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PrideandPrejudicePrideandPrejudiceisanovelbyJaneAusten,firstpublishedin1813.ThestoryfollowsthemaincharacterElizabethBennetasshedealswithissuesofmanners,upbringing,morality,education,andmarriageinthesocietyofthelandedgentryofearly19th-centuryEngland.ElizabethisthesecondoffivedaughtersofacountrygentlemanlivingnearthefictionaltownofMerytoninHertfordshire,nearLondon.Thoughthestoryissetattheturnofthe19thcentury,itretainsafascinationformodernreaders,continuingnearthetopoflistsof'mostlovedbooks'suchasTheBigRead.[1]IthasbecomeoneofthemostpopularnovelsinEnglishliteratureandreceivesconsiderableattentionfromliteraryscholars.ModerninterestinthebookhasresultedinanumberofdramaticadaptationsandanabundanceofnovelsandstoriesimitatingAusten'smemorablecharactersorthemes.Todate,thebookhassoldsome20millioncopiesworldwidePlotsummaryThenarrativeopenswithMrBingley,awealthy,charmingandsocialyoungbachelor,movingintoNetherfieldParkintheneighbourhoodoftheBennetfamily.MrBingleyissoonwellreceived,whilehisfriendMrDarcymakesalessfavorablefirstimpressionbyappearingproudandcondescendingataballthattheyattend(thisispartlyexplainedinthathedetestsdancingandisnotmuchforlightconversation).MrBingleysinglesoutElizabeth'seldersister,Jane,forparticularattention,anditsoonbecomesapparentthattheyhaveformedanattachmenttoeachother.Bycontrast,DarcyslightsElizabeth,whooverhearsandjokesaboutitdespitefeelingabuddingresentment.OnpayingavisittoMrBingley'ssister,Janeiscaughtinaheavydownpour,catchescold,andisforcedtostayatNetherfieldforseveraldays.ElizabetharrivestonursehersisterandisthrownintofrequentcompanywithMrDarcy,whobeginstoperceivehisattachmenttoher,butistooproudtoproceedonthisfeeling.MrCollins,aclergyman,paysavisittotheBennets.MrBennetandElizabetharemuchamusedbyhisobsequiousvenerationofhisemployer,thenobleLadyCatherinedeBourgh,aswellasbyhisself-importantandpedanticnature.ItsoonbecomesapparentthatMrCollinshascometoLongbourntochooseawifefromamongtheBennetsisters(hiscousins)andElizabethhasbeensingledout.Atthesametime,ElizabethformsanacquaintancewithMrWickham,amilitiaofficerwhoclaimstohavebeenveryseriouslymistreatedbyMrDarcy,despitehavingbeenawardofMrDarcy'sfather.Thistale,andElizabeth'sattractiontoMrWickham,addsfueltoherdislikeofMrDarcy.AtaballgivenbyMrBingleyatNetherfield,MrDarcybecomesawareofageneralexpectationthatMrBingleyandJanewillmarry,andtheBennetfamily,withtheexceptionofJaneandElizabeth,makeapublicdisplayofpoormannersanddecorum.Thefollowingmorning,MrCollinsproposesmarriagetoElizabeth,whorefuseshim,muchtohermother'sdistress.MrCollinsrecoversandpromptlybecomesengagedtoElizabeth'sclosefriendCharlotte,ahomelywomanwithfewprospects.MrBingleyabruptlyquitsNetherfieldandreturnstoLondon,andElizabethisconvincedthatMrDarcyandMrBingley'ssisterhaveconspiredtoseparatehimfromJane.Inthespring,ElizabethvisitsCharlotteandMrCollinsinKent.ElizabethandherhostsarefrequentlyinvitedtoRosingsPark,homeofLadyCatherinedeBourgh,Darcy'saunt;coincidentally,Darcyalsoarrivestovisit.DarcyagainfindshimselfattractedtoElizabethandimpetuouslyproposestoher.Elizabeth,however,hasjustlearnedofDarcy'sroleinseparatingMrBingleyfromJanefromhiscousinColonelFitzwilliam.Sheangrilyrebukeshim,andaheateddiscussionfollows;shechargeshimwithdestroyinghersister'shappiness,withtreatingMrWickhamdisgracefully,andwithhavingconductedhimselftowardsherinanungentleman-likemanner.MrDarcy,shocked,ultimatelyrespondswithalettergivingagoodaccountof(mostof)hisactions:Wickhamhadexchangedhislegaciesforacashpayment,onlytoreturnaftergamblingawaythemoneytoreclaimtheforfeitedinheritance;hethenattemptedtoelopewithDarcy'syoungsister,therebytocaptureherfortune.RegardingMrBingleyandJane,DarcyclaimedhehadobservednoreciprocalinterestinJaneforBingley.ElizabethlatercametoacknowledgethetruthofDarcy'sassertions.Somemonthslater,ElizabethandherAuntandUncleGardinervisitPemberley,Darcy'sestate,believinghewillbeabsentfortheday.Hereturnsunexpectedly,andthoughsurprised,heisgraciousandwelcoming.HetreatstheGardinerswithgreatcivility;heintroducesElizabethtohissister,andElizabethbeginstorealiseherattractiontohim.Theirreacquaintanceiscutshort,however,bynewsthatLydia,Elizabeth'ssister,hasrunawaytoelopewithMrWickham.ElizabethandtheGardinersreturntoLongbourn,whereElizabethgrievesthatherrenewedacquaintancewithMrDarcywillendbecauseofhersister'sdisgrace.LydiaandWickhamaresoonfound,thenmarriedbytheclergy;theyvisitLongbourn,whereLydialetsslipthatMrDarcywasresponsibleforfindingthecoupleandnegotiatingtheirmarriage—atgreatexpensetohimself.ElizabethisshockedbutdoesnotdwellfurtheronthetopicduetoMrBingley'sreturnandsubsequentproposaltoJane,whoimmediatelyaccepts.LadyCatherinedeBourghlaterburstsinonLongbourn;intendingtothwartlocalrumour,shewarnsElizabethagainstmarryingMrDarcy.Elizabethrefusesherdemands.Disgusted,LadyCatherineleavesanddropsbytoinformhernephewonElizabeth'sabominablebehaviour.However,thislendshopetoDarcythatElizabeth'sopinionofhimmayhavechanged.HetravelstoLongbournandproposesagain;andnowElizabethaccepts.MajorthemesManycriticstakethenovel'stitleasas