REVIEWS
Pride and Overrated
By Gwen Goins
'Pride and Prejudice' by Jane Austen was romantic, but not much else.
"Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austen has been dubbed one of the greatest love stories in English literature. While the novel impressed me, I found it overrated, more a convenient relationship between two compatible people than an epic love story. Although I stumbled through the beginning, thoroughly irritated with all of the characters, these faults were worth the satisfying ending and captivating story.
The novel details the story of the five, single Bennet sisters and their search for wealthy husbands. When the girls meet their new rich neighbor Mr. Bingley and his equally rich friend, Mr. Darcy, romance blossoms between the oldest sisters, Jane and Elizabeth, and the two gentlemen. The romance between Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth was sweet, warm, and subtle, and the dynamic in the Bennet family was relatable as the reader saw the love, loyalty, and concern the sisters felt for one another.
However, "Pride and Prejudice" didn't immediately immerse me. At first, it was frivolous and insipid as the reader has little concern over whether or not the girls ended up married. Personally, I have an aversion to reading anything set before the 1900s in Western Europe because buggy rides, corsets, and such appear tedious to me. The writing itself often meant trudging through or skipping whole paragraphs, and the plot was occasionally slow and dull. For example, in Chapter 22, Austen spends almost four pages explaining in lengthy paragraphs the estate situation and family history of dinner hosts. The dinner hosts were not very important characters, and knowing their history distracts the reader from the main story while piling on unnecessary information.
Despite starting off nettlesome, "Pride and Prejudice" truly ended up entertaining me. One thing certain about Austen is that she was a phenomenal writer as the novel is filled with delightful dialogue and wonderful sentence structure. I wasn't expecting to be amused by the characters and clever comic belief, but I often found myself smiling at witty banter between characters. Overall, Jane Austen’s "Pride and Prejudice" offers a beautifully written yet simple romance but little more. I would recommend it to those willing to engross themselves in marriage and life during the 1800s and who are craving a romantic comedy with moments of reflection, emotion, and laughter.