Pride and Prejudice

This Reader will be published in mid-April. This edition of Pride and Prejudice contains a retold novel, an introduction, notes on the Jane Austen notes on the Regency period, the book's themes, a simple glossary, and a free CD (running time 2 hours). The book on the CD is read slowly andclearly to aid comprehension. Jane Austen's classic novel is an ironic comedy of manners that prevailed in the society of the late 18th century, and early 19th century. Pride and Prejudice tells the story of Elizabeth Bennet who has four sisters, and Mr Bennet, her long-suffering but loving father, and Mrs Bennet, her mother, anxious to marry her daughters to wealthy young gentlemen. At a local ball, Elizabeth meets one such wealthy young man, Mr Fitzwilliam Darcy. Mr Darcy is cold, rude and proud, and it is dislike at first sight. As Elizabeth's older sister Jane falls in love with Mr Bingley, Mr Darcy's best friend, and her youngest sister Lydia flirts with anyone in a military uniform, Lizzie finds herself fighting off the attentions of the oily Mr Collins but is quite taken by the charms of Mr Wickham - who also happens to be the godson of Mr. Darcy's father, and is now an enemy of Mr. Darcy through his bad behaviour although in this edition he is presented as a lovable rogue. As the young people succumb in many ways to pride and prejudice, Lizzie learns that not all is quite as it seems ...and that Mr Darcy might be more agreeable than she first thought. In Jane Austen's time, a social hierarchy in English society governed what one could say or do. Social rank determined one's social class and whom one could marry. Pride and Prejudice is an entertaining, skilfully written novel written with ironic observation of social behaviour and stands up today because of Austen's storytelling, wit and phrasing, and humour.

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