Not even in one’s dream could there be such pure emotion felt in the heart of a single human being today
But hey, that just maybe my prejudice. True, very true! I haven’t stepped out from the portals of my sheltered haven as much as I would like. I have NOT stepped out into the real world. I’m not in a position to do that, being so dependent! Neither am I content, nor can I rest peacefully. But this is not about my life entirely is it. Its about my experience of pride and prejudice, and its impact on my life. My observation, I hope will be helpful to my life at the least. For I have noticed, as my sister so clearly put to me, I have been non-committal and completely senseless in taking nothing seriously in my life. I still don’t mean to take this too seriously but I am willing to embrace a change, its impact in my life, hoping, again, to change it for the better. Bringing about a change in my reflections, impression, vocabulary and passion.
I still notice the flaw in my wishes. I’m still talking about something but doing something else. I’m digressing from the topic.
OK, coming back. Pride and prejudice.
Truthfully, if I have to start giving an account, it should begin with ‘Sense and Sensibility’. Seeing actors play out the characters with such passion, seeing them forget themselves, making me forget their celebrity titles, they became the characters. With such strong emotions playing out in front of me, being sentimental and being the hopeless romantic that I am, how can I be anything but in complete awe, of not only the actors, feelings, but everything to do with the story!
This awe always held, and still holds high in my heart to this day. For, it is to be mentioned here that the actors, as splendid as they are, have done complete justice to their parts.
Well this awe I expressed to a friend, who I only recently found had similar interests, who joined me in my bliss and romance and so simply narrated to me that simple yet so romantic a story, pride and prejudice.
It can be deceiving, how a good narrator can make a droll story line, into a fantastic story! Sometimes, it is so amazing that this fact is achieved by something as a simple narrative. But here the story is only half true, if one wants to be at the receiving end of such a narration. Willing, blissfully to be lost in such a romanticized version of the truth. Maybe I was at this end, but the deed was done.
I was very much engaged in this fantasy. Though it was a while before I could make this fantasy a movie in my own head. It was achieved and towards the end with somewhat a clumsy hurry. But it is something I do no regret. It is something that gives me joy, which I shall speak of later.
Pride and prejudice. Well, I was (I don’t know if I can say pleasantly) surprised to find a woman who led a simple life as can be, wrote such an exquisite classic by the mere faculty of observation, a keen observation of her era.
It has, ‘I quote again’, nothing so incredible in it, yet that is what makes it so fascinating. One can relate to each character without much difficulty.
I completely understand, the well-judged silence and character of Mr. Bennet. I understand the irony that made him so, his fallacy in believing his silly wife to be something else. Mrs. Bennet’s nerves are also something I have seen in my own life. Jane’s plain and kind character so far is the only one I cannot relate to. For I have not come across one person who finds it difficult to, not find fault or flaw or is willing to believe in the extreme good of another person at all. Eliza, the favorite daughter of her father, the heroine of the story. Clever, quite handsome and sensible Elizabeth. Her, I can connect to with more ease. Certain characters, the ruggedness, observation (at least emotionally) the strength of character, sensibility are all completely understandable. Yet, it is so tragic how cleverness and sense can be eclipsed by a prejudice, actually a lot of times. This is at once apparent when Ms. Eliza comes in contact with Mr. Darcy, as I said, the very handsome, proud gentleman of 10,000 pounds.
Jane Austen tingles this pleasure in me. A curiosity deepens when she writes about Darcy, by indeed writing so little about him and his countenance! It excites (at least it excited me) to read about Darcy and Eliza’s interactions. What fire would spew from Eliza, how Darcy would react! This more than anything attracted me to read on for I was curious to know, for a happy ending. I should mention here that my most excellent narrator friend’s words and my self confessed quality of being a romantic instigated, supported and furthered this curiosity. I must also say that though she narrated (my friend) rather simply to me this story, when we were almost overcome by fatigue and under the blankets of slumber, I merely remembered the outline.
Enter Wickhem. I was most troubled to think that there were all chances of Eliza not loving Darcy. That narrative indeed pulled me on.
One should also note here that I stick to Darcy, such a silent character, without too much information about him than with Wickhem, with all the description and speeches. Yes, Darcy, who barely uttered a word was and will always be my favorite.
Skip. When Ms. Eliza went over to lady Catherine’s, I had an inclination to think Darcy would follow. Yes, this thought had occurred when it was revealed, at the Bingley ball, that Darcy and lady C were indeed nephew and aunt. Instinct I should rather say. Nothing in my friend’s stuporous narrative prepared me for the proposal Darcy made to Eliza at the parsonage. She told me that Eliza would turn down his first offer, but little did I expect it to be like this.
Indeed I was outraged at Eliza’s behavior to my favorite, and even more indignant at Darcy’s manner of proposal and his damned pride!
A very shocking (to me pleasant) turn of events was Darcy’s letter to dear Lizzy. It drew me even more to his character, to see his composed and collected emotions and language.
I was distraught that Darcy’s pride along with the stupidity of Bingley’s sisters had broken up the pure love between Charles and Jane. But everyone has his faults, noted, pride being Darcy’s from the start.
It is strange to see that Darcy had overlooked Rank and manners in Eliza’s family, the reason for Charles and Jane’s separation, in his own case. It instigates one to think, can it really be love that drives the world. Eliza’s strength at the revelation at such a tedious letter from Darcy impresses to a great extent. Jane’s fallacy, at disbelief, at any wrong or evil in the world to this day annoys me. We can see that with this even, the prejudice in Eliza’s eyes slip. That she sincerely begins to fall in love with the very man who ruined the life of her sister, not for that act, but for whom he was.
I was annoyed as hell, um… Vexed at revelations about Wickhem’s character. I was thoroughly convinced of his deserving certain well-placed thrashings.
It is wonderful to see Eliza’s prejudiced notion of Darcy vaporize after her visit to ‘Pemberley’. Again, the romantic mind has had its feast in such situations. It is very pleasant to see their interaction. The changes in the protagonists, their yearnings and expectations of the other. Truly, a romantic heart is satisfied. Then comes the bomb.
It irritates me to the core to see the possibilities of existence of characters such as Lydia, Kitty and Mary (Well not Mary so much). Such weakness I’ve never tolerated, which deserts duty, gratitude and courage. Elopement, by my eyes is such a disgracefully cowardly act, I prefer not to talk on it. It pained me to see the family in a situation as that. Though inexperienced at it, I could empathize with their family in the situation, that in my stead I would have done more to keep the couple away. Lydia and Wickhem’s insolent and foolish characters and acts deserve no further words.
It is very mysterious as to how the matter was solved by an uncle who was only better off financially, than the Bennets, by a grade. Silence, in my mind, from Darcy provoked the matter further.
A letter, after Liza’s inquiry, from her aunt only brings a pleased smile on my lips and warmth to my heart.
It only aches more for Darcy and Eliza to unite after this. The pang that it may not happen only burdens when lady Catherine pays a visit to Eliza on her mission to dissuade the union.
Bingley and Jane’s reconciliation only adds fuel to the fire of agony. For now it is plain that Eliza’s heart, free from prejudice, truly loves and yearns for Darcy. All that is good and deserving in him. That smile widens when I look back to see all that Darcy did for his beloved Eliza in complete silence.
When at last Darcy mentions; in his manner; that naught has changed in his heart or offer since his first proposal I finally sighed relieved. Here on I only read with a pleased grin playing on my face and fell more in love with Darcy’s character than before. This silent, strong man, less proud by now, opens his heart so innocently, with such affection, respect and civility to the one he loves as life. Never have I witnessed such a character in reality.
Reading of Elizabeth as Mrs. Darcy is a funny feeling I should say, but one cannot be happier than I at the union. His undeterred affection, love and respect for her words are honorable to say the least.
AS for the authoress, I don’t know if I can call myself one yet, I recognized from the complexity but still exquisite simplicity of the plot, but not language, that it was her first attempt. An action by all means similar to mine. It is recognized in the very book that she related herself to Eliza and Jane to her own sister.
It is written in such a style that anyone with sense, well actually anyone, who reads it, recognized more with Eliza than the others. AT least I did.
In today’s world it is a funny notion to only wake up, read, sew, sing, draw, dance at balls, gossip about marriage, neighbors and flirt outright (with civility I should add), eat and sleep. The matters of importance, to the lady of the house was in getting her daughters well settled. It is funny in today’s demanding world, to see, that in that time, all the groom need be was rich, amiable and handsome!
The concept of staying over at a cousin’s or friends for so long a time, on invitation, is unheard of today. It is a matter of pride!
But it was a thoroughly refreshing experience. My vocabulary, passion for writing, sense and ability to take something more seriously has taken a shot on the arm.
It is even more exciting and very depressing at the same time, a painful pleasure one could call it, Jane Austen’s style of leaving to the reader completely, the handsomeness, countenance, look and color of each actor in the story. It is a boon to be able to let the character assume form as one desires, but to have no concrete base, the uncertainty that our description has all possibilities of not coinciding with the authoress is a bane! For, an imagination which runs wild as mine sometimes needs controlling.
Happier is the life after, pride and prejudice. But truly a lesson to be learnt is happy is only that life, without (in recommended quantities)
Pride and Prejudice.
