Pride And Prejudice

中文简介核心主题是围绕着18世纪末19世纪初，英国地主乡绅贵族的情感和婚姻问题。

女主角是20岁的伊丽莎白·班內特，她机智、聪慧、善良。

她父亲班內特先生多数时间藏在书房里，避开妻子班內特太太。

班內特太太的行为举止完全是个乡村愚妇，她最大的心愿就是把五个女儿都成功地嫁给有钱绅士。

由于没有儿子，班內特家族为数不多的财产要由一位男性继承人──也就是说姑娘们的表兄柯林斯先生来继承，这将使班內特先生死后，班內特太太和其他未婚的女儿无家可归，并只能靠低收入维持生计。

小说的开头，当一位有“相当财产”的单身汉搬到邻近房子时，班內特太太心情激动。

这位宾利先生最近租下了尼日尔斐庄园，同住的还有他的两位姐妹──宾利小姐和已婚的赫斯特太太，后者的丈夫徒有风度，没有多少财产。

不久，宾利先生去了伦敦一趟，带回了他的朋友达西先生。

他们到达之后，很快参加了在梅里屯的一场公共舞会。

舞会开始时，人们公认每年有高达10,000英镑的收入的达西先生是最棒的。

然而，聚会进行到一半，邻居们就察觉到他本人并不讨人喜欢，因为他自命比身边这些“乡下人”要高贵。

班內特家的人特别讨厌他，因为达西先生怠慢了伊丽莎白。

当宾利先生建议达西和伊丽莎白跳舞时，达西却说：“她还没有漂亮到可以打动我的地步。

”但宾利先生却被公认为是个优秀的，令人愉快的绅士。

而他对伊丽莎白最亲近的姐姐──珍的爱慕也相当明显。

舞会之后不久，达西才渐渐发现了伊丽莎白的好：她一双美丽的黑眼睛、娇美的体态和她那爽快、不奉承人的性格都深深地吸引了达西的爱慕。

可是达西很快决定了不可让伊丽莎白发现这点，免得她有非份之想，反过来控制他的幸福。

他竭力隐瞒，所以伊丽莎白一直不知道高傲的达西先生已爱上了她，而且爱慕越来越深。

后来，班內特先生宣布一位客人将来访。

众人兴奋地猜测来客是谁，发现原来是她们的表兄柯林斯先生。

柯林斯是个唠叨势利的牧师，将宣读《对年轻女性的布道》之类的道德书视为“愉快夜晚活动”。

他寻找一切机会提及他的女赞助人，凯瑟琳·德·鲍尔夫人，像哈巴狗一样对她阿臾奉承。

因凯瑟琳夫人劝他得找个妻子，柯林斯便马上在他“可怜的表妹”中寻找人选，还再三提及这他对班內特家女孩的补偿（这证明他全部的无知愚蠢）。

柯林斯原属意的是珍，但得知她“几乎已经和宾利先生订婚”之后，开始将目光转向可爱的伊丽莎白。

伊丽莎白自然不肯嫁他，但班內特太太极力支持这门婚事，甚至试图强迫伊丽莎白肯首。

然而，明白事理的班內特先生却对伊丽莎白说：“如果你不嫁柯林斯先生，你母亲不理你了，但如果你嫁的话，便是我不理你了。

”，从而表示支持爱女的决定。

与此同时，伊丽莎白认识了一位军官，韦克翰先生。

韦克翰先生英俊迷人、风度翩翩，令伊丽莎白迅速倾心于他。

但他们二人有次谈话，韦克翰竟告诉她：达西先生曾对他不实，令他失去了本唾手可得的财富和机会，伊丽莎白听后，原来便不太喜欢达西先生的心又加强了。

被拒绝后，柯林斯先生立刻转而向伊丽莎白最好的朋友夏绿蒂·卢卡斯求婚，夏洛特答应，二人很快结婚了。

班內特太太非常失望，但让她更失望的是不久宾利先生突然离开珍。

珍无比痛心，母亲的长吁短叹更使她难过。

伊丽莎白应柯林斯先生和夏洛特新婚夫妇之邀，去参观他们教区，却在凯瑟琳·德·鲍尔夫人的罗新斯庄园看见达西先生，原来他是夫人的姨侄。

结果伊丽莎白和达西共度了许多时光。

达西先生经过几番争扎，最终当面向伊丽莎白承认他对她那“违背自己意愿”的爱慕，并愿意娶她为妻，但他告白的态度仍是那么傲慢，而且认为伊丽莎白一定不会拒绝他“屈就”的求婚。

伊丽莎白大为惊讶，但因为达西先生的态度、韦克翰先生之前的指控和得知是达西先生曾阻挠宾利和珍在一起，愤怒的她告知达西：“即使世界上所有男人都死光了，（她）也不可能同他结婚。

”第二天早上，伊丽莎白与达西先生在散步中相遇。

达西交给伊丽莎白一封信，然后冷冷离开。

信中达西为自己的行为辩护。

他写道，除了她那些举止粗俗、令人尴尬的亲戚外，他见珍看上去无动于衷，以为她并不真心爱宾利，思考再三才劝朋友放弃。

伊丽莎白也承认，珍矜持的个性使得其他人难以确定她的真心。

同时，达西也揭露了韦克翰花花公子、投机取巧的真面目。

达西以前的行为有了新的合理解释，伊丽莎白对他的偏见也逐渐瓦解了。

后来，伊丽莎白和她的舅父母嘉蒂纳夫妇同偕旅行，并参观了达西先生的故居彭伯里。

在庄园内散步的时候竟巧遇达西。

达西的行为举止显得亲切了许多。

伊丽莎白才发现，原来他的傲慢后面隐藏着真诚、慷慨的本性，对他开始有所改观。

但当二人正在增进感情的时候，却突然收到消息，得知伊丽莎白的妹妹丽迪亚私奔了。

由于伊丽莎白的疏忽，没有揭露韦克翰的真面目，才使得年轻幼稚的丽迪亚上了当，同韦克翰双双逃出军团躲避赌债。

达西找到了韦克翰，替他还清了赌债并付了一笔生活费，迫他同丽迪亚结婚。

尽管达西要求保密，但丽迪亚的快嘴和嘉蒂纳太太最终的坦白仍使伊丽莎白了解了实情，并彻底扭转了她对达西的情感。

最终，当达西的姨母，凯瑟琳夫人听说达西竟对一个门不当户不对的女孩心生倾慕，并赶来威胁伊丽莎白时，伊丽莎白明白了即使自己拒绝了第一次求婚，达西仍然爱她。

当达西将宾利先生带回乡间，带回珍的身边时（他们很快订婚了），伊丽莎白向达西敞开了心扉，他的傲慢和她的偏见全部被遗忘了，幸福终于到来。

主要角伊丽莎白·班內特（英文：Elizabeth Bennet，女主角）班内特家二小姐，二十岁，故事的主角。

活泼，聪明，机智，对许多事都极有主见而不屈从于世俗的通念，喜爱以嘲讽的角度看待自己不喜爱的人事物。

∙达西先生（英文：Mr. Darcy，全名：Fitzwilliam Darcy，男主角）一位富有的绅士，英格兰德比郡的大地主。

故事主角。

他是宾利先生的好友，外表英俊，个性内敛但不善与人相处，因此往往引起陌生人的误会，认定其生性高傲冷酷，引来不少的批评。

∙班內特先生（Mr. Bennet）一个住在英国哈特福郡乡间的绅士,已婚,育有五名女儿。

但他的财产需要由男性继承，所以在他死后，他的遗产将会由和他有着差劲关系的柯林斯先生（Mr Collins）继承。

班內特先生是一个温柔而体贴的人，对他的两位大女儿，珍和伊丽莎白宠爱有加。

不过，他不喜欢他的妻子和三位小女儿的愚昧和不理性，经常说她们愚蠢以及嘲笑她们。

对自己失败的婚姻已绝望，是个沉默而善变、幽默却善讽的人。

对于妻子的愚昧，保持着冷眼旁观的态度。

∙班內特太太（Mrs. Bennet）班內特先生的太太。

她人生中最关注的事，是她的五个女儿能嫁得好，因为将班內特先生将来遗产中的主要部份将会由男性继承人柯林斯先生继承。

是个非常平庸、见识浅薄而又长舌的女人。

她的生活重心在于女儿的终生大事。

∙珍·班內特（Jane Bennet）伊丽莎白的姊姊，班內特五姐妹中最年长的，也是公认最美丽最漂亮的，而且温柔体贴、善解人意，但性格矜持内敛，她相信人性本善，凡事都往好处想，认为世界上没有坏人。

和宾利先生一见钟情，最后排除万难结为夫妻。

∙玛莉·班內特（Mary Bennet）排行第三，自认在外貌上逊于其他姐妹，因此经常强调自己的学问及音乐方面的素养。

∙凯瑟林（凯蒂）·班內特（Catherine "Kitty" Bennet）排行第四，十七岁，经常跟随妹妹丽迪亚。

∙丽迪亚·班內特（Lydia Bennet）排行最小，十五岁。

爱慕虚荣，个性天真而鲁莽。

最终和韦克翰私奔，在达西的大力帮助下两人才能结婚。

∙查尔斯·宾利（Charles Bingley）一个单身的富裕绅士。

达西先生的朋友。

性格随和，活泼，但易受人影响。

是班內特太太寄予厚望的女婿人选。

∙威廉·柯林斯（William Collins）班內特先生的表亲，一个唠叨而势利的牧师。

班內特先生主要财产的将来继承人。

柯林斯先生经常奉承他的资助人，凯瑟琳·德波夫人。

∙夏绿蒂·卢卡斯（Charlotte Lucas）伊丽莎白的好朋友，也是邻近卢卡斯家的长女。

有着敏锐的观察力及世故的人生观，她对爱情及婚姻的观点和伊丽莎白截然不同，最终为了将来生活的保障而嫁给了柯林斯。

∙路易莎·赫斯特夫人（Louisa，Mrs.Hurst）和卡洛琳·宾利（CarolineBingley）宾利先生的姊妹，非常高傲，经常轻视班內特家族及其他地位比她们低的人。

∙凯瑟琳·德波夫人（LadyCatherine de Bourgh）达西先生的姨母，柯林斯先生的资助人。

傲慢专横，富有高傲的贵妇，提拔柯林斯先生为当地的牧师。

门第观念很深，一心想要把自己的女儿嫁给达西先生，所以相当反对伊丽莎白和达西先生的婚事。

∙乔治安娜·达西（GeorgianaDarcy）达西的妹妹，比达西年轻十多岁。

含羞内向，多才多艺。

∙安妮·德波（Anne deBourgh）凯瑟林·德波夫人的女儿，体弱多病。

∙乔治·韦克翰（GeorgeWickham）一个吸引伊丽莎白的年轻军人，达西先生的儿时玩伴。

生性放荡不羁，为了报复达西先生，所以到处传播毁谤他的谣言，让伊丽莎白对达西产生偏见。

因为挥霍过度，欠债累累，最后和丽迪亚·班內特私奔，并结婚。

婚后，就厌倦了丽迪亚。

∙费兹威廉上校（ColonelFitzwilliam）凯瑟林的外甥，达西的表亲。

非常和蔼可亲的绅士。

∙菲力太太（Mrs.Philips）班內特太太的姊妹，住在邻近的市镇，与班內特一家颇为亲近。

∙爱德华·嘉迪纳（EdwardGardiner）班內特太太和菲力太太的兄弟，在伦敦做生意。

聪明而且有教养。

∙嘉迪纳太太（Mrs.Gardiner）嘉迪纳先生的太太，是班內特姊妹──特别是珍和伊丽莎白最喜欢的阿姨。

英文简介The novel centres on Elizabeth Bennet, the second of the five daughters of a country gentleman. Mr Bennet is a bookish man, and somewhat neglectful of his responsibilities. Mrs Bennet is a woman lacking in social graces and primarily concerned with finding suitablehusbands for her five daughters. Jane Bennet, the eldest daughter, is distinguished by the kindness of her attitudes and her beauty; Elizabeth Bennet, the second daughter, shares her father's keen wit and occasionally sarcastic outlook; Mary is not pretty, but is studious, devout and musical albeit lacking in taste; Kitty, the fourth sister follows where her younger sister leads, while Lydia is flirtatious and unrestrained.The narrative opens with news in the Bennet family that Mr Bingley, a wealthy, charismatic and social young bachelor, is moving into Netherfield Park in the neighbourhood. Mr Bingley is soon well received, while his friend Mr Darcy makes a less favourable impression by appearing proud and condescending at a ball that they attend (he detests dancing and is not much for light conversation). Mr Bingley singles out Jane for particular attention, and it soon becomes apparent that they have formed an attachment to each other, though Jane does not alter her conduct for him, confessing her great happiness only to Lizzie. By contrast, Darcy slights Elizabeth, who overhears and jokes about it despite feeling a budding resentment.On paying a visit to Mr Bingley's sister, Caroline, Jane is caught in a heavy downpour, catches cold, and is forced to stay at Netherfield for several days. Elizabeth arrives to nurse her sister and is thrown into frequent company with Mr Darcy, who begins to act less coldly towards her.Mr Collins, a clergyman, and heir to the Bennet estate, pays a visit to the Bennets. Mr Bennet and Elizabeth are much amused by his obsequious veneration of his employer, the noble Lady Catherine de Bourgh, as well as by his self-important and pedantic nature. It soon becomes apparent that Mr Collins has come to Longbourn to choose a wife from among the Bennet sisters (his cousins) and Elizabeth is singled out. Elizabeth forms an acquaintance with Mr Wickham, a militia officer who relates having been very seriously mistreated by Mr Darcy, despite having been a ward of Mr Darcy's father. This and Elizabeth's attraction to Mr Wickham, increase her dislike of Mr Darcy.At a ball given by Mr Bingley at Netherfield, Mr Darcy becomes aware of a general expectation that Mr Bingley and Jane will marry, and the Bennet family, with the exception of Jane and Elizabeth, make a public display of poor manners and decorum. The following morning, Mr Collins proposes marriage to Elizabeth, who refuses him, much to her mother's distress. Mr Collins recovers and promptly becomes engaged to Elizabeth's close friend Charlotte Lucas, a homely woman with few prospects. Mr Bingley abruptly quits Netherfield and returns to London, devastating Jane, and Elizabeth becomes convinced that Mr Darcy and Caroline Bingley have colluded to separate him from Jane.Jane is persuaded by letters from Caroline Bingley that Mr Bingley is not in love with her, but goes on an extended visit to her aunt and uncle Gardiner in London in the hope of maintaining her relationship with Caroline if not with Charles Bingley. Whilst there she visits Caroline and eventually her visit is returned. She does not see Mr Bingley and is forced to realise that Caroline doesn't care for her.In the spring, Elizabeth visits Charlotte and Mr Collins in Kent. Elizabeth and her hosts are frequently invited to Rosings Park, home of Lady Catherine de Bourgh, Darcy's aunt; coincidentally, Darcy also arrives to visit. Elizabeth meets Darcy's cousin, Colonel Fitzwilliam, who vouches for Darcy's loyalty, using as an example how Darcy had recently stepped in on behalf of a friend, who had formed an attachment to a woman against whom "there were somevery strong objections." Elizabeth rightly assumes that the said friend is none other than Mr Bingley, and her dislike of Darcy deepens. Thus she is of no mood to accept when Darcy arrives and, quite unexpectedly, confesses love for her and begs her hand in marriage. His proposal is flattering, he is a very distinguished man, but it is delivered in a manner ill suited to recommend it. He talks of love but also of revulsion at her inferior position and family. Despite assertions to the contrary, he assumes she will accept him. Elizabeth rebukes him, and a heated discussion follows; she charges him with destroying her sister's and Bingley's happiness, with treating Mr Wickham disgracefully, and with having conducted himself towards her in an arrogant, ungentleman-like manner. Mr Darcy, shocked, ultimately responds with a letter giving a good account of his actions: Wickham had exchanged his legacies for a cash payment, only to return after frittering away the money to reclaim the forfeited inheritance; he then attempted to elope with Darcy's young sister Georgiana, and thereby secure her fortune for himself. Regarding Jane and Bingley, Darcy claims he had observed no reciprocal interest in Jane for Bingley, and had assumed her not to be in love with him. In addition to this, he cites the "want of propriety" in the behaviour of Mr and Mrs Bennet and her three younger daughters. Elizabeth, who had previously despaired over this very behavior, is forced to admit the truth of Mr Darcy's observations, and begins to wonder whether she has misjudged him.Some months later, Elizabeth and her aunt and uncle Gardiner visit Pemberley, Darcy's estate, believing he will be absent for the day. He returns unexpectedly, and though surprised, he is gracious and welcoming. He treats the Gardiners with great civility, surprising Elizabeth who assumes he will "decamp immediately" on learning who they are. Darcy introduces Elizabeth to his sister, and Elizabeth begins to acknowledge her attraction to him. Their re-acquaintance is cut short, however, by the news that Lydia has eloped with Mr Wickham. Elizabeth and the Gardiners return to Longbourne (the Bennet family home), where Elizabeth grieves that her renewed acquaintance with Mr Darcy will end as a result of her sister's disgrace.Lydia and Wickham are soon found, and persuaded to marry thus enabling the Bennet family to preserve some appearance of decorum. Jane, Elizabeth and Mr Bennet realise that their Uncle Gardiner must have bribed Wickham to marry Lydia and are ashamed of their indebtedness and inability to repay him. Mrs Bennet, quite typically has no such scruples and is ecstatic. Mr and Mrs Wickham visit Longbourn, where Lydia lets slip that Mr Darcy was in attendance at their wedding but that this was to have been a secret. Elizabeth is able to discover by letter from her aunt Mrs. Gardiner, that in fact Mr. Darcy was responsible for finding the couple and negotiating their marriage, at great personal and monetary expense. Elizabeth is shocked and flattered as "her heart did whisper that he had done it for her" but is unable to dwell further on the topic due to Mr Bingley's return and subsequent proposal to Jane, who immediately accepts.Lady Catherine de Bourgh pays an unexpected visit to Longbourn. She has heard a rumour that Elizabeth will marry Mr Darcy and attempts to persuade Elizabeth to agree not to marry. Lady Catherine wants Mr Darcy to marry her daughter (his cousin) Anne De Bourgh and thinks Elizabeth is beneath him. Elizabeth refuses her demands. Disgusted, Lady Catherine leaves promising that the marriage can never take place. Elizabeth assumes she will apply to Darcy and is worried that he may be persuaded.Darcy returns to Longbourne. Chance allows Elizabeth and Darcy a rare moment alone. She immediately thanks him for intervening in the case of Lydia and Wickham. He renews his proposal of marriage and is promptly accepted. Elizabeth soon learns that his hopes were revived by his aunt's report of Elizabeth's refusal to promise not to marry him.The novel closes with a happily ever after chapter including a summary of the remaining lives of the main characters. There is no description of either Jane or Elizabeth's wedding. None of the characters change very much in this summary, but Kitty a little more sense from association with Jane and Elizabeth and distance fromLydia and Lady Catherine condescend Major themes[edit source | edit beta]Many critics take the novel's title as a starting point when analysing the major themes of Pride and Prejudice; however, Robert Fox cautions against reading too much into the title because commercial factors may have played a role in its selection. "After the success of Sense and Sensibility, nothing would have seemed more natural than to bring out another novel of the same author using again the formula of antithesis and alliteration for the title. It should be pointed out that the qualities of the title are not exclusively assigned to one or the other of the protagonists; both Elizabeth and Darcy display pride and prejudice."[8]A major theme in much of Austen's work is the importance of environment and upbringing on the development of young people's character and morality.[9] Social standing and wealth are not necessarily advantages in her world, and a further theme common to Jane Austen's work is ineffectual parents. In Pride and Prejudice, the failure of Mr and Mrs Bennet as parents is blamed for Lydia's lack of moral judgment; Darcy, on the other hand, has been taught to be principled and scrupulously honourable, but he is also proud and overbearing.[9] Kitty, rescued from Lydia's bad influence and spending more time with her older sisters after they marry, is said to improve greatly in their superior society.[10]Marriage[edit source | edit beta]The opening line of the novel announces: "It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."[11] This sets the marriage motif of the novel. It turns out that rather than the man being in want of a wife, the woman is in want of a husband who is "in possession of good fortune". Charlotte Lucas, Lydia Bennet, Jane Bennet and Elizabeth Bennet get married to men that are sufficiently appropriate for each of them. Marriage becomes an economic rather than social activity. In the case of Charlotte, the seeming success of the marriage lies in the comfortable economy of their household. The relationship of Mr and Mrs Bennet serves to illustrate all that a marriage relationship should not be. Elizabeth and Darcy marry each other on equal terms after breaking each other's 'pride' and 'prejudice' and Austen clearly leaves the reader with the impression that the two will be the happiest.Money[edit source | edit beta]Money plays a key role in the marriage market, not just for the young ladies who wish to secure a husband as rich as they can, but also for men who wish to marry a woman of means. Two examples are George Wickham, who tried to elope with Miss Darcy, and ColonelFitzwilliam. Marrying a woman of a rich family also ensures a linkage to a high family as is visible in the desire of Bingley sisters to get their brother married to Miss Darcy.Class[edit source | edit beta]Much of the pride and prejudice in the novel exists because of class divisions. Darcy's first impressions on Elizabeth are coloured by his snobbery. He cannot bring himself to love Elizabeth or at least acknowledge his love for her even in his own heart because of his pride. His first proposal clearly reflects this attitude: "In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you." [12]Also, Elizabeth quickly believes Wickham's account of Darcy because of her prejudice against him. Lady Catherine and the Bingley sisters belong to the snobbish category. Mr Bingley shows complete disregard to class.Self knowledge[edit source | edit beta]Elizabeth and Darcy were not born a great match. It is through their interactions and their critiques of each other that they recognize their faults and work to correct them. Elizabeth meditates on her own mistakes thoroughly in chapter 36: "How despicably have I acted!” she cried; “I, who have prided myself on my discernment! I, who have valued myself on my abilities! who have often disdained the generous candour of my sister, and gratified my vanity in useless or blameable distrust. How humiliating is this discovery! yet, how just a humiliation! Had I been in love, I could not have been more wretchedly blind. But vanity, not love, has been my folly. Pleased with the preference of one, and offended by the neglect of the other, on the very beginning of our acquaintance, I have courted prepossession and ignorance, and driven reason away, where either were concerned. Till this moment I never knew myself."。