The Appeal of "Pride and Prejudice"

"It is a truth, universally acknowledged..."

Originally published on April 26, 2017

There are days when all I want to do is curl up and turn on 2005 Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightly. This is the most popular of Jane Austen’s novels, and probably the most adapted. Earlier this year I discovered The Lizzie Bennet Diaries on YouTube and greatly enjoyed them.

But why is it so popular? Why do so many people my age enjoy it? It boils down to two things: story and characters. Yes, all stories can be boiled down to these two basic elements but I think it is especially true when it comes to Pride and Prejudice.

First, the story. The story at its core is a romance, with many different turning parts and side stories that create a tangible world. The exact details of the world might not be as relatable today, but they can be translated into our world through the many adaptations out there. There are three main romantic stories, the quiet courtship of Jane and Bingley, the scandal of Lydia and Wickham, and the rivalry-turned-romance of Lizzy and Darcy. There are also the family’s financial problems, the awkwardness that is Mr. Collins, and the worries about the future and their place in society. I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: relatability is what makes a good story popular. The situations were true then, and can be true now. There are bits of our lives we have seen and experienced, some very similar to these. I recommend watching The Lizzie Bennet Diaries for a realistic take on the Pride and Prejudice story in the modern age. It translates a marriage proposal into a job offer and other things like that. The story is also enjoyable in the context of the time period. There are some funny moments and dramatic moments. There’s just something about this story that flows and sucks you in.

Second, the characters. We all know (or are) Jane, sweet, perfect, so nice to everyone and often the least deserving of bad things. There are Lizzies and Darcys in our lives too, people so sure of themselves who can’t unsee a bad impression, smart people who fail at the simplest human interactions. There are parents that either control us or support us, uncomfortable dates, very best friends making poor decisions, the excitement of a formal, a sibling who always tags along, someone who is often a stick in the mud, relatives who will pull us out of ruts, the exoticism of new people in the neighborhood, a master manipulator, or a nice guy full of empty promises. Everywhere you look there is something in your own lives that you can see inside the Pride and Prejudice story.

Pride and Prejudice is one of those stories that we have all had access to and that has been a source of entertainment for many of us for nearly two hundred years. It will continue to be a staple in Western entertainment, to be studied, to be enjoyed, to be adapted, and to be remembered.