Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen · 1813
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Elizabeth Bennet meets the proud Mr. Darcy amid a lively circle of family, neighbours, and eligible newcomers. As first impressions give way to deeper understanding, wit and kindness help guide the Bennet sisters through the expectations of their time.
A witty Regency-era family story. Keep Elizabeth lively and observant, Jane kind and steady, Darcy reserved but generous, and the Bennet parents distinct. Show courtship and social manners with warmth; handle Lydia’s elopement discreetly and without sensational detail.
Characters
Elizabeth Bennet
The second Bennet daughter, quick-witted and spirited, who laughs at folly and trusts her own judgment perhaps a little too readily.
Mr Darcy
A wealthy, handsome gentleman from Derbyshire whose proud, reserved manners give offence to all of Meryton society.
Jane Bennet
The eldest and loveliest Bennet sister, gentle and sweet-tempered, who always thinks the best of everyone she meets.
Mr Bingley
The amiable young man of fortune who takes Netherfield Park, delighting the neighbourhood with his easy, open manners.
Mrs Bennet
The excitable mother of five daughters, whose business in life is getting them married and whose solace is visiting and news.
Mr Bennet
The dry, sarcastic father who retreats to his library and finds endless amusement in the follies of his family.
Mr Wickham
A charming militia officer with a captivating manner and a sad tale of how Mr Darcy once wronged him.
Mr Collins
The Bennets' pompous clergyman cousin and heir to Longbourn, endlessly praising his noble patroness and arriving with an olive branch.
Lady Catherine de Bourgh
Mr Darcy's imperious aunt at Rosings, who delivers her opinions on every subject and expects them to be obeyed.
Lydia Bennet
The youngest Bennet sister, bold, loud and flirtatious, whose head is full of officers, bonnets and balls.
Charlotte Lucas
Elizabeth's sensible, practical friend, who holds no romantic notions about marriage and values a comfortable home.
Caroline Bingley
Mr Bingley's fashionable, haughty sister, who flatters Mr Darcy at every turn and looks down on the Bennets.
About the story
Pride and Prejudice follows the Bennet family of Longbourn, a country house in Hertfordshire. Mr and Mrs Bennet have five daughters and no son, so the estate will pass to a cousin. When the wealthy young Mr Bingley rents nearby Netherfield Park, Mrs Bennet is determined to see one of her girls married to him. Her second daughter, the quick-witted Elizabeth, meets Bingley's friend Mr Darcy at a country ball, and his cold, proud manners make a poor first impression.
The novel is set among the country gentry of Regency England. It looks closely at marriage, money and social rank in a world where a young woman's future often depended on whom she married. Its deeper subject is judgement: how pride and hasty opinions can lead sensible people astray, and what it takes to see other people, and oneself, more clearly.
Austen's sharp dialogue, gentle irony and memorable characters, from the pompous Mr Collins to the dry, teasing Mr Bennet, have kept the book widely loved for more than two hundred years. Its opening line is one of the best known in English literature, and the story is still a model for romantic comedy today.
This edition is a condensed picture-book retelling in 120 illustrated pages, with about 34 minutes of narration read by a synthetic voice; the pictures are AI illustrations drawn for this edition. Jane Austen's full original novel is in the public domain, free to read, and well worth reading too.
Adapted from Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen (1813), public domain.
Questions
What is Pride and Prejudice about?
It follows Elizabeth Bennet, one of five daughters in a country family, as she deals with matters of marriage, family and social rank in Regency England. It is best known for her clashes with the proud and wealthy Mr Darcy, and for how first impressions can mislead.
Who is the main character in Pride and Prejudice?
The main character is Elizabeth Bennet, the lively, clever second daughter of the Bennet family. Other important characters include Mr Darcy, her gentle elder sister Jane, Mr Bingley, and her parents, Mr and Mrs Bennet.
Is Pride and Prejudice suitable for children?
This edition is rated for all ages. The story has no violence and is mostly made up of conversations, visits, walks and balls. Younger readers may need some help with ideas like inheritance and marriage for money, but the retelling keeps the language simple.
How long does this edition take to read or listen to?
The narration runs about 34 minutes over 120 illustrated pages, so most people can finish it in one sitting.
Is this the full text of Pride and Prejudice?
No. This is a condensed retelling that follows the main story in shorter form. Austen's complete novel, first published in 1813, is in the public domain and free to read in full.
Read the text version: every page's caption, with its picture, on one page.
