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Pride and Prejudice

CRITIQUE | QUOTES | THE TEXT | AT THE MOVIES

Pride and Prejudice 1894 cover1894 first Peacock edition
Publication details ▽ Publication details △

First publication
1813

Literature form
Novel

Genres
Literary, romance

Writing language
English

Author's country
England

Length
Approx. 121,000 words

Notable lines

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.

— First lines

"She is a selfish, hypocritical woman, and I have no opinion of her."

 

"She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men. You had better return to your partner and enjoy her smiles, for you are wasting your time with me."

 

"Pride...is a very common failing, I believe. By all that I have ever read, I am convinced that it is very common indeed; that human nature is particularly prone to it, and that there are very few of us who do not cherish a feeling of self-complacency on the score of some quality or other, real or imaginary. Vanity and pride are different things, though the words are often used synonymously. A person may be proud without being vain. Pride relates more to our opinion of ourselves, vanity to what we would have others think of us."

 

"For what do we live, but to make sport for our neighbours, and laugh at them in our turn?"

 

"Adieu to disappointment and spleen. What are young men to rocks and mountains? Oh! what hours of transport we shall spend! And when we do return, it shall not be like other travellers, without being able to give one accurate idea of anything. We will know where we have gone—we will recollect what we have seen.

 

"It is particularly incumbent on those who never change their opinion, to be secure of judging properly at first."

 

"Women fancy admiration means more than it does."
"And men take care that they should."

 

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.

 

With the Gardiners, they were always on the most intimate terms. Darcy, as well as Elizabeth, really loved them; and they were both ever sensible of the warmest gratitude towards the persons who, by bringing her into Derbyshire, had been the means of uniting them.

— Last lines

 

CRITIQUE | QUOTES | THE TEXT | AT THE MOVIES

See also:

Charlotte Brontë

Jane Eyre

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Pride and Prejudice

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