Pride and Prejudice – Notes on my 2025 Reread ˚˖𓍢ִִ໋🌼🧺˚˖𓍢ִ🌿˚.

I decided in December to make Pride and Prejudice my first book of the new year. I’ve read Jane Austen’s novels countless times but she’s one of several authors I’d like to revisit entirely this year. I couldn’t wait to go back to Regency England! Rereading classics often acts as a mirror for me – they haven’t changed, but what I take away from them changes dramatically the older I become. I loved rereading this so much this time around. I always think of Pride and Prejudice as both my favourite and the lightest of Jane’s novels and it is, but I found a lot of things which are very far from the ‘bright, light and sparkling’ reputation it has got too (the Bennets’ marital and family relationship is one, see below) but also lots of absolutely lovely things in what is such a wonderful, perfect book. I was struck this time around at Darcy’s incredible behaviour throughout. He falls for Elizabeth at first sight and the whole book he does nothing but try to endear himself to her despite her family’s gossiping personality, despite knowing that Lydia might be ruined, despite, afterwards, knowing that Wickham will be his brother-in-law. I also deeply loved the Gardiners this time around, who really act as substitute parents to Elizabeth when her own fall short. The dialog is so fresh, quick, witty. Lizzie is so sharp and lively, she’s an absolute joy.

Here are, in reading order, things which stood out to me, from mere notes to myself to quotes I really enjoyed.

‘You take delight in vexing me. You have no compassion for my poor nerves. You do not know what I suffer’ – Mrs Bennet

‘The business of her life was to see her daughters married. Its solace was visiting and news.’ – about Mrs Bennet

‘She had a lively, playful disposition, which delighted in anything ridiculous.’ – about Lizzie Bennet

‘With a book, he was regardless of time.’ – about Mr Bennet

‘To be candid without ostentation or design – to take the good of everybody’s character and make it still better, and say nothing of the bad, belongs to you and you alone’ – Lizzie to Jane

‘Will you give me leave to defer your raptures till I write again? At present, I have not room to do them justice.’ Darcy to Miss Bingley

‘How pleasant it is to spend an evening in this way! I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! When I have a house of my own, I shall be miserable if I have not an excellent library.’ – Miss Bingley

‘headstrong, foolish girl’ – about Lizzie Bennet

Note on Charlotte – Charlotte’s marriage to Mr Collins (but three days between his proposal to Lizzie and his proposal to Charlotte!) is very hard on the Bennets. Mrs Bennet has a falling out with the Lucases who she feels will turn her out the minute Mr Bennet dies. Lizzie and Charlotte’s friendship suffers. Lizzie responds to her letters ‘for the sake of what had been, rather than what was.’

Note on Mrs Gardiner – Mrs Gardiner, sensing a rapprochement between Lizzie and Wickham, warns her off him because of his lack of fortune.

‘Handsome men must have something to live on, as well as the plain.’ Lizzie to Mrs Gardiner about Wickham

‘A tour of pleasure’ Mrs Gardiner about their visit to the Lakes

‘My dear, dear aunt, she rapturously cried. What delight! What felicity! You give me fresh life and vigour. Adieu to disappointment and spleen. What are men to rocks and mountains? Oh what hours of transport we shall spend!’ Lizzie about their visit to the Lakes

‘I like her appearance. She looks sickly and cross. She will do for him very well.’ Lizzie about Miss De Bourgh and Darcy, which I thought was pretty mean.

‘Music is of all subjects my delight.’ – Lady Catherine

Note on the Bennets’ marriage – Lizzie blames her family very much for Lydia’s elopement and speaks several times of her parents’ faults and how the burden of these faults falls on the rest of the family -, her, Jane, and the Gardiners –

Had Elizabeth’s opinion been all drawn from her own family, she could not have formed a very pleasing opinion of conjugal felicity or domestic comfort. Her father, captivated by youth and beauty, and that appearance of good humour which youth and beauty generally give, had married a woman whose weak understanding and illiberal mind had very early in their marriage put an end to all real affection for her. Respect, esteem, and confidence had vanished forever; and all his views of domestic happiness were overthrown. But Mr. Bennet was not of a disposition to seek comfort for the disappointment which his own imprudence had brought on, in any of those pleasures which too often console the unfortunate for their folly of their vice. He was fond of the country and of books; and from these tastes had arisen his principal enjoyments. To his wife he was very little otherwise indebted, than as her ignorance and folly had contributed to his amusement. This is not the sort of happiness which a man would in general wish to owe to his wife; but where other powers of entertainment are wanting, the true philosopher will derive benefit from such as are given. Elizabeth, however, had never been blind to the impropriety of her father’s behaviour as a husband. She had always seen it with pain; but respecting his abilities, and grateful for his affectionate treatment of herself, she endeavoured to forget what she could not overlook, and to banish from her thoughts that continual breach of conjugal obligation and decorum which, in exposing his wife to the contempt of her own children, was so highly reprehensible. But she had never felt so strongly as now the disadvantages which must attend the children of so unsuitable a marriage, nor ever been so fully aware of the evils arising from so ill-judged a direction of talents; talents, which, rightly used, might at least have preserved the respectability of his daughters, even if incapable of enlarging the mind of his wife. And later here – She was wild to be at home—to hear, to see, to be upon the spot to share with Jane in the cares that must now fall wholly upon her, in a family so deranged, a father absent, a mother incapable of exertion, and requiring constant attendance; and though almost persuaded that nothing could be done for Lydia, her uncle’s interference seemed of the utmost importance, and till he entered the room her impatience was severe.

‘obstinate, headstrong girl!’ – Lady Catherine

‘I send no compliments to your mother’ – Lady Catherine

‘Are the shades of Pemberley to be thus polluted?’ – Lady Catherine

Note on Lady Catherine and Lizzie – Lizzie spends a lot of time at Rosings visiting the Collinses, Lady Catherine, Darcy, Colonel Fitzwilliam. It’s even more shocking then that she should dismiss Lady Catherine’s questions so harshly when she comes and visit Lizzie to ask about rumours of an engagement between her and Darcy. Lady Catherine indeed is outraged that Lizzie should flaunt the rules of hospitality thus.

Note on Charlotte – Lady Catherine learns of Darcy’s proposal from ‘gossiping Lucases’. This reread made me like Charlotte a little less, not from marrying Mr Collins, but from her lack of loyalty to Lizzie after her marriage (it’s several times implied that whatever Lizzie tells her in letters, she tells Mr Collins or her family, who in turns tell Lady Catherine).

‘Your family owes me nothing. Much as I respect them, I thought only of you.’ Darcy to Lizzie. I must say his behaviour throughout the book is impeccable. He’s too proud and needs to come out of his shell but endearing himself to Lizzie by being kind to her family (saving Lydia from ruin, his genuine affection for the Gardiners, introducing them to the apple of his eye, his sister) is a wonderful move. He fell first and enemies to lovers were born here.

‘Think only of the past as its remembrance gives you pleasure.’ Lizzie to Darcy

‘I am the happiest creature in the world. Perhaps other people have said it before, but none with such justice.’ Lizzie to Darcy