Pride and Prejudice
by Jane Austen
Table of Contents
Plot Summary
Mr. Bingley moves to Netherfield. Mrs. Bennet is determined that one of her daughters should marry him. He is attracted to her daughter Jane. Mrs. Bennet contrives to have them fall in love.
Meanwhile, Bingley’s friend Darcy, in spite of his prejudice against the Bennet family, begins to fall in love with Jane’s sister Elizabeth. Elizabeth resists Darcy’s affection because he insulted her at a ball; furthermore, she is attracted to Darcy’s enemy Mr. Wickham. Wickham convinces Elizabeth that Darcy is an evil man.
Darcy convinces Bingley to move back to London and forget Jane, insisting that Jane does not really love him. Jane is despondent and is invited to London by her aunt. There she hopes to meet Mr. Bingley, but never does.
Elizabeth travels to Hunsford to spend time with her friend Charlotte, who has married Elizabeth’s cousin Mr. Collins. Darcy travels to the area to visit his aunt Lady Catherine. He meets Elizabeth again, and again falls in love with her. He proposes but she refuses, citing his bad manners and his abuse of Mr. Wickham as her reasons.
Darcy pens a letter to Elizabeth explaining himself against Elizabeth’s accusations. Elizabeth sees she was wrong to accuse Darcy of cruelty. She repents but never hopes to have his affections. She and Jane return to their home at Longbourn.
That summer, Elizabeth is invited by her aunt to travel the country. They come to Pemberley, where Mr. Darcy lives. Darcy and Elizabeth meet again by chance. He does his best to win her forgiveness. In fact, he begins to win her love.
She is called away by an urgent letter from home which states that the youngest Bennet sister has run away from home with Mr. Wickham. Darcy finds the two in London, settles Wickham’s debts, and arranges for them to be married.
Darcy and Bingley return to Netherfield. Bingley soon proposes to Jane, and Darcy renews his offer to Elizabeth. The two couples are happily united in matrimony.
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