Sunday, March 05, 2006

Pride and Prejudice



I just had to post this movie ad here in my blog. Written by one of my favorite women authors, it has become one of my favorite books as well. I have read it several times and I have seen the movie twice. And I will read the book and watch the movie again, and again, and yet again.

I am re-reading it after maybe a 5-year hiatus so as to appreciate the beauty of the words and the romantic love story between Elizabeth and Darcy, who each epitomized a particular human failing … pride and prejudice. And I just remembered also that this was the topic of my thesis research in college! This and Jane Austen’s other book “Sense and Sensibility.”

Reading the introduction, I became pleased once more to re-learn that she completed this work at the age of 21! Just imagine! A classic today but written by someone at an early age! (Another illustration of how the modern diversions like the television and computer which made our lives interesting also reduced our time to start early in wringing out our creative juices!)

I quote here several sentences from the introduction…

“”Pride and Prejudice is a kindly satire upon, and a gentle analysis of, life in a small village in southern England at the close of the 18th century… Each of the characters is an exponent of certain “humors.” Mr. Bennet’s principal quality is cynicism; Mary Bennet is naturally a pedant; Lydai Bennet is a flirt; Mr. Collins is pretentiously conceited…Or to put in other words, this novel is the history of the gradual union of two people, one of them held by unconquerable pride,and the other blinded by unreasonable prejudice… Her swiftest means of revealing character is by conversation, and sometimes Jane Austen’s art exposes a quality of that character by the use of a single phrase or a sentence. Her greatest skill as an artist lies in developing a carefully-planned story, stripped of all unnecessary details, in which plot is the main interest.””

I cannot help but admire how Jane Austen slowly revealed the almost imperceptible change of heart of both Darcy and Elizabeth. Love was displayed not with majestic words of passion and romance, but with actions from Darcy and with inner about turn of Elizabeth’s opinion and affections.

To end, let me quote just a few of my favorite conversations…

Darcy : … Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us

Charlotte: If a woman conceals her affection with the same skill from the object of it, she may lose the opportunity of fixing him; and it will be a poor consolation to believe the world equally in the dark
Bingley likes your sister, undoubtedly, but he may never do more than like her, if she does not help him on.

Mrs. Bennet: … You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion on my poor nerves.

Mr. Bennet: You mistake me my dear. I have a high respect for your nerves. They are my old friends. I have heard you mention them with consideration these twenty years at least.

After Elizabeth accepted to dance with Darcy
Charlotte: I dare say you will find him very agreeable.
Elizabeth: Heaven forbid! – That would be the greatest misfortune of all! – To find a man agreeable whom one is determined to hate! – Do not wish me that evil!

Darcy: In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.

Elizabeth: I might as well inquire, why with so evident a design of offending and insulting me, you chose to tell me that you like me against your will, against your reason, and even against your character?

Elizabeth: … I had not known you a month before I felt that you were the last man in the world whom I could ever be prevailed on to marry.

Darcy: If you will thank me, let it be for yourself alone. That the wish of giving happiness to you might add force to the other inducements which led me on, I shall not attempt to deny. But your family owe me nothing. Much as I respect them, I believe I thought only of our.

You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once! My affections and wishes are unchanged; but one word from you will silence me on this subject for ever.

Darcy: … think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.

Elizabeth: I do, I do like him. I love him. Indeed he has no improper pride. He is perfectly amiable. You do not know what he really is; then pray do not pain me by speaking of him in such terms.

4 comments:

Drifter said...

Watched it twice. I liked Sense and Sensibility (the movie ha, haven't read the book) but not as much as I liked this movie. I loved the play of words. And now that I know the story, I will read the book.

Jen said...

I love the book! And I am loving the movie. I just watched it today. And i will watch again! Hay. Read some of her other books (Jane Austen, I mean) :- ) Happy reading!

Nechie said...

Hey jen, saw your comment on my blog and also decided to drop by here. =)

I also love Austen's wit. I enjoyed the first movie Sense and Sensibility but haven't watched Pride and Prejudice yet. Hope to do so soon. =)

Jen said...

Hey Netchie! Watch it... i think it is much better than sense and sensibility... but then, i might be biased :- )

Lion Chaser Manifesto

Quit living as if the purpose of life is to arrive safely at death. Set God-sized goals. Pursue God-ordained passions. Go after a dream that is destined to fail without divine intervention. Keep asking questions. Keep making mistakes. Keep seeking God. Stop pointing out problems and become part of the solution. Stop repeating the past and start creating the future. Stop playing it safe and start taking risks. Expand your horizons. Accumulate experiences. Enjoy the journey. Find every excuse you can to celebrate everything you can. Live like today is the first day and last day of your life. Don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. Burn sinful bridges. Blaze new trails. Criticize by creating. Worry less about what people think and more about what God thinks. Don't try to be who you're not. Be yourself. Laugh at yourself. Quit holding out. Quit holding back. Quit running away.

Chase the lion.

In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Day by Mark Batterson (www.evotional.com)