Recent Re-Reads: Pride and Prejudice

*WARNING* There are spoilers!

During quarantine, without access to a library, and left with only my home collection of books, I decided it was time to revisit some of the novels I read in high school. I have always been a book annotator, so it was interesting to look back at the inner thoughts of my brain from five years ago. Now that I am a little older and have lived a little more I was finding new meanings in these books I have loved ever since I read them. The book that re-introduced me to the thoughts of a high schooler was Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

I first read Pride and Prejudice in my freshman year of high school. I then again read it for the second time my sophomore year. This novel introduced me to the world of romantic novels from the 19th century. I loved it. The struggle of women of the time and the insatiable desire for independence in a time when a woman's only option was marriage. Not only do these novels tackle difficult themes concerning a female’s place in society, but they also are written by courageous women who seldom had a chance to be taken seriously and let their voices be heard. As a young reader, it was empowering to hear these voices. Although some of the ideas are outdated, knowing the power behind the words made me proud to choose such a novel. Pride and Prejudice has always reigned supreme in my heart. The themes are one thing, but the language, the symbolism, and the sheer beauty of the writing. It all comes together to make a reviving piece of literature.

I began rereading Pride and Prejudice in February of 2020, so about three and a half years after the last time I read it. The last time I read it, I had just turned 15. Now, I was 18 going on 19. At this point, a lot had changed in my life. Just barely a young adult before, now I had experienced independence through college, and I was closer to the age of Elizabeth Bennett, the main character. The main thing I noticed upon my third time reading Pride and Prejudice was just how much I missed, just in the plot. I don’t think when I was 15 I completely understood the gravity of the situation the Bennett family was in. They had five daughters in 1812. They were a middle-class family, and the eldest, Jane, was the only one with any prospect of marriage. I remember when I first read Pride and Prejudice, I was always annoyed with Mrs. Bennett and how much she whined and petted her daughters. I feel sympathy now for her, knowing that perhaps she just wanted a better life for her daughters. One Where they had access to the books, music, and high society they all truly craved. I understand now that for this time having no sons was scary. The sons could make a living and take care of their families. Instead, the Bennetts have five dowries they must pay.

The dowries bring me to another point which I was more naive about back in the day. When Lydia runs off with Wickham, I gave no thought to her dowry and how Wickham was most likely relying on that dowry to pay off his debts. Quite honestly, Wickham was way more sketchy to me now than he was before. Then after they are married, when Darcy pays off all of Wickham's debts, I was more appreciative of this action. It’s weird but it’s almost like the most romantic deed of the early 19th century. How I wish a man would pay off my sister’s new husband's debts for me.

Overall, I appreciated the arc of Elizabeth and Darcy’s romance. Yes, it is the original trope of enemies to lovers, and when I was 15, I loved the drama. Now I appreciate the efforts of getting to know each other in a time when first impressions were everything (Literary Trivia: one of the first working titles Austen used was First Impressions). That brings us to the theme of second chances. I was cognizant of the idea of second chances in this novel, however, I didn’t appreciate it as much. We all make mistakes or don’t make the best first impression. People can be so judgemental based on one part of an individual’s life and leave no room for growth. Elizabeth has an initial idea of who Darcy is without knowing anything about him or knowing what he has experienced in his own life. It takes her some time, but she listens and hears him out, giving him the second chance we all crave. It’s an important lesson for all of us. You can’t always listen to the rumors you hear about someone. Hear them out, and let them explain themselves to you before you make rushed judgments.

Additionally, the title itself, Pride and Prejudice, was something that held more meaning. Upon first reading, I didn’t think much of the title and what it meant. I knew both Elizabeth and Darcy expressed characteristics of both pride and prejudice, but I knew that at a very base level. Even in the other storylines, we see the characters show these human behaviors. Elizabeth’s sister, Jane, is prideful in the way she approaches her relationship with Bingley and so is Bingley himself. Both are conscious of their societal standings and what other people say about the results of their union. Lady Catherine, in my personal opinion, is the most prejudiced and prideful character of them all. She believes her position in society gives her supreme rule over how everyone associates themselves and has unrealistic opinions over people like the Bennet’s or the Gardiners. Her sneaky hand as the puppeteer affects nearly everyone and creates unnecessary drama. She nearly ruins people’s lives due to her opinions. The title of this novel is a precursor to the lessons learned by the characters and provides a social commentary to the society Jane Austen was living in. Her warning is simple and stated in the title. Be careful of your pride for it can make you prejudiced, and be careful of your prejudice for it can make wrongful pride.

Upon my third read of Pride and Prejudice, I can safely say I took more away from it than I did three years ago. That’s what I love about books like Pride and Prejudice. You can read them multiple times throughout your life and still find new themes and lessons to learn from. The characters and writing are timeless, but I suppose that’s what makes it a classic. I encourage you to pick up that novel you read so long ago that you fell in love with. You never know what you may find or if you’ll find a deeper appreciation for the writing.