Pride and Prejudice : Summary

Summary

Pride and Prejudice is a romantic novel by Jane Austen that satirizes love, relationships, and marriage. The main protagonist of this novel, Elizabeth Bennet, contributes to developing the novel’s plot. She reflects on the differences between superficial goodness and actual goodness. This is Ruhul Amin, and let’s explore the detailed summary of this novel. For a better realization of the plot, we have divided the whole story into several parts.

A New Renter at Netherfield: The novel begins with Bennet’s family. The future happiness of the family is based on the financially secured marriage of five unmarried daughters. In the meantime, a young gentleman with a considerable fortune or a lot of property or wealth is also available and rents a house named Netherfield Park, three miles away from the village of Longbourn. The gentleman is Mr. Charles Bingley, who has come to Netherfield Park with his two sisters, Miss. Caroline and Mrs Louisa Hurst to spend a summer vacation. During the conversation, Mrs. Bennet is very interested in Bingley as a suitor for one of her daughters.

Ball at Meriton Towne: Bennet and Bingley’s family meet each other at a ball or social function in the imaginary town of the novel Meryton. At this Ball Party, Bingley dances with Jane, the eldest daughter of Mr. Bennet. Bingley’s bosom friend, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy, sits along. Bingley suggests Darcy enjoy the moment dancing with Elizabeth, the second eldest daughter of Mr Bennet. Still, Darcy shows his pride and says to Bingley, “She is tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me.” Hearing this, Elizabeth becomes shocked and decides that Darcy is a man of excessive pride and concern for social distinctions.

However, Bingley exhibits much interest in Jane and invites her for dinner. Though Mrs. Bennet does not give her consent, later, she allows Jane to go to the feed. On the way, they are caught by rain, and Jane gets sick and has to stay at Netherfield for at least a week. Hearing the news, Elizabeth goes to Netherfield, and the sisters of Mr. Bingley treat her, but he shows cordiality for Elizabeth.

Invite for Dinner by Bingley’s Sister: Elizabeth takes care of her sister very much, and in this way, Darcy gets fascinated and interested in Elizabeth. But Elizabeth remains indifferent to Darcy, and she sticks to her first Impression of Darcy. After Jane’s recovery, Elizabeth and Jane return to Longbourn. Meanwhile, a militia regiment has been stationed at nearby Meryton, where a foolish sister of Mrs. Bennet lives. Two daughters of the Bennet family, Kitty and Lydia, would like to stay there at their aunt’s house so that they can flirt with the army officers.

Mr. Collins: Now, a new character enters into the plot of the novel. The new surface is Mr. Collins, who is a distant cousin of Mr. Bennet and is a clergyman and heir to the property of the Bennet family. He has come here with the hope that he will marry one of the daughters of the Bennet family, and he likes Elizabeth very much because of her wit and intelligence. He desires to prove himself intelligent and highly professional but fails to become a quiet clown. He mentions the name of Lady Catherine de Borough, who has made him a rector or dean of an institution.

Walking Toward Meryton Towne: One day, Jane, Elizabeth, and Mr. Collins go for a walk to Meryton, and they meet an officer named Mr. Wickham. At that time, Wickham and Darcy talk to each other, but the gentlemen are not comfortable. Jane and Elizabeth talk to Darcy, but unfortunately, he shows his pride as well. Wickham favors Elizabeth and can attract her at the first meeting. When Darcy leaves the place, Wickham speaks about him badly and blames Darcy for depriving him of his rights. It gives new fuel to Elizabeth’s wrath regarding Darcy. But Jane tells Elizabeth that there is undoubtedly some misunderstanding.

Bingley Arranges a Dinner Party in Netherfield Park: Bingley arranges a ball or party at Netherfield Park. Thus, he and Jane get the utmost opportunity for their affair. There, Mrs. Bennet loudly declares the engagement of her daughter and Bingley, which is ridiculous to Elizabeth. This time, Darcy offers Elizabeth a dance, but she accepts it unwillingly. While they were dancing, Elizabeth did not get any amusement, and Mr. Collins observed them.

The following day, Mr. Collins proposes to Elizabeth for marriage, and she refuses it. He is shocked by this and accepts his fortunes, but Mrs. Bennet becomes angry at Elizabeth’s decision. Elizabeth does not care about it, but she is shocked by the decision of her best friend, Charlotte Lucas, only for financial security. Charlotte argues with Jane that she is already 27-seven years old and does not want to be a spinster. Mr. Collins is forced to marry hurriedly because his patroness has ordered him to marry as soon as possible.

Bingley Return to London for business purposes: Bingley is to make a trip to London for business purposes, but he wants to return as early as possible. His sisters and Darcy follow him. Caroline Bingley writes a fake letter and gives it to Jane. She writes in the letter that her brother has changed his plans and wants to marry Darcy’s younger sister to preserve their friendship and unite the properties of the two families. She also suggests not to search Bingley forever. Elizabeth thinks Darcy and Bingley’s sisters have influenced Bingley to make such a decision.

Mr. And Mrs. Gardiner: Mr. Gardiner and Mrs. Gardiner, who are maternal uncle and aunty of Elizabeth, have come to Longbourn for a visit. Now, Jane is sorrowful, and they offer Jane to go to London with them to get over her bitter experience. Elizabeth hopes that Jane will go to Bingley, and thus, their relationship must be strong. Mrs. Gardiner advises Elizabeth not to marry Wickham because of his poor financial situation. Jane is treated very rudely by Caroline Bingley in London. This situation forces Jane to think that Bingley knows that she is London, but he does not take care of it. However, Wickham has changed his interest from Elizabeth to Miss King, a minor lady character in the novel, and has gotten 10000 pounds recently from an inheritance.

Elizabeth travels to Kent, meeting Charlotte Lucas with William Lucas and Maria Lucas. There, the patroness of Mr. Collins, Lady Catherine de Bourgh, invites Elizabeth for dinner at Rosings Park, a luxurious house. Elizabeth goes for dinner and meets Darcy, a bolt from the blue. Here, Elizabeth makes just a friendship with Darcy’s cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, who informs her that Darcy has saved his friend from an imprudent marriage. She could understand that the man was talking about Bingley and Jane. She is furious now with Darcy.

The next day, when she is alone at the parsonage, a priest’s house, Darcy tells her that though she belongs to a lower economic class, he wants to marry her. She is shocked and furious by the unmanly manner of Darcy and refuses him. She also accuses him of destroying Jane’s future happiness and depriving Wickham of his legal rights. Darcy is shocked that Elizabeth has declined his proposal.

Before leaving Rosings Park, Darcy writes a letter to Elizabeth, and she reads it after his departure. Darcy, in the letter, claims that he thought that Jane and Bingley were not in good understanding at that time. Then he comes to the point Wickham that his father told him to provide a secure life for Wickham and make a clergyman, but Wickham claimed 3000 pounds for studying law and spent money on a rough life. The Wickham returned to him and also demanded money, and he proposed that he would be a clergyman. When I refused Wickham, he made a plan to elope with my adolescent sister Georgiana, 15 years old, and I intervened and saved her honor.

At first, Elizabeth could not believe it, but when she looks into Wickham’s character, she sees and starts to think about Darcy from a different angle for the first time. Elizabeth and Jane return to Longbourn. The regiment is being shifted from Meryton to Brighton. Lydia is very upset about this. The officer in charge of the company invites Lydia to go with them. Elizabeth opposes this because Lydia’s silly manner will cause trouble there, but Mr. Bennet allows her to go. Mr. Gardiner and Mrs. Gardiner come to Longbourn for fa touring.

Elizabeth goes with them to Pemberley Park, which is a luxurious house owned by Darcy. The housekeeper of Pemberley, Mrs. Reynolds, praises Darcy a lot, and there happens a coincidence that Darcy reaches there suddenly and expectedly. This time, Darcy is cordial to Elizabeth and tells her she will be introduced to his sister, Georgiana. The following day, Darcy goes to Elizabeth’s inn with Georgiana and Bingley. Elizabeth observes that Bingley has a strong passion for her sister Jane. For the first time, Elizabeth is happy, but she is sent a letter by Jane informing her that she should come back as soon as possible because Lydia eloped with Wickham. Elizabeth tells Darcy the news and returns to Longbourn. Darcy is upset and feels guilty because he never exposes Wickham’s wickedness publicly.

Mrs. Bennet has locked herself in her room, and Mr. Bennet has gone to London to find Lydia. Mr. Bennet comes back to Longbourn and tells Mr. Gardiner to search out Lydia. After some days, Mr. Gardiner sends a letter to Mr. Bennet informing him that Lydia and Wickham have been fetched out and are in London together without marriage. However, Wickham demands dowry to marry Lydia.

Elope of Lydia Bennet with George Wickham: Some days later, Lydia comes to Longbourn, and she does not feel any shame for her misdeeds. At dinner, she tells Elizabeth Mistakenly that Darcy was at her wedding. Elizabeth curiously writes a letter to Mrs. Gardiner for details. Mrs. Gardiner informs her that Darcy pays the demand because he loves Elizabeth very much. Bingley and Darcy come to Netherfield, and they are frequently called at Longbourn. Bingley proposes Jane for marriage, and she accepts it without any hesitation.

Darcy has to go to London for a business trip. In the meantime, Lady Catherine de Borough comes to Elizabeth and insists she not marry Darcy because Lady Catherine wants Darcy to marry her sick daughter. Still, Elizabeth does not promise that, and Lady Catherine departs emptily. Darcy returns to Loungbo, and Elizabeth proposes to him; the lovers discuss their misunderstanding, which happened due to their pride and prejudice. Jane, Bingley, Elizabeth, and Darcy get Married and Lead a happy marital life, but Lydia is not pleased. Mr. Bennet is for her daughter’s marriage, and Mr. Bennet is satisfied with his eventual marriage.