Chapters 1 - 3: Pride and Prejudice

Problem: How should I approach this book?

While reading the first three chapters of this book over the last week and a half, I have been debating about how to blog about it.  Since everyone has different viewpoints, we can look at it through a multitude of lenses and debate the different sides.  To start, I thought about looking at it through a feminist perspective, delving into the antiquated society in which this book is set.  However, being the moderator, I would rather steer away from topics that I hold a strong opinion in and instead, let the commentators be the driving force of discussions
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I will start by addressing terms that I, myself,  was not immediately familiar with, ones you may not have been familiar with either.   Most of these words or sayings are easily extracted through their contextual use, but it might be interesting to see what we might learn from a little research.

My extrapolation of the meaning of the bolded terms are in italics.

• "Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr. Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week" (1). -- carriage pulled by four horses; Michaelmas is the 29th day of September celebrating the feast of Saint Michael and the beginning of Fall.
• "It is more than I engage for, I assure you" (2). -- care to do
• "I dare say Mr. Bingley will be very glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever he chooses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy." (2). -- send a letter with you
• "She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper" (3). -- it was hard for her to understand or she didn't care to listen to reason?
• "To-morrow fortnight" (3). -- a fortnight means 14 days; 14 days from tomorrow
• "Do you consider the forms of introduction, and the stress that is laid on them, as nonsense?" (4) -- Jane Austin's own Guide to Good Manners may give insight into what she means here, however we can assume it to mean the proper way to be introduced in that era.
• "Now, Kitty, you may cough as much as you chuse," said Mr. Bennet (4).-- archaic form of choose
• "...Mr. Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year..." (5) -- noble character
• "Then the two third he danced with Miss King, and the two fourth with Maria Lucas, and the two fifth with Jane again, and the two sixth with Lizzy..." (7) -- I am pretty sure she is giving a fraction thus emphasising that one third of the dances were with Jane--maybe?



Greer Garrison playing Elizabeth Bennet in the 1940 film.

Honestly, I have been putting off reading this book for quite some time with the assumption that I would find it offensive at best. However, after reading and re-reading the first three chapters several times, I am already seeing glimpses of hope that this book broke a few of the social barriers that women were facing in this time.  I especially liked the line describing Elizabeth (Lizzy):

"She told the story, however, with great spirit among her friends; for she had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous" (7).

So far, she is my favorite character for this alone; maybe Mr. Bennet was on to something when he commented that she was not as silly as the ohers (2).

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Works Cited

Austin, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. 2nd ed. New York: Bantam Classics, 1983. 1-10. Print.