Pride and Prejudice: Book & Movie Review

It has certainly taken me long enough to pick up this book! It was originally published by Jane Austen in 1813 (more than 200 years ago). There is a whole slew of characters that I’ve heard talked about from the books, but now I know who everyone is! After watching the movie, I feel I am ready to talk about the book and have some fun comparing the two! Here is my review of Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. (This post contains affiliate links).

My Thoughts on the Book

I knew that the book was old, but I didn’t realize how old. But it makes sense. Jane Austen’s way of writing and the way of life for the characters in the book are both very outdated. That isn’t to say that they don’t have their place in our time as well.

Characters

The main character, Elizabeth is a great example of how Jane Austen was ahead of her time. Elizabeth shows some feminist behaviors. She wants to marry for love, which is deemed unrealistic in her time, and she speaks her mind. Women were supposed to be seen and not heard, yet Elizabeth would not settle for that.

It is so crazy to think about how poorly women were treated, and in some ways still are. I know if I were to live in the time of Pride and Prejudice, I would more likely be like Jane. Wishing to marry for love, but also being more reserved than her sister, Elizabeth. I love that Jane finds it hard to think poorly of anyone because I find myself trying to be that way as well, though for her it comes naturally.

Lady Catherine is a horrid woman. The way she talks so blatantly and insulting to Elizabeth made me so mad. As for Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley, they are both quite diverse, interesting characters. I love that Darcy has an almost complete character change, becoming better and more well suited for Elizabeth. As for Mr. Bingley, he is a little too reliant on Mr. Darcy. He needs to step up and make his own decisions, not rely solely on his friend’s advice.

Overall Review of Pride & Prejudice

I wasn’t a fan of the style of writing, it was hard to follow at some points. It was hard for me to get through the book. The story itself was good, and I understand why so many people do enjoy the book. It’s selling points are really Elizabeth and Jane, their relationship to each other and to others is what the whole point of the book is. As for Mr. Bennett, he is kind of like the comedic relief of the book. I did enjoy his humor.

My Thoughts on the Movie

Overall, the movie (2005) did a great job of portraying all of the important points in the book. It is so hard watching a movie based on a book immediately after you read the book. It makes the whole thing seem rushed. I felt each big event took place one after the other, after the others, instead of having the weeks or months between each. If I were to watch it again, I would wait a while, until the book is not so fresh in my mind.

Most of the actors chosen for the roles fit my idea of them well. I loved Keira Knightly as Elizabeth, I think she was the perfect choice. I wasn’t as big of a fan of Matthew Macfadyen as Mr. Darcy, he just didn’t quite fit what I had pictured. But, he was a good actor in the film, and I ended up not minding him.

The relationship between Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy also had a lot more sexual tension present than I thought there was in the books. But, I do think it helped because you couldn’t hear the characters’ thoughts as you do in the book. So this way, you knew that there was something there.

It is very cute! I’m glad to have seen the movie finally so I know where these references come from. And, now I can cross it off my list of movies I want to watch, and books I want to read. If you have yet to read it and want to check it out, here is a link! As for the movie, it is free on Netflix, or you can rent it here.

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