Now, get ready for my longest book review ever!
Pride and Prejudice is such a gem which the ignorant me had overlooked for almost half a year after the purchase of the book!
It kept me occupied for the past few tranquil days, and blessed me with such a rapturous delicacy of mind and serenity of soul which I could hardly attain from anything else other than the cherished felicity of reading.
The style of language that Jane Austen employed, fascinated me exceedingly, for its beauty and power often struck me like how magical a fairy godmother could be, to an innocent child. That is, I presume, to be the true power of language, or literature to be exact, being not only able to strike a common cord and an immense appreciation among its readers, but also to provide great nourishment to their minds and souls.
Side note: If you have not realized by now, let me have the honourable pleasure of enlightening you that I’ve been trying very hard to imitate Master Jane Austen’s way of writing! Which is found and proven, to be, wahlao, very difficult indeed.
But this is supposed, I heard, from a credible source of information that, to be the “original” style of British English. Which is, to be put plainly, super chim lah~~
Anyways, such a folly I am to be acquainted with this master piece of art only at the twentieth year of my humble and ignorant life! I consider myself fortunate enough to have watched the movie, for it has stirred my curiosity about the original text and hence giving me the precious chance of meeting and appreciating such a piece of wonder.
And now, the plot and setting of the story.
Pardon my lack of literature background since I’ve been a Science student for the past 6 years of my life, I seem to be an unqualified and untaught candidate to comment on the literary interpretations and artistic understandings of the contents of the book (I bet Simin could be more apt in doing so! =D), nonetheless I could very much appreciate the author’s effort in introducing a distinctive variety of characters in making her story alive.
If not for Jane’s angelic disposition, Lydia’s incorrigible willfulness, Mr Collins’ silly pompousness, Mrs Bennet’s unashamed narrow-mindedness and Miss Bingley’s foolishly-displayed affection for Mr Darcy, the plot might have not been so entertainingly engaging. We must, therefore, give a great deal of credit to the author for producing such a tactically and meticulously crafted piece of work.
The book also brought a sharp and critical awareness of the fine social distinctions to light, which was displayed via the dances, social status, livelihood and domestic affairs that were associated with the characters’ lives. A peak of the culture and everyday life of residents in England in the early 1800s was animatedly unfolded under the author’s seasoned pen. For I am not such an assiduous and passionate reader who would diligently research on the historical background of the book, I am satisfied with the short explanatory notes given at the back of the novel and be contented with solely admiring at the language and the plot.
It was pure coincidence that I’ve watched 3 movies in relation to Jane Austen. Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park and Becoming Jane. All of them have left me such an impactful and vivid impression on the notable author and her works, that after reading her most well-acclaimed novel, I soon found myself fervently addicted her works and cannot be more eager to lay my hands on the rest of her valued pieces.
That’s a 600 words review on Jane Austen and her Pride and Prejudice! Haha.
Let me end off by quoting a few paragraphs in my current favourite read, on how marvelous and quick-witted Elizabeth had been, in replying to the self-important Lady Catherine’s insult and condemn:
“Let me be rightly understood. This match, to which you have the presumption to aspire, can never take place. No, never. Mr Darcy is engaged to my daughter. Now what have you to say?” asked, Lady Catherine.
“Only this; that if he is so, you can have no reason to suppose he will make an offer to me,” replied Elizabeth.
“Do you pay no regard to the wishes of his friends? To his tacit engagement with my daughter? Are you lost to every feeling of propriety and delicacy? Have you not heard me say, that from his earliest hours he was destined for his cousin?”
“Yes, and I’ve heard it before. But what is that to me? If there’s no other objection to my marrying your nephew, I shall certainly not be kept from it. ….. If Mr Darcy is neither by honour nor inclination confined to his cousin, why is not he to make another choice? And if I am that choice, why may not I accept him?”
“Because honour, decorum, prudence, nay, interest, forbid it. Yes, Miss Bennet, interest; for do not expect to be noticed by his family or friends, if you willfully act against the inclination of all. You will be censured, slighted, and despised, by everyone connected with him. Your alliance will be a disgrace; your name will never even be mentioned by any one of us.”
“These are heavy misfortunes,” replied Elizabeth. “But the wife of Mr Darcy must have such extraordinary sources of happiness necessarily attached to her situation, that she could, upon the whole, have no cause to repine.”
How cool is that! Woot~ =D
