200 years of Pride and Prejudice

28 January 2013 marks the 200^th anniversary of one of my all-time favourite books; Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, which was first published in three volumes on 28 January 1813.  

First Edition

A special website has been launched to commemorate this special occasion, and events are being held, especially across the UK, in celebration. 

Anne Hathaway as Jane Austen writing Pride and Prejudice in Becoming Jane

In celebration, here are some of my favourite quotes from the book. 

 “From all that I can collect by your manner of talking, you must be two of the silliest girls in the country. I have suspected it some time, but I am now convinced.” – Mr Bennet to his daughters, Kitty and Lydia

Kitty and Lydia with Mrs Bennet (Pride and Prejudice - 2005)

“An unhappy alternative is before you, Elizabeth. From this day you must be a stranger to one of your parents. Your mother will never see you again if you do not marry Mr. Collins, and I will never see you again if you do.” - Mr Bennet

Mr & Mrs Bennet (Pride and Prejudice - 2005)

“I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine.” - Elizabeth about Mr. Darcy

Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice - 2005)

   

"Occupied in observing Mr. Bingley's attentions to her sister, Elizabeth was far from suspecting that she was herself becoming an object of some interest in the eyes of his friend. 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 hardly had 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. Of this she was perfectly unaware; to her he was only the man who made himself agreeable nowhere, and who had not thought her handsome enough to dance with" - of Elizabeth & Darcy

“Your conjecture is totally wrong, I assure you. 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.”  - Mr. Darcy to Miss Bingley

Mr Darcy (Pride and Prejudice - 2005)

"Darcy had never been so bewitched by any woman as he was by her. He really believed, that were it not for the inferiority of her connections, he should be in some danger." - Mr Darcy regarding Elizabeth

“There is, I believe, in every disposition a tendency to some particular evil— a natural defect, which not even the best education can overcome.” - Darcy

“And your defect is a propensity to hate everybody." - Elizabeth

“And yours,” he replied with a smile, “is willfully to misunderstand them.” - Darcy 

Elizabeth & Darcy (Pride and Prejudice - 2005)

   

"I certainly have not the talent which some people possess,” said Darcy, “of conversing easily with those I have never seen before. I cannot catch their tone of conversation, or appear interested in their concerns, as I often see done.” - Darcy

 “My fingers,” said Elizabeth, “do not move over this instrument in the masterly manner which I see so many women’s do. They have not the same force or rapidity, and do not produce the same expression. But then I have always supposed it to be my own fault- because I would not take the trouble of practising…” - Elizabeth

Elizabeth & Jane (Pride and Prejudice - 2005)

  

“I am the happiest creature in the world. Perhaps other people have said so before, but not one with such justice. I am happier even than Jane; she only smiles, I laugh.” - Elizabeth

Thank you Ms Austen for this timeless literary masterpiece - Happy 200th anniversary Pride and Prejudice!