Plot Summary
The book focuses on an upper
class family in England in the early 1800s. The family has five girls: Jane,
Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. Although Mr. Bennet’s income is high, he
cannot provide a fortune to his offspring. As a result, Mrs. Bennet is
desperate find wealthy matches for her daughter. The main character, Elizabeth,
wants to marry for love, regardless of what her mother thinks. The story begins
with a wealthy, single man’s entrance to the neighborhood: Mr. Bingley.
After a neighborhood ball, Jane and Bingley become enamored with each other and begin seeing each other frequently. After Jane's stay at Bingley's home (Netherfield), Mrs. Bennet spreads rumors of an upcoming engagement, causing Bingley's prideful friend, Mr. Darcy, to break off the connection, fearing that Jane's affection stems only from monetary concerns and a desire for higher society. This deeply hurts Jane, but she is unwilling to be angry due to her sweet nature. Elizabeth begins to hate Mr. Darcy for his actions, just as he is beginning to love her. Mr. Bingley's party, leaves for London, with the intention of never returning to Hertfordshire (the Bennets’ neighborhood).
Before Bingley leaves, Mr. Bennet’s heir, Mr. Collins, comes to the Bennets’ home, in search of a wife. When Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth, she turns him down on account of his foolish manner, leading him to propose to her best friend Charlotte only a few days later. Then Mr. Wickham, an officer in the militia, comes to the neighborhood to join the regiment there. Mr. Wickham, although he is despicable, easily charms Elizabeth by condemning his former friend, Mr. Darcy.
After Charlotte marries Mr.Collins, Elizabeth stays at Mr. Collin's estate for a month. Soon after her arrival, Darcy, who is visiting the area, proposes to her. She turns him down because of his involvement in Jane's heartbreak and his cruelty to Mr. Wickham.
The refusal causes Darcy to reevaluate his character, which was so repugnant to Elizabeth. He gives a letter the next day to Elizabeth in hopes of clearing his conscience, and resigns himself to never seeing her again. The contents of the letter explain the misunderstandings Elizabeth has made about Darcy's character. In Jane's case, he influenced Bingley because he believed Jane to be interested only in his money, a belief he now knows was wrong. In Wickham’s case, it is in fact Wickham who has been cruel to Darcy by abusing his generosity.
When Elizabeth arrives home, she discovers that her youngest sister, the flirtatious Lydia, is to go away by herself to a resort swarming with officers. After Lydia leaves, Elizabeth also leaves to go on a trip with her aunt and uncle to Derbyshire, where Darcy lives. Elizabeth only agrees to visit Darcy's estate when she learns that he is out of town, because she fears an awkward encounter with the man she so badly misjudged. Upon arrival, her information is proven wrong, because he is already home. Darcy is overjoyed and quickly rekindles their acquaintance.
Before they can become better friends, she receives an urgent letter from home, informing her of Lydia's elopement with Wickham. As this elopement would lead to Lydia’s certain downfall, Elizabeth returns immediately home. Her father and uncle search for them and achieve their goal of convincing Wickham to marry Lydia. Elizabeth believes their uncle prevented Lydia’s ruin, but she finds out that she owes this to Darcy instead. She finally realizes her love for Darcy.
Darcy also tells Bingley of Jane's true feelings, in an attempt to right the wrong. This prompts Bingley to return to Netherfield and call on Jane. After only a week, he proposes to Jane and she gladly accepts. Soon Darcy also calls on the family and proposes to Elizabeth. Elizabeth has by now overturned her hatred and accepts with a heart full of love. The two couples marry, serving as the conclusion to the book.
After a neighborhood ball, Jane and Bingley become enamored with each other and begin seeing each other frequently. After Jane's stay at Bingley's home (Netherfield), Mrs. Bennet spreads rumors of an upcoming engagement, causing Bingley's prideful friend, Mr. Darcy, to break off the connection, fearing that Jane's affection stems only from monetary concerns and a desire for higher society. This deeply hurts Jane, but she is unwilling to be angry due to her sweet nature. Elizabeth begins to hate Mr. Darcy for his actions, just as he is beginning to love her. Mr. Bingley's party, leaves for London, with the intention of never returning to Hertfordshire (the Bennets’ neighborhood).
Before Bingley leaves, Mr. Bennet’s heir, Mr. Collins, comes to the Bennets’ home, in search of a wife. When Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth, she turns him down on account of his foolish manner, leading him to propose to her best friend Charlotte only a few days later. Then Mr. Wickham, an officer in the militia, comes to the neighborhood to join the regiment there. Mr. Wickham, although he is despicable, easily charms Elizabeth by condemning his former friend, Mr. Darcy.
After Charlotte marries Mr.Collins, Elizabeth stays at Mr. Collin's estate for a month. Soon after her arrival, Darcy, who is visiting the area, proposes to her. She turns him down because of his involvement in Jane's heartbreak and his cruelty to Mr. Wickham.
The refusal causes Darcy to reevaluate his character, which was so repugnant to Elizabeth. He gives a letter the next day to Elizabeth in hopes of clearing his conscience, and resigns himself to never seeing her again. The contents of the letter explain the misunderstandings Elizabeth has made about Darcy's character. In Jane's case, he influenced Bingley because he believed Jane to be interested only in his money, a belief he now knows was wrong. In Wickham’s case, it is in fact Wickham who has been cruel to Darcy by abusing his generosity.
When Elizabeth arrives home, she discovers that her youngest sister, the flirtatious Lydia, is to go away by herself to a resort swarming with officers. After Lydia leaves, Elizabeth also leaves to go on a trip with her aunt and uncle to Derbyshire, where Darcy lives. Elizabeth only agrees to visit Darcy's estate when she learns that he is out of town, because she fears an awkward encounter with the man she so badly misjudged. Upon arrival, her information is proven wrong, because he is already home. Darcy is overjoyed and quickly rekindles their acquaintance.
Before they can become better friends, she receives an urgent letter from home, informing her of Lydia's elopement with Wickham. As this elopement would lead to Lydia’s certain downfall, Elizabeth returns immediately home. Her father and uncle search for them and achieve their goal of convincing Wickham to marry Lydia. Elizabeth believes their uncle prevented Lydia’s ruin, but she finds out that she owes this to Darcy instead. She finally realizes her love for Darcy.
Darcy also tells Bingley of Jane's true feelings, in an attempt to right the wrong. This prompts Bingley to return to Netherfield and call on Jane. After only a week, he proposes to Jane and she gladly accepts. Soon Darcy also calls on the family and proposes to Elizabeth. Elizabeth has by now overturned her hatred and accepts with a heart full of love. The two couples marry, serving as the conclusion to the book.
Setting
The book is set in the early 1800s' in England. The bulk of the book takes place in Hertfordshire, a county in England. Longbourn and Netherfield are both there, as well as the town of Meryton. It is essential that that the book is set during this time, because marriage (the theme) was so important back then. The location is also one where old ideas of marriage stuck for much longer than in other places. England serves as the location, because that it is where Jane Austen herself is from.