Pride and Prejudice: Read and Watch

Pride and Prejudice

In the early 19th century, the Bennet family lives at their Longbourn estate, situated near the small town of Meryton in Hertfordshire, England. Mrs Bennet's greatest desire is to marry off her five daughters to secure their futures. A regiment of militia is encamped outside the town, and the younger Bennet daughters flirt with the officers, to the great embarrassment of their elder sisters.

The arrival of Mr Bingley, a rich bachelor who rents the neighbouring Netherfield estate, gives Mrs. Bennet hope that one of her daughters might contract a marriage to their advantage. Soon, the family is introduced to the Netherfield party: Mr Bingley; his sisters and brother-in-law; and his closest friend Mr Darcy. Mr Bingley appears interested in Jane. Mr. Darcy declines to dance with Elizabeth, as she is "not handsome enough." Although she jokes about it, Elizabeth is deeply offended. Despite this, Mr Darcy secretly finds himself drawn to Elizabeth as they continue to encounter each other at social events, appreciating her wit and frankness.

Mr Collins, a recently ordained clergyman and (as a distant cousin) the heir to the Longbourn estate, which is entailed away from the daughters, visits the Bennet family. He intends to marry one of the Bennet girls on the advice of his patroness Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who is also Mr Darcy's aunt. He decides to pursue Elizabeth. The Bennet family meets the charming militia officer George Wickham, who tells Elizabeth that Mr Darcy had treated him badly in the past. Elizabeth's prejudice against Mr Darcy and admiration for Wickham lead her to believe him.

Elizabeth rejects Mr Collins's marriage proposal, and Mr Collins subsequently proposes to Charlotte Lucas, a friend of Elizabeth's, and is accepted. Convinced that Jane is an unsuitable match for his friend, Mr Darcy prompts Mr Bingley to leave for London and to never return to Netherfield. Jane is heartbroken, while Elizabeth's hatred for Mr Darcy grows, as she correctly suspects he was responsible for Mr Bingley's departure.

In the spring, Elizabeth visits Charlotte and Mr Collins in Kent. Elizabeth and her hosts are invited to Rosings Park, where Mr Darcy and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam are also visiting. Fitzwilliam unknowingly confirms Elizabeth's suspicion that Mr Darcy had intentionally separated Bingley and Jane. Mr Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, declaring his love for her despite her social status. She is shocked and rejects him angrily, saying that she could never love a man who caused her sister such unhappiness; she further accuses him of treating Wickham unjustly. Darcy admits to separating Bingley and Jane but dismisses the accusation regarding Wickham.

The next day, Mr Darcy gives Elizabeth a letter explaining his history with Wickham, which contradicts Wickham's earlier assertions about their relationship and paints Wickham as profligate and predatory to young women. Darcy explains but does not apologize for his efforts to separate Bingley and Jane, whom he believed indifferent to his friend. Though Elizabeth knew her sister was deeply in love, the letter convinces her that Darcy is a good, though proud, man and she had been unfair to him about Wickham.

Months later, Elizabeth accompanies her aunt and uncle, Mr and Mrs Gardiner, on a tour of Derbyshire, where they meet Mr Darcy unexpectedly on his grand estate. He is exceedingly gracious to Elizabeth and the Gardiners, winning Elizabeth's good opinion. There, she receives news that her sister Lydia has run off with Wickham, which she tells Mr Darcy. The errant couple is eventually tracked down in London. At last, Wickham agrees to marry Lydia; the Bennets assume that Mr Gardiner has paid him off. But when Lydia and Wickham, now married, visit the Bennet family at Longbourn, Lydia accidentally reveals that Mr Darcy was at her wedding. Elizabeth writes to Aunt Gardiner for further information, and Mrs Gardiner reveals that Mr Darcy secretly secured the match at great expense and trouble to himself.

Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy return to Netherfield. Jane accepts Mr Bingley's proposal. A week later, Lady Catherine, having heard that Elizabeth and Mr Darcy intend to marry, visits Elizabeth and demands she promise never to accept Mr Darcy's proposal. While admitting that she and Mr Darcy are not engaged, Elizabeth refuses to make such a promise. When Darcy returns to Netherfield, Elizabeth reveals that she knows his part in Lydia's marriage and offers him her thanks; Darcy, having heard from his aunt about Elizabeth's refusal to reject him, again proposes marriage and is accepted.

Pride & Prejudice

During the late 18th century in England, Mr and Mrs Bennet and their daughters—Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia—live at Longbourn, their rural estate in Hertfordshire. Mrs Bennet, eager to secure suitable marriages for her daughters, is delighted when wealthy bachelor Charles Bingley moves into nearby Netherfield Hall.

At an assembly ball, Bingley, his sister Caroline, and his friend Mr Darcy meet the local society. Bingley and Jane are immediately taken with each other, while Elizabeth instantly dislikes the snobbish Darcy and overhears his dismissive remarks about her.

Later, visiting the Bingleys, Jane falls ill and must stay to recuperate. While Elizabeth is visiting Jane at Netherfield, she verbally spars with the haughty Caroline and the aloof Darcy. Jane recovers and, soon after, Mr Bennet's cousin Mr Collins, a pompous clergyman, visits the Bennets; as the closest male relative, Collins will inherit Longbourn as it is entailed on the male line.

Mr Collins tells Mrs Bennet he intends to propose to Jane, but she says Jane will soon be engaged and suggests Elizabeth, whom Collins considers an agreeable alternative. The Bennet sisters also meet the handsome and charming soldier George Wickham, whose father worked for the Darcy family. He wins Elizabeth's sympathy by telling her that Mr Darcy denied him his rightful inheritance.

At the Netherfield ball, Elizabeth dances with Darcy, though the encounter is strained. The next day, Collins proposes to Elizabeth, who roundly rejects him; despite her mother's anger, her father supports her decision.

Elizabeth is astonished when her close friend, Charlotte, fearing spinsterhood, announces her engagement to Mr Collins. The Bingley party unexpectedly returns to London. Elizabeth urges Jane to visit their aunt and uncle, the Gardiners, who live in London, hoping she reconnects with Bingley.

Months later, Elizabeth visits Charlotte and Mr Collins, who reside next to Lady Catherine de Bourgh's estate in Kent. Elizabeth unexpectedly meets Darcy, who is Lady Catherine's nephew and visiting with his cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam. Unaware that Jane is Elizabeth's sister, Fitzwilliam mentions that Darcy recently untangled Bingley from an imprudent match with an "unsuitable" family.

Distraught, Elizabeth is then met by Darcy, who to her amazement proposes marriage, declaring his ardent love despite her inferior rank and family. Offended and angry, she refuses him. He defends separating Jane and Bingley, believing Jane indifferent to his friend, and criticises the other Bennets' occasional social impropriety. Elizabeth also cites his mistreating Wickham.

Angry and heartbroken, Darcy delivers Elizabeth a letter describing Wickham's true character: Wickham squandered the bequest Darcy's father left him, then attempted to seduce Darcy's 15-year-old sister, Georgiana, into eloping to gain her fortune.

Elizabeth returns home, as does Jane. Accompanying the Gardiners on a trip to the Peak District, Elizabeth reluctantly tours Pemberley, the grand Darcy estate in Derbyshire. She unexpectedly runs into Darcy, who invites her and the Gardiners to dine there. Darcy's manner has softened considerably, impressing the Gardiners, and Georgiana shares her brother's flattering reports about Elizabeth.

An urgent letter from Jane reveals that Lydia has run off with Wickham. Darcy leaves abruptly, and Elizabeth returns home, certain she will never see Darcy again. Her mother fears Lydia's disgrace will ruin her other daughters' chances of good marriages.

After a tense waiting period, Mr Gardiner sends news that Lydia and Wickham are now married, and the newlyweds return to Longbourn. Lydia lets slip to Elizabeth that it was Darcy who found them and paid for their wedding; he also purchased Wickham's military commission.

Bingley and Darcy return to Netherfield and visit Longbourn. Bingley proposes to Jane, who accepts. Late that night, Lady Catherine arrives to see Elizabeth and demands she never become engaged to Darcy because, she claims, Darcy has been engaged to marry Lady Catherine's daughter, who has suffered poor health since infancy. Deeply insulted, Elizabeth orders her to leave.

Walking early the next morning, Elizabeth encounters Darcy, who apologises for his aunt's intrusion. He professes his continued love and Elizabeth, her feelings radically altered, accepts his proposal. She tells her father the truth of Darcy's actions, and Mr Bennet gives Elizabeth his consent to marry, overjoyed she has found love.