2025/08/24 Pride and Prejudice
The story commences with the Bennet family anticipating the arrival of a rich nobleman, Mr. Bingley, in their small town, and Mrs. Bennet wishing one out of her five daughters to marry him. At a local ball, where they are introduced to each other, Mr. Bingley takes an instant liking for Jane, the eldest and warmest of Bennet sisters. On the other hand,Mr. Darcy, richer but less-sociable than his friend Mr. Bingley, remarks unfavorably about Elizabeth Bennet, second to Jane among the five Bennet sisters. A love-hate relationship ensues between them.
In the course of time, Jane is invited by the Bingleys for dinner, where she falls terribly sick and asks Elizabeth to visit her. In the conversations that follow, Darcy grows attracted towards Elizabeth due to her sensibility, wittiness, and integrity, which he suppresses because of her lower social standing and her family’s immodest greed.
After Jane recovers, the sisters go to town to prepare for the upcoming ball hosted by Bingley. They meet Mr. Wickham, a regiment soldier, whose amiability gets him in everyone’s good books. In random conversation, Wickham tells Elizabeth how Darcy ruined his life by denying him his inheritance. On the ball night, when Darcy asks Elizabeth for a dance, she scorns him on Wickham’s account and leaves the conversation mid-way.
After a week, Bingleys and Darcy suddenly leave, with no intention to return, which leaves Jane heartbroken. Meanwhile Elizabeth goes to visit her married friend, Charolotte Collins, who is patroned by Catherine De Bourgh who is also Darcy’s aunt. Darcy meets her again, and Elizabeth gets to know that it was Darcy who convinced Mr. Bingley to leave Jane because it would be an imprudent match. On the same day, Darcy proposes to Elizabeth which she fervently declines accusing Darcy of Jane and Wickham’s misfortunes. Darcy leaves with a letter for Elizabeth stating his reasons for both the accusations. He asserts that Wickham was a deceitful, dishonest man who mindlessly spent his fortune and tried to elope with Darcy’s sister just for claiming her inheritance. About Bingley, he felt that Jane apparently felt nothing for his friend and also her family was opportunistic and dishonorable.
After reading the letter, Elizabeth feels ashamed and goes on a trip to Derbyshire to divert her mind. She meets Darcy again, in his mansion at Pemberley, and is surprised at his politeness and civility. When things are about to get better for them, Elizabeth receives a letter from Jane stating that Lydia, their youngest sister, has run off with Wickham. Upon returning, her uncle and father painstakingly find Lydia and fulfill Wickham’s conditions of marriage. Lydia accidentally tells Elizabeth that it was actually Darcy who found them and sponsored their marriage. Elizabeth feels utterly miserable at misunderstanding and rejecting him, because lately she realizes that she loves him.
Within a week, Bingley arrives, apologizes, and proposes to Jane, to which she happily concedes. The same night, Darcy’s aunt, upon hearing the rumors regarding Darcy and Elizabeth’s possible union, comes to command her not to woo Darcy because she wanted him to marry her daughter. Elizabeth fervently refuses to do so, which rekindles Darcy’s hope. The next day, Darcy courteously tells her that his affection stays the same, however, if she doesn’t want him, he wouldn’t press further. Elizabeth gladly accepts the offer of marriage this time. The story ends with both couples’ happy prosperous marriage based on mutual respect and understanding.
An adaptation of the novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.
Adapted by Pragati Singh