Text Commentary on Pride and Prejudice

Jane Austen's Pride & Prejudice is set in 18th century England. A foolish mother, a patient father, and a mixture of five lively, intelligent, silly and good natured girls make up the family around which the story revolves.

Each line in the delightful novel can be studied to reveal great insights and truths. Lets take for example the description of Darcy's admiration for Elizabeth slowly raising its head from behind his disgust with the Bennets. Or his revealing his admiration for Elizabeth's eyes, and Caroline's reaction. Each line could be analysed in this way.

				Elizabeth was oblivious of Darcy’s interest in his, observing Jane and Bingley. What attracts is not necessarily a pretty face. Shallow persons fall for a face. Strong characters are attracted by character not by beauty. Eyes express strength of character. Darcy’s haste to criticise is the inversion of strong attraction. Dark eyes are of deep characters. Not having one good feature, Elizabeth is still powerfully attractive. Handsome face prevents seeing the character. Each positive factor is balanced by a negative trait. Lightness of figure indicates a free soul. A pleasing figure is that of a happy personality. Fashionable world gives a countenance. Easy playfulness is of inner freedom and is strikingly charming.
Mr. Darcy had at first scarcely allowed her to be pretty; he had looked at her without admiration at the ball; and when they next met, he looked at her only to criticise. But no sooner had he made it clear to himself and his friends that she had hardly a good feature in her face, than he began to find it was rendered uncommonly intelligent by the beautiful expression of her dark eyes. To this discovery succeeded some others equally mortifying. Though he had detected with a critical eye more than one failure of perfect symmetry in her form, he was forced to acknowledge her figure to be light and pleasing; and in spite of his asserting that her manners were not those of the fashionable world, he was caught by their easy playfulness.
				Actually Eliza’s refusal sends Darcy into a reverie of her fine eyes. In love, a rival can never escape. Dullness tries to attract by offence. No one, not even the lover, can know another man’s thoughts. A lover hastens to endorse the thoughts of his beloved. The cultured do not resent the uncultured. Sensitivity is the index of the unripe culture. Caroline’s self-importance is offended by the self-importance of the Assembly. In a weak position life responds with the opposite. Man describes himself in describing others. While in love, one cannot miss a single small opportunity. What attracts Miss Bingley is Darcy’s focus on Elizabeth. Caroline was the only person to whom Darcy speaks of Eliza. It was because she was in love with him. Lovers are sensitive about their love; still they itch to talk of them. Eyes express the soul. Serious Romance defies one’s strength if he has to speak.
"My mind was more agreeably engaged. I have been meditating on the very great pleasure which a pair of fine eyes in the face of a pretty woman can bestow." Miss Bingley immediately fixed her eyes on his face, and desired he would tell her what lady had the credit of inspiring such reflections. Mr. Darcy replied with great intrepidity -- "Miss Elizabeth Bennet."

Following is the complete text of P&P presented chapter-wise with line-by-line commentary highlighting and providing original insights into the characters and events. Contributors are invited to raise questions and/or add their own comments on the text.

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 01
News of Bingley's arrival - Mrs.Bennet wants her husband to call at Netherfield - Mr.Bennet refuses

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 02
Mr.Bennet's visit to Netherfield - Mr.Bennet breaks the news - the family rejoices

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 03
Bingley returns Mr.Bennet's visit - Bingley's sisters and Darcy arrive - Meryton ball - Bingley pleases everyone - Darcy appears disagreeable - Darcy insults Elizabeth - Bingley favors Jane

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 04
Jane admits her liking for Bingley to Elizabeth - Bingley's sisters approve of Jane - Bingley takes Netherfield park

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 05
The Lucases visit Longbourn - the girls discuss the ball - Charlotte justifies Darcy's pride

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 06
Charlotte says Jane should be more expressive - Elizabeth disagrees - Darcy begins to admire Elizabeth - Darcy asks Elizabeth to dance with him - Elizabeth refuses - Darcy confesses to Caroline his admiration for Elizabeth

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 07
A militia regiment arrives - Caroline invites Jane to Netherfield - Mrs.Bennet sends Jane on horseback - it rains - Jane falls ill - Elizabeth goes to Netherfield

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 08
Bingley's sisters express contempt for Jane's relations - Bennet doesnt object to her connections - Elizabeth participates in the conversation between Bingley, his sisters and Darcy - Jane gets worse

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 09
Mrs.Bennet, Kitty and Lydia visit Netherfield - Mrs.Bennet argues with Darcy - Jane better - Mrs.Bennet ensures Jane stays in Netherfield longer

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 10
Caroline constantly tries to please Darcy - Elizabeth is amused - Elizabeth mistakes Darcy's admiration for dislike - Darcy invites her to dance - Elizabeth refuses - Caroline congratulates Darcy sarcastically

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 11
Jane is better - Bingley rejoices - The Bingleys, Darcy and Elizabeth converse - Elizabeth and Darcy discuss his failings - Darcy awakens to his feelings for Elizabeth

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 12
Jane returns to Longbourn in Bingley's carriage - Darcy is relieved Elizabeth is gone

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 13
Mr.Bennet reads out Collins' letter - Collins arrives - His formal, odd behavious amuses Mr.Darcy and his daughters

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 14
Collins overly praises Lady Catherine de Bourgh - He reads out a sermon - Lydia interrupts - Collins is offended

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 15
Collins informs Mrs.Bennet his intention to marry one of her daughters - Collins selects Elizabeth - Jane, Elizabeth, Kitty, Lydia and Collins walk to Meryton - They meet Wickham - Bingley and Darcy arrive

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 16
Meryton ball - Collins and his cousins attend - wickham arrives - He tells Elizabeth lies about Darcy - She readily believes

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 17
Jane does not believe the lies about Darcy - Bingleys visit Netherfield, invite the Bennets to a ball at Netherfield - Elizabeth teases Collins about attending balls - Collins asks her to dance with him

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 18
Netherfield ball - Elizabeth dances with Darcy, she teases him - Sir William Lucas hints at Bingley and Jane's marriage - Caroline warns Elizabeth about Wickham - Collins, Mrs.Bennet and her younger daughters are most embarassing

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 19
Collins proposes to Elizabeth - she refuses

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 20
Mrs.Bennet tries unsiccessfully to force Elizabeth to accept the proposal - Charlotte arrives

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 21
The Bennet girls go to Meryton - Elizabeth meets Darcy - Wickham walks back with them to Longbourn - Letter arrives from Caroline - The Bingleys and Darcy have left - Caroline hopes Bingley will marry Georgiana - Elizabeth sees through the letter

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 22
Collins proposes to Charlotte - She readily accepts him - Elizabeth is shocked and disappointed

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 23
Sir Lucas announces Charlotte's engagement - Mrs.Bennet angry and upset - No news of Bingley, Jane upset

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 24 -- Book II Chapter I of Oxford edition
A letter from Caroline ends Jane's hope - Elizabeth guesses that Bingley's sisters and friend have influenced him - the Bennets sees Wickham often

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 25
Collins leaves - Gardiners arrive - Mrs.Gardiner tells Lizzy she would have been better able to cope with disappointment than Jane - She suggests taking Jane with her to London

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 26
Mrs.Gardiner tells Elizabeth Wickham cannot afford to marry her - Gardiners and Jane leave - Collins returns, married Charlotte - Charlotte invites Elizabeth to Hunsford - Jane calls on Bingley's sisters - Wickham turns attention to for Mary King

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 27
Elizabeth, Sir Lucas and Maria go to Hunsford - They stop at the Gardiners' on the way - Mrs.Gardiner invites her on a tour to the Lakes

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 28
Elizabeth reaches Hunsford - Anne de Bourgh drives by - invitation to dine at Rosings Park

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 29
Collins prepares everyone for the magnificence of Rosings Park - the party vists Lady Catherine - Elizabeth is not awed by what she sees - Lady Catherine offers her carriage to take them back

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 30
Darcy arrives - Darcy and Fitzwilliam come to the Parsonage

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 31
Collins' family and Elizabeth invited to Rosings Park - Fitzwilliam pleased with Elizabeth's company - Darcy ashamed of his aunt's behavior

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 32
Darcy calls on Elizabeth - Charlotte clearly sees that Darcy must be in love with Elizabeth - He continues to visit them often

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 33
Elizabeth and Darcy meet every now and then in the Park - Fitzwilliam informs Elizabeth of Darcy's interference in Bingley's marriage to Jane

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 34
Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, at the same time insulting her - she refuses - accuses him of interfering in Jane's and Wickham's lives - she is upset and agitated

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 35
Darcy gives Elizabeth a letter - He explains his conduct in Jane's affair - reveals Wickham's true nature and attempted elopement with Georgiana

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 36
At first, Elizabeth declares that the letter must be false - rationally analyzes all that Wickham and Darcy said and did - realises that Wickham is false - she acknowledges the truth in Darcy's accusations about her family - Darcy and Fitzwilliam leave after waiting to meet Elizabeth

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 37
Lady Catherine asks Elizabeth to stay for some more time in Hunsford - Elizabeth says she must go - she is convinced more and more that Darcy is justified in his feelings and behavior

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 38
Elizabeth and Maria leave Hunsford - They stay with the Gardiners for a few days - Jane goes back with them to Longbourn

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 39
Kitty and Lydia meet their sisters - Lydia gives news of Mary King's departure - Elizabeth realises her feelings are as coarse as Lydia's - Lydia intends to go to Brighton

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 40
Elizabeth informs Jane about Darcy's proposal and letter - she conceals the information about Bingley - Jane feels sorry for Darcy - Jane still feels for Bingley

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 41
Mrs.Forster invites Lydia - her parents allow her to go - Elizabeth tries to dissuade her father - Elizabeth hints to Wickham about his duplicity - Wickham takes leave - Lydia departs with the regiment to Brighton

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 42
Elizabeth realises her father has not been responsible all along - Gardiners' tour of the Lakes is altered - Gardiners take Elizabeth to Derbyshire - Mrs.Gardiner insists on taking Elizabeth to Pemberley

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 43 -- Book III Chapter I of Oxford edition
Elizabeth is awed - she realises she could have been the mistress - housekeeper verifies Darcy's account of Wickham - she praises Darcy - Darcy arrives - he is most cordial to Elizabeth and the Gardiners

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 44
Darcy, Georgiana and Bingey call on Elizabeth - Gardiners are surprised - Darcy invites them to dine at Pemberley - Elizabeth's feelings for Darcy change

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 45
Elizabeth and Gardiners go to Pemberley - Bingley's sisters are cold - Caroline tries to taunt Elizabeth, criticizes her after she leaves - Darcy declares Elizabeth handsome to Caroline

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 46
Two letters arrive from Jane - Lydia has eloped with Wickham - Darcy arrives - Elizabeth gives him the news and cries - Darcy is shocked - Elizabeth and Gardiners leave for Longbourn

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 47
The Gardiners and Elizabeth reach Longbourn - Mr.Bennet has gone in search of Lydia - Mrs.Bennet blames everyone else - Jane gives Elizabeth all the news, both discuss the development

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 48
Mr.Gardiner goes to London to assist Mr.Bennet - Collins write condemning Lydia's elopement - news of Wickham's gambling, debts - Mr.Bennet arrives from London - He takes responsibility

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 49
Mr.Gardiner letter arrives - Wickham's debts are to be settled, he and Lydia are to be married - Mr.Bennet believes Mr.Gardiner has paid Wickham a huge amount of money - he decided to repay Mr.Gardiner

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 50
Mr.Bennet regrets not having saved money - Mrs.Bennet is elated - Elizabeth regrets having informed Darcy - she realises she would like to marry him - Mr.Gardiner writes, refuses to accept payment from Mr.Bennet - Wickham is to join the regulars - Lydia wants to visit Longbourn

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 51
Lydia and Wickham marry - they visit Longbourn, stay for ten days - Lydia is proud of Wickham and her marriage to him - Lydia lets slip that Darcy attended her marrriage - Elizabeth writes to Mrs.Gardiner asking her for details

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 52
Mrs.Gardiner's letter arrives - Darcy's role in the marriage is disclosed - she hints at Elizabeth's marriage to Darcy - Wickham interrupts her - she hints that she knows all the truth

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 53
Lydia and Wickham leave - news of Bingley's arrival - Mrs.Bennet asks Mr.Bennet to call on him - he refuses - Bingley arrives - he visits Longbourn with Darcy, resumes his attention towards Jane - Darcy is silent

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 54
Dinner at Longbourn - Bingley and Darcy arrive - Bingley is most attentive towards Jane - Elizabeth and Darcy scarcely speak - Bennets pleased with the party

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 55
Bingley visits Longbourn - Mrs.Bennet invites him for dinner the next day - she arranges for Bingley to be alone with Jane - Bingley doesnt propose - he is invited to shoot birds the next day - Bingley proposes to Jane, she accepts - everyone is happy

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 56
Lady Catherine de Bourgh visits Longbourn - she insults Elizabeth, asks her to promise she will not marry Darcy - Elizabeth refuses - Lady Catherine leaves angrily - Elizabeth lies to her mother that Lady Catherine had nothing to say

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 57

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 58

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 59

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 60

Pride & Prejudice: Chapter 61