If I was going to make a list of my favourite books, I had to include one of the classics. Jane Austen is an absolutely legendary author, and this is one of her books that needs no introduction. Jane even considering it

“her own darling child.”

A 19th-century engraving of Jane Austen, likely derived from a portrait by her sister, Cassandra Austen.

However, if you’ve been living under a rock or simply haven’t been to any english class ever, here is my quick introduction. Pride and Prejudice, since its release from way back in 1813, it has remained a literary classic. Elizabeth Bennet is our heroine in this story and her verbal sparring partner and love interest is a man named Mr.Darcy and, as the title goes, the two of them are the physical embodiments of pride and prejudice.

“Your defect is a propensity to hate everybody.” “And yours,” he replied with a smile, “is willfully to misunderstand them.”

Mr.Darcy is as prideful as ever as he was not only raised rich, but raised knowing he's rich. He places himself above others, especially since this takes place in regency England his pride is supported and perpetuated by those around him. Elizabeth on the other hand, is prejudice. She is vivacious, opinionated and clashes with Mr.Darcy when they meet. Though Mr.Darcy is worthy of judgement with him standing so tall with pride, where Elizabeths prejudice fails, is her inability to look past his pride. What follows is nothing short of a dance of personalities, stubbornness and masked flirtation.

Despite the fact that I personally can’t stand the ideation that women must, not only marry, but marry because it is their purpose in life to. However, I do understand that this book was written almost 200+ years ago, and things were a little different then. Looking past this, I started to actually enjoy the novel. Having been forced to read this in english class, it has taken me a few years since to actually find my enjoyment in the novel. Looking simply at the quick wit of that is Jane’s writing and her characters, I have really come to have a new appreciation for Jane. I especially gained a new perspective on the novel when I watched the various films on the novels as well. I think when you get past some of the sexism and excuse it simply for being written in a different time, you get to really see a unique bond between two very vexing characters. I have high respect for Elizabeth and Mr.Darcy’s bond and connection to one another. Especially since it is mainly a verbal one. I think far too often romance novels focus mainly on the physicality’s of a relationship, the sexual tension mainly. Often including sex scenes, many kissing scenes and even at times jealous ex’s and so on. And to read a novel that doesn’t focus on that is really refreshing. Not that that was her aim, I’m sure it had a lot to do with when the novel was written and not so much what her intent was. I just simply think that it made the book more enjoyable, especially when compared to the romance novel you see today.

One of the other reasons why I love this novel is its setting. I think that it was really fun and interesting to read about the upper-class and wealthy in regency England. I think that it really reflects what Jane was exposed to in her world and I think that this novel really displayed that. The characters seemed to also reflect the environment they were in as well, especially seeing Mr.Darcy go on about people being beneath him and being open about his opinions on others and not caring for the consequences.

“She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me, and I am in no humor at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men.

All together, there are a million reasons to love this book. It’s a classic. It needs no persuading to attain readers and re-readers. It is simply a classic novel full of literary geniuses. Believe me it is not as boring as it might seem, if you don’t believe me watch the movies based on it. Then come back to it, because the novels are always better than the films.

Want more? Check out some of the adaptations trailers