Summary of Pride and Prejudice
This story mainly tells about a family, called the Bennets, and their daughters at 18th century. The story’s main topics are love, marriage, and reputation, but it also shows that century’s patriarchy, anti-feminism, and social hierarchy. The story is mainly about a love story between Elizabeth, one of the daughters of Bennets, and Mr. Darcy.
The story begins with Charles Bingley’s move to the Netherfield Park manor. Mr. Bingley is a rich man, so people in Longbourn, which is the village that the Bennets lives in, spreads news about him. The Bennets hears that news, too, and they have five single daughters, and their mother thinks that it is a great opportunity to make one of them marry with him. She is about to make her husband go to him as a guest –it is a rule at that times, if someone is moved, the man of the house must go first as a guest. But he thinks the same, and goes there as a guest earlier (it means that he wants to make one of their daughters marry with him as well.). As expected, he gives a ball in this manor, and the Bennets goes there. At that ball, Mr. Bingley suddenly falls in love with Jane, the eldest daughter of them. His friend, Mr. Darcy is in here, too, but he is not interested in any of the girls, including Elizabeth. Elizabeth wants to dance with him, but he rudely rejects it.
Shortly after that ball, Jane receives a letter from Mr. Bingley. He wants to host her at that manor. She goes to there, but because of the rain, she catches a cold. She is hosted a while at there because of her illness. Elizabeth worries about her sister, and leads a long way to get that manor. Elizabeth meets with Mr. Darcy, and he is not pleased with her tired and silly appearance. After a few days, Elizabeth and Jane turn back to their village.
When they arrived, they meet Mr. Collins, the only inheritor of their house. He loves Elizabeth, and proposes to her, but she definitely rejects it. At that time, they meet a soldier named Wickham, and he likes Elizabeth. He talks about a heritage problem between him and Mr. Darcy with her. Because of that story and previous experiments with him, Elizabeth thinks that he is not a good man.
Elizabeth and Jane turns back to London, desperate to Jane. At that time, Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth’s closest friend, gets engaged with Mr. Collins. Charlotte talks with Elizabeth that because of getting old and financial issues, she is obligated to marry with him. Also she invites Elizabeth to their house. Jane goes to London to see Mr. Bingley, but she meets only with his sister, and she is rude to her. It makes Jane so desperate again.
Elizabeth goes to Charlotte and Mr. Collins’ house as a guest. Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy meet at the Lady Catherine’s house. Then some time passes, and Mr. Darcy proposes to Elizabeth, but he is rejected. She thinks that he is rude and ‘proud’. She accuses him for the heritage problem with Wickham, and send Mr. Bingley away from Jane. Mr. Darcy writes a letter to Elizabeth about all the accusations, and explains why he did all of them, so Elizabeth understands that he is innocent. When she turns back home, she treats him different, because she knows what the real story is. The soldiers go out of village completely, because of that Lydia convinces her father to stay in Brighton.
Elizabeth goes to one of their relatives, Gardiners. Their home is near to the Pemberly, one of the Mr. Darcy’s properties. It is also a museum, open for public. Elizabeth goes to there, and unexpectedly meets with Mr. Darcy. Mr. Darcy hosts Elizabeth and Gardiners as good as possible, and Elizabeth’s prejudice is completely gone. At that time, Lydia runs away with Wickham, and there are rumors about they live together out-of-marriage. The Bennets are afraid of these rumors, and Elizabeth turns home earlier. Mr. Bennet and Mr. Gardiner go to find her, but it is failed. Then, they receive a letter that says Wickham gets married with Lydia for money. All of them thinks that Mr. Gardiner provides that money, but actually Mr. Darcy does it.
Mr. Bingley returns to the Netherfield, and continues to be interested in Jane. Mr. Darcy also visits the Bennets often. After a while, Mr. Bingley proposes to Jane, and Jane accepts it. While the Bennets celebrate that, Lady Catherine visits them, and tells Elizabeth that she will not let her and Mr. Darcy marry, but she opposes that, and does not promise to not marry with him. One day, while Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth walk, he says that his emotions are not changed and loves her, and proposes her again, she accepts that proposal. Both of the couples get married.
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