Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Pride and Prejudice

I am certain that what I'm about to say has been said many times in the past by people more highly capable of analyzing this book and more familiar with Austen's works and the time period in which they were written. However, I still want to state my reactions to this novel, although I do not intend to analyze it overly much.

*Spoilers ahead!*

In all my 23 years, somehow I never came to learn anything about the story of Pride and Prejudice. The most I can say is simply that I knew that there was a character named Darcy and that it was set in England. I did not even know it was a romance. I think in the end it was for the best though, that I first read this book as an adult, and not in high school. I do not believe I would have been capable of truly appreciating and understanding it in high school.

My recent obsession with classical movies some months ago led me to randomly watch a movie on TCM called "Random Harvest" (haha unintentional pun). The movie starred Ronald Colman and Greer Garson, and I must say that I LOVE this movie. Partly for its wonderfully touching story and partly for the brilliant actors who play the leading man and leading lady. Greer Garson's acting (and beautiful British accent haha) I especially fell in love with. I tell this anecdote because Greer Garson also happens to star in the 1940 production of Pride and Prejudice. Ever since learning she starred in this movie, for this reason alone I wanted to see it, and finally a few weeks ago TCM aired it. Much to my surprise I loved the story from beginning to end! The very next day I bought the book, determined to read it.

Honestly I expected the book to be hard to read and somewhat dull, not in the story, but in the writing style. Still I was determined to read it, fueled by my love of the movie. I did progress a little slowly at first, for about a week or two after watching the 1940 version, until my friend brought over the 2005 movie version, which, again to my surprise, I found that I loved even more than the 1940 version. Although it seems many people begrudge the 2005 movie because it did not closely enough follow the book and because it took liberties in the way it set up its scenes (meaning it showed Elizabeth doing what would have been highly improper in the real time period, such as talking alone with Wickham or walking about in her night dress). However, looking at the movie as it is, accepting that it is not historically accurate in many ways, I thoroughly enjoyed it and I do not think the liberties it took with the story are terrible at all, as they are easily overlooked, and to many modern viewers the impropriety of certain scenes may not even be noticed. Also, I should add that Matthew MacFadyen is by far by favorite Darcy (his acting in the first proposal scene is outstanding!), and I love Keira Knightley as Elizabeth as well.

Watching the 2005 version inspired me to pick up the novel again, and I quickly became hooked. Austen's writing style is wonderful, and not so difficult to comprehend as I once feared. Although I do fail to completely grasp the meaning of a few sentences here and there, her paragraphs on the thoughts of her characters are expertly done. Particularly in the latter half of the book as the narrator shows us how Elizabeth's feelings change towards Darcy. Many have said it before, and I will say it again, Austen truly understands human nature, as is evident in her characters. Not only that, she has managed to write a timeless story, which is more than can be said for many other "classics" that I read in school.

I went from knowing nothing of Pride and Prejudice to absolutely loving everything about it, and it has risen to one of my favorite books of all time. I do intend to soon watch the BBC production, which I understand is far closer to the novel (although I still prefer 2005 movie actors to the BBC actors, not that they aren't good from the clips I have seen, I just like the 2005 actors better). I also plan to soon read Austen's other novels, although they are not as famous as Pride and Prejudice, I hope that I will still enjoy them.