This document provides an overview of the plot and structure of Jane Austen's novel Pride and Prejudice. It summarizes that the story is narrated from a third-person omniscient perspective and focuses on Elizabeth Bennet, who must overcome her own pride and prejudices. Key events include Mr. Collins' proposal to Elizabeth; Elizabeth's mistaken impressions of Mr. Darcy and Mr. Wickham; a pivotal turning point when Elizabeth reads a letter from Darcy explaining past events; and the resolution of relationships between several couples by the end. The document also provides background on themes of women's limited choices and marriage in Regency England that Austen explored through the novel.

1. Pride and
Prejudice
• by Jane
Austen

2. • First version written in 1796-97
• First published in 1813
• Original title: First Impressions
2

3. 3
Structure
• The perspective is Third-Person Omniscient.
The narrator speaks for Jane Austen, making
subtle (sometimes-not-so subtle) commentary on
life in Regency England, particularly the
restrictions faced by women. The majority of the
narrator’s observations come from the mind of
the protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet
• At several key moments in the novel, the
narrative is epistolary—presented in the form of
letters. This device was a fairly common for the
early nineteenth century novel, and reflects the
importance of letters to people of Jane Austen’s
time and class.

4. • In the final chapter, Austen breaks into
first person, briefly, to comment on
Mrs. Bennet: “I wish I could say, for
the sake of her family, that the
accomplishment of her earnest desire
in the establishment of so many of her
children produced so happy an effect as
to make her a sensible, amiable, well-
informed woman for the rest of her
life…”
4
A Complex Point-of-View…

5. Structure, continued
• 61 chapters, 281 pages in the Modern
Library version. Some versions contain
3 volumes, (ch. 1-23, 1-19, & 1- 19)
• Though the novel has endured as a
romantic story, the novel is highly
satirical. Austen, in all six of her novels,
criticizes the limited choices offered to
women of her era.
• Austen’s satire is Horatian in style:
tongue-in-cheek in tone and good-
humored. 5

6. Famous First Line
“It is a truth universally
acknowledged, that a single man
in possession of a good fortune
must be in want of a wife.”
6

7. The Opening Line…
• The opening line of the novel sets up the
preoccupation of many of the characters,
as well as the axis on which the plot turns:
the pursuit of marriage.
• Several marriages will take place
throughout the course of the novel;
Austen contrasts these relationships—those
based on love with those based on more
mercenary concerns.
• The opening line also sets the satirical
tone. 7

8. Elizabeth Bennet
Elizabeth is the
protagonist of Pride and
Prejudice. Though she is
very mature and
intelligent, even at the
outset of the novel, she
must learn a valuable
lesson in order to move
forward and make a
successful marriage.
8

9. Elizabeth’s Ordinary
World
• Elizabeth’s world is very small—she lives
at home, at her father’s small estate
called Longbourn.
9

10. • Like Austen herself, the Bennet family
are part of the landed gentry.
• Though they did not hold titles, and
most were not part of the haute ton, the
highest level of English society, the
landed gentry owned large tracts of
land, lived in fine houses, and kept
servants.
• In the late eighteenth and early
nineteenth centuries, the term
gentleman referred to a man of
property.
10

11. Elizabeth Says No Way
• Mr. Collins, Elizabeth’s cousin,
proposes marriage to her. Her
response is a resounding no…
11

12. In Pride and Prejudice, Austen puts her
female characters’ security in jeopardy due to
system of primogeniture and the tradition of
property entailment. A holdover from feudal
days, this system kept property in the hands
of a few, but at the expense of younger sons,
and women.
An entailment which will one day take away
the family home plays a major role in
Austen’s Sense and Sensibility as well.
Through her novels, Austen commented on
the practice of primogeniture, and its flaws.
12

13. • Mr. Collins is a fool. Austen leaves no
room for doubt on this point, providing
direct characterization when the
narrator introduces him, “Mr. Collins
was not a sensible man, and the
deficiency of nature had been but little
assisted by education or society” (52).
13

14. Tests, Allies, and
Enemies
• Elizabeth, along with her sisters Jane,
Mary, Kitty and Lydia, faces many tests
as she navigates the social world and
looks for a husband. Her sister Jane is
her main ally; her tests include
Wickham, Darcy, and Lydia’s
behavior. She has several enemies.
14

15. The Bingley sisters in
particular present a
challenge.
15

16. Mr. Wickham
Elizabeth met
Wickham and found
him charming and
amiable. She did not
notice that he
confided a story he
ought to have kept to
himself, with no
provocation. She saw
what she wanted to
see.
16

17. Mr. Darcy
• On the occasion of
their first meeting,
Darcy offends
Elizabeth’s pride.
• She saw him as a
proud, disagreeable
man.
17

18. Epistolary Novel
• Pride and Prejudice is a romance novel, in that the plot
revolves around the romantic concerns of its
characters.
• Letters, or epistles, are central to the plot.
• Austen uses a letters to reveal crucial plot elements.
• The letter Darcy sends to Elizabeth, explaining the
truth about Wickham, is a turning point in the novel.
• Elizabeth has an epiphany, realizing that the judgment
she thought was infallible has failed her.
18

19. Subplots
• Jane and Mr. Darcy’s friend Bingley fall
in love, but Darcy and his sisters help
to keep them apart.
• Charlotte accepts Mr. Collins’s
rebound proposal.
• Lady Catherine disapproves of
Elizabeth and wishes for Darcy to
marry her sickly daughter.
• Lydia runs away with Mr. Wickham,
endangering the family’s honor.
19

20. Jane Austen struggled with life as a
dependent female. After the death of her
father, Reverend Austen, Jane and her
sister and mother had to move to
Southampton to stay with her brother
Frank. Jane and Cassandra, her sister, were
sometimes able to visit their sister Henry in
London. In every one of her novels, there
are female characters who struggle to find
their place in a world in which they cannot
own or inherit property. 20
Life Imitates Art

21. 21
<-Elizabeth meets Darcy; Jane meets Bingley <-Elizabeth meets Darcy; Jane meets Bingley
The Bennets and
their
w
orld
are introduced.
The Bennets and
their
w
orld
are introduced.
Mr. Collins
proposes to
Elizabeth
Mr. Collins
proposes to
Elizabeth
Mr. Bingley leaves
Netherfield,
abandoning Jane
Mr. Bingley leaves
Netherfield,
abandoning Jane
Wickham tells
Elizabeth what
Darcy did to him
Wickham tells
Elizabeth what
Darcy did to him
Darcy Proposes to
Elizabeth & is
rejected
Elizabethreads
Darcy’sletterElizabethreads
Darcy’sletter
Lady Catherine’s Visit to Longbourn-
>
Lady Catherine’s Visit to Longbourn-
>
During the falling
action, Elizabeth and
Darcy come to terms
with the mistakes
their pride led them
to make. Lydia runs
away with Wickham,
allowing Darcy a
chance to make right
his wrongs.
During the falling
action, Elizabeth and
Darcy come to terms
with the mistakes
their pride led them
to make. Lydia runs
away with Wickham,
allowing Darcy a
chance to make right
his wrongs.

22. Novels by Jane Austen
• Sense and Sensibility
• Pride and Prejudice
• Mansfield Park
• Emma
• Persuasion
• Northanger Abbey
22