North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell

“North and South is a novel by Elizabeth Gaskell; feisty and passionate, set across the social divides in the changing world of Victorian industrial society. Margaret Hale is a southerner from a country vicarage newly settled in the industrial northern town of Milton. In the shock of her move, she misjudges charismatic cotton mill-owner John Thornton, whose strength of purpose and passion are a match for her own pride and wilfulness. When the workers of Milton call a strike, Margaret takes their side, and the two are brought into deeper conflict. As events spiral out of control, Margaret - to her surprise - begins to fall in love with Thornton...”

Why have I not come across Elizabeth Gaskell's work before?! I have been missing out. I came across North and South through a recommendation from my good friend to watch the mini-series. So, eventually I did watch the mini-series and I absolutely loved it! I was intrigued by the characters and the story and I really wanted to read the novel. So, in a few short days I began reading the novel and I really, really loved it.

The novel did seem quite daunting, being one of the longer classics I have read so far, but the story was full of detail and it kept flowing and I didn't get bored. As another good friend of mine so eloquently stated, Gaskell captures the happy medium between description and dialogue (Jane Austen being more inclined towards dialogue and Charles Dickens being full of description). Her descriptions of the places in which ‘North and South’ is set are wonderful. As are her characters and the depths to her characters. The story was full of many little side plots as well as the main plot of the growing relationship between the hero and the heroine, Margaret Hale and John Thornton.


However controversial this may be, I believe the way to sum up North and South in one sentence would be... Pride and Prejudice meets the industrial revolution. That is how I would sum it up. There are quite a few similarities (which to me suggest Gaskell may have been influenced by Austen’s work, but I will discuss this further later) but then there are so many differences as well to make this a great story in its own right. Summing it up like that makes it sound a little simple, which it most definitely is not. Although at the heart there is the love story, similar in development to Darcy and Lizzy, between Thornton and Margaret, there are so many other things going on which make this an interesting and exciting novel. There is always something going on and you will not be bored; there are so many layers to this wonderful story.


My favourite character was, surprise surprise, John Thornton. And no this is not purely because he is the hero, and a very strong and handsome hero and that. Thornton is a character with so many levels and layers to his person that he is a wonderful character to read and get to know. One of the most interesting aspects for me to the whole novel was, well what the whole novel is on really, the differences in life between the North and the South, especially the difference in opinion between Margaret from the South and Thornton from the North in the ways regarding the relationship between master and worker. I always found myself agreeing with Thornton in what he was saying, even though I am from the South and Margaret’s country, as what he said seemed to make complete sense to me. There were also opposite opinions expressed from Thornton, a master, and Higgins, a worker. I found myself agreeing with Higgins when he was speaking but then agreeing with Thornton when he would express his views. I mainly found myself agreeing with Thornton more as his arguments, to me, seem founded on very sound logic. This is why I think I liked the character of John Thornton so much (it no doubt helped imagining Richard Armitage as Thornton whilst reading the novel, as Armitage made a very nice John Thornton :P)

Returning to my earlier idea about how North and South is a little influenced (in some aspects) by Pride and Prejudice.  A few points in particular make me think this; (SPOILER) the equivalent of the first proposal is very like Darcy’s first proposal in Pride and Prejudice. The misunderstanding of each other as well as the complete ignorance on Margaret’s part of Thornton’s feelings is just like Lizzy of Darcy’s feelings and the misunderstandings they share.  I could just see Margaret breaking out into 'from the first moment I met you...'!  :P Also, I think Mrs Thornton is very much like Lady Catherine; she doesn’t like Margaret and at one stage there is a confrontation between the two of them, which is like the one between Lizzy and Lady Catherine. And then, of course, the development of Thornton and Margaret's relationship is very similar, and pride and prejudice comes into North and South a lot as well; Thornton being proud of Milton and Margaret being prejudice against masters!

Although I have just compared Mrs Thornton to Lady Catherine, Mrs Thornton does show a softer side; her relationship with her son.  The scenes between the two were very sweet and it was nice to occasional see what we going on inside Thornton’s head (especially in regards to Margaret).  The admiration and love Mrs Thornton has for her son is clear and it was nice to this side to the otherwise hard, cold character.

Another relationship I enjoyed seeing in the story was that of Thornton and Mr Hale.  The friendship they shared through his tutoring of John was a great addition to the story.  Thornton’s general friendship to the Hale family was very touching, especially given the friction between him and Margaret. 
 

I have already touched upon the relationship between Margaret and John and I don’t want to give too much away but I assure you, you will not be disappointed.  There are some wonderful conversations between the two of them when their difference of opinion really comes to light. 
 

So, those are my thoughts on this wonderful novel. I believe that if you are a lover of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, the Bronte sisters, historical novels or romance novels then read this book. If you want an idea of the story beforehand you can’t go wrong with the BBC mini-series which is pretty accurate, but then do not shy away from reading the novel which is worth reading. If you go for the novel first, I recommend watching the mini-series afterwards, as it is so worth watching!


Your affectionate friend, 

Darcy’s Voyage by Kara Louise

A Tale of Uncharted Love on the Open Seas

In this enchanting and highly original retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet sets out for the new world aboard the grand ship Pemberley's Promise. She's prepared for an uneventful voyage until a chance encounter with the handsome, taciturn Mr.Darcy turns her world upside down.

When Elizabeth falls ill, Darcy throws convention overboard in a plan that will bind them to each other more deeply than he ever could have imagined. But the perils of their ocean voyage pale in comparison to the harsh reality of society's rules that threaten their chance at happiness. When they return to the lavish halls of England, will their love survive?

What a delightful story! I absolutely loved it! I was wondering how realistic it would feel with Darcy and Lizzy making their way across to America on a ship... but it surprised me how it really did seem feasible. I was also worried about the length, it being quite a long story compared to the other variations I had read, but I didn’t need to worry as the story flowed so well and I didn’t want it to end! I think the story didn’t seem to drag at all because of the amount of ‘screen time’ Lizzy and Darcy had. There were not many scenes or large periods of time where Lizzy and Darcy were not together, which is good as the best scenes are always when they are together!
 

I loved the prologue; Darcy and Lizzy meet in a carriage 2 years prior to the meeting on the ship and they get off to a good start and have an interesting conversation.  However, neither finds out who the other is, so when they meet 2 years later, they both have that feeling of having met before but it takes a while for them to properly put two and two together.  I really liked this running theme through the story and the question of when the other was going to realise they had already met!

The first half of the book was wonderful.  All the scenes on the ship were full of detail and the relationship between Darcy and Lizzy and how it developed was fun to read. Darcy was the perfect gentleman and he was so considerate to Lizzy; what he did for her was an act of the utmost chivalry. We see their relationship flourish through morning walks up on deck and many incidents aboard the ship, Pemberley’s Promise.   Darcy and Lizzy are both portrayed very well and she captures the essences of their original characters really well.

I thought it was very clever and interesting seeing how a prior meeting between our heroine and hero would affect the events which we see happen in the original; the meeting at Netherfield, the Netherfield Ball, the visit to Pemberley, Lady Catherine’s ‘visit’ to Lizzy, Lydia’s elopement. I found it a lot of fun to see how some of the iconic conversations which take place in the original are affected because of this prior relationship as well, and seeing Caroline Bingley’s rising suspicions about the two of them!   

Georgiana was a fun character.  Her relationship with her brother was very sweet and I really enjoyed seeing her caring side towards her brother and also her detective nature coming out when trying to work out the reasons behind Darcy’s low spirits and who this mysterious Elizabeth from Longbourn is.

The romance in this story was wonderful.  Whilst being completely clean, it was still highly romantic; secret meetings and stolen kisses. I was very pleased with how the question of when the couple’s mutual love would be realised wasn’t drawn out for too long and (without giving too much away) that once it was realised, it was never doubted; it annoys me when a heroine keeping thinking ‘he loves me’, ‘he doesn’t love me’, ‘no wait he does!’ the entire story, or vice versa!   The ending was wonderful; it links in very cleverly to the beginning of the story which takes place on the ship and it is a very satisfying and pleasing end! There is also an epilogue showing what happens to each of the characters in the story, which I like to have at the end of a story.

So, I shall bring my thought about this wonderful book to a close. If you can’t get enough of Darcy and Lizzy and want to read a story where they are thrown into completely different circumstances then this is for you. The trip to America is a very different approach to the story and it is accomplished extremely well.  It was a highly enjoyable, witty, romantic and interesting story to read; I highly recommend it and I look forward to her other work!


Your affectionate friend,

Bluebells in the Mourning by KaraLynne Mackrory

 

Is it true that nothing can be lost that love cannot find? Jane Austen's beloved "Pride and Prejudice" is readapted in this Regency tale of love in the face of tragedy. Mr. Darcy is thwarted in his attempt to propose to Elizabeth Bennet at Hunsford when he encounters her minutes after she receives the sad news from Longbourn of her sister's death. His gallantry and compassion as he escorts her back to Hertfordshire begins to unravel the many threads of her discontent with him. While her family heals from their loss, Darcy must search London for answers --- answers that might bring justice but also might just mark the end of his own hopes with Elizabeth.

I now have a new favourite Pride and Prejudice variation (and my favourite before I read this one was her previous variation anyway, Falling for Mr Darcy!)  It was absolutely wonderful.  I am going to try and write this review with some sort of structure but I don’t call my reviews of books ‘reviews’ as such, more a collection of my thoughts about the book.

 

I will begin with the storyline; when I read the blurb I was intrigued.  I thought it was an interesting way to take the story.  In variations which include a death, the death is normally of Mr Bennet so I was interested in having the death of one of her sisters, Lydia. Lydia was out for a walk when she slips and hits her head, which eventually causes a fever and her demise. When we learn that a certain gentleman was also present on the walk (I will give you three guesses!) it sets up the basis for a bit of a mystery, which Darcy vows to Mr Bennet he will get to the bottom of.    I thought it was a really good ‘what if’ variation.

 

One of my favourite things about Mackrory’s first variation were the parallels and similarities which she draws between her variation and the original novel.  This variation was again very clever in this area.  The story opens with Darcy coming upon Lizzy when she has just received the news of Lydia’s death, just like in the original when he happens upon Lizzy, after seeing her at Pemberley, when she has found out about Lydia’s elopement. There are many more examples of this throughout the novel; another of my favourites being when the explanation letter (which Darcy’s gives after the rejected proposal originally) is given and by whom (it is still a Darcy who sends it, but not MR Darcy). 

 

As well as events like I have mentioned being shifted around and placed in different contexts, there is also the clever use of quotes and conversations from the original which appear throughout the novel in different places, spoken by different people and mostly in different contexts.  Some of the best examples of this, I think, were the way in which many of the thoughts and feelings of Darcy and Lizzy were switched; Mr Darcy stating that ‘until this moment I never knew myself’ and Lizzy being asked the question of when she fell in love with Darcy.  I sometimes find that important quotes from the original appearing completely out of context can be annoying, but the way in which it is treated by Mackrory is in no way annoying and is instead rather charming, causing me to smile and even laugh out loud in some cases while I was reading!

 

Another one of my favourite things about her last variation was the little themes which were running through the book. Theme isn’t quite the right word... In the story, as Lizzy is in mourning, there is often the need for a handkerchief to dry her tears, a handkerchief with the letters FD embroidered on it.  Also, as you may guess from the title of the story, bluebells becomes a very important part of the story (and since reading this story I am planning on going for many more walks among the bluebells!)

 

Now for a little about some certain characters in the story, starting with Georgiana.   I always wish to have seen more of Georgiana in the original as there seems to be a lot of untapped potential in Georgiana as we only meet her late in the novel.  She comes in the story a lot earlier and we really see another side to her.  Seeing her relationship with her brother was very sweet as their strong bond, which we see some of in the original, is developed and explored a lot in this variation.  Georgiana really comes into her own and once she realises the particular interest her brother has in a certain Miss Bennet she turns into a little matchmaker, though a lot more subtly (and successfully) than Emma Woodhouse!

 

Moving onto another character that I always like in the variations which I read; Colonel Fitzwilliam. I think the colonel is a character which authors can have a lot of fun with.  We see a little of his teasing nature in his relationship with Darcy in the original, and Mackrory uses this to her advantage.  He is such a teasing and delightful character and is all affability. I love seeing more of Colonel Fitzwilliam and his relationship with Darcy and also his relationship with Georgiana.  I was always laughing when Fitzwilliam was around!

 

I will refrain from saying much about Wickham but be rest assured, Wickham pops up from time to time through the story...

 

I believe my favourite secondary story line was the one between Mr and Mrs Bennet.  Mackrory delves deeper into the past between the couple and the reasons for their indifference to each other for so long. Lydia’s death reignites past feelings between the two and they begin on the road to reconciliation.  It is wonderful to see how their relationship changes throughout the story, ending in a very satisfactory way! (I will say no more...)

 

One thing I loved about her first variation was the inclusion of an epilogue, showing what happens to each of the characters in the future.  And so I was very pleased to once again find an epilogue at the end, allowing us to see what happens to each of the characters in the future.

 

And so I reach the end of my ‘review’.... although I realise I haven’t really touched on the main two characters of the story; this will not do! Well, for anyone who wishes to read more about one of the most important couples in all of literature and to see a different route to bringing the two together, you will not be disappointed.   There were enough problems that arose to keep the story interesting but not too many that it felt as if it was dragging on and on! The scenes towards the beginning of the story were a lot of fun, as Lizzy began to discover the true man behind the facade that is Mr Darcy.  Any scenes between the two of them in the first half of the story brought a smile to my face.  I do not want to give anything away but be assured the scenes between the two of them from the middle onwards are equally as enjoyable and are even more touching! The last thing I shall say is that the ending is perfection itself, capturing the balance between humour and romance perfectly!

 

This is a truly wonderful variation of my favourite novel of all time and I shall be re-reading it in the near future.  It satisfied my highly romantic nature as well as my need for a good laugh, and with the added extra of a bit of mystery it all made for a delightful read. I hope Mackrory has another variation on the way!

Your affectionate friend,

Miss Truelove Beckons by Donna Simpson

WITH HER, HE KNEW PEACE
The joyous celebrations held in honour of his return from the war are wasted on Wycliffe Prescott, Viscount Drake--as are his mother's gentle reminders that he must now set up his nursery. How can he think of marriage when the horrors of Waterloo haunt his sleep each night? Yet when company arrives for the summer, Drake finds himself drawn to one guest in particular--and charmed when he hears her name: Miss Truelove Beckons. An innocent mistake, of course, for her surname is Becket--but Drake can't help feeling that she may be his only hope of healing...

WITH HIM, SHE KNEW LOVE
A vicar's daughter, True has come to Lea Park with her future vexingly undecided. A proposal of marriage from her father's curate might be the sensible course of action, but True can't resist the utterly impractical hours she spends with handsome, brooding Drake--especially when he seems soothed by her understanding words and gentle silences. By rights, a friendship is all she can hope for with a man so far above her station, yet as the warm summer days pass, True knows that she longs for something much sweeter...

This has become one of my favourite books. The story had its fun but there was a much more serious theme running through it. I found this book really hard to put down as I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen!

The hero of the story, Lord Drake, a wounded (in more ways than just physically) ex-solider, was a character I really felt and fell for. As you went through the story you could see how deeply he had been affected by his experiences during the war (with a recurring nightmare to remind him every night of such horrid memories).

Then along comes the heroine, Miss Becket, who is a calm and caring woman who seems to radiate peace. She is a willing listener to the horrid stories Drake has to tell of the war, too horrid that most other people will not hear them. As he talks more and more to Miss Becket about his experiences you can't help but feel sorry for him, but as he does talk more and more to Miss Becket she begins to help the internal wound from the war to heal, as well as fall in love with him (I don't know how she wouldn't, anyone with a heart would! I certainly did!)

There are some extremely annoying love-to-hate secondary characters in the story and a few other side plots, but they all link into the main story meaning it doesn't feel confused. There are quite a few point of view changes but never any in quick succession and never any out of place. (The main points of view we read from are the hero and heroine though.)

Overall, it is well written and flows brilliantly. A wonderful heart-wrenching and romantic tale, not without its humour, showing just how deeply affecting the experiences and memories of a war really go, beyond the physical injuries to the body, deep down to the wounds to the very soul.

I highly recommend this wonderful regency story.
 
Your affectionate friend,

The Houseguest by Elizabeth Adams

The Houseguest by Elizabeth Adams
"When Georgiana Darcy comes to Netherfield to visit her brother, she becomes friends with a neighbour, Elizabeth Bennet. After Miss Darcy has returned to London, she invites her new friend to stay with her at the Darcy home in town ... unbeknownst to Mr. Darcy.
Will this change in circumstances lead to a change in affections? "

This is my second Pride and Prejudice variation (after KaraLynne Mackrory's Falling for Mr Darcy) and this has made me want to read more! I won't call this a review as such, as it is more likely going to be a collection of my thoughts with no structure what's so ever!


What a wonderful story!  It really was a lot of fun and my favourite scenes were between Darcy and Lizzy (surprise surprise!) when she was 'The Houseguest' at their home in London. Seeing how their relationship built up, developed and changed from the first meetings at Meryton (which, lets face it, didn't go well for Darcy!) was very sweet. 

It was clever how certain scenes and conversations seen in the original were included in different contexts and between different characters ('You insolent boy!') and how important revelations were revealed in different ways (for example the truth about Wickham and the real reason Bingley left Netherfield.)

There were still a few issues between Darcy and Lizzy which needed to be resolved, adding to the, well... not suspense, as we all know they would get together in the end, but it adds interest to the route of getting  to their happy ending.  And the issues weren't drawn out too long, nor were there never ending problems (it annoys me when there is just problem after problem after problem...)

I also enjoyed seeing the jealous side of Darcy! In the original, Wickham wasn't really competition, at least not for long. It was nice for Darcy to have some competition, and serious competition at that! Jealous Darcy was funny!

There were many delightful additions to the story, character wise, and I loved to get to know Georgiana and Col. Fitzwilliam more. Col. Fitzwilliam was a very funny man! He brought humour to any scene he was in!

I especially loved the relationship between Georgiana and Lizzy which became very sisterly.  The whole story is based on them meeting earlier in the story and it was nice for them to meet quicker, as really, in the original they don't meet for quite a while, but once they do they get on marvellously, as they did in the variation.  It didn't take long for them to get to become very close friends and the influence of Lizzy that was rubbing off on Georgiana was great, as it was giving her the much needed confidence after the blip with Wickham.  Georgiana was very sweet and innocent, but as I said, she grew throughout the novel and as she and Lizzy became almost like sisters, you could see the enjoyment Georgiana had in having a sister! It was so sweet!

The ending was very sweet between Darcy and Lizzy (which is always good!) and the very, very end was a great way to finish it as it was so nice seeing what happened to all of the characters in the story, especially the new characters. 

I highly recommend this to anybody who just wants to see more of Darcy and Lizzy, with a great take on the original story!

As I said, this was not a structured review, just a few thoughts :)
Your affectionate friend,

Pride and Prejudice Variations

After reading Falling for Mr Darcy by KaraLynne Mackrory I began to research some other variations.  Falling for Mr Darcy Review  I never thought I would enjoy variations of my favourite novel, but I really enjoyed it and so I decided to look for some others.

I am currently reading one called The Houseguest by Elizabeth Adams and I will post my thoughts when I am done. So far, it is really good.

"When Georgiana Darcy comes to Netherfield to visit her brother, she becomes friends with a neighbour, Elizabeth Bennet. After Miss Darcy has returned to London, she invites her new friend to stay with her at the Darcy home in town ... unbeknownst to Mr. Darcy.
Will this change in circumstances lead to a change in affections?"


After a lot of research (there are a lot of variations out there, a lot of them not clean...) I have found 4 which I have bought and are now waiting on my shelf to be read. The 4 I selected are...


Darcy's Voyage by Kara Louise

"A Tale of Uncharted Love on the Open Seas
In this enchanting and highly original retelling of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet sets out for the new world aboard the grand ship Pemberley's Promise. She's prepared for an uneventful voyage until a chance encounter with the handsome, taciturn Mr. Darcy turns her world upside down.
When Elizabeth falls ill, Darcy throws convention overboard in a plan that will bind them to each other more deeply than he ever could have imagined. But the perils of their ocean voyage pale in comparison to the harsh reality of society's rules that threaten their chance at happiness. When they return to the lavish halls of England, will their love survive?"



Only Mr Darcy Will Do by Kara Louise


 "Her worst fears come true...
After her father's death, Elizabeth Bennet goes to work as a governess. Little does she know the Willstones are social acquaintances of the Bingleys and the Darcys, and Elizabeth finds herself once again drawn into Mr. Darcy's orbit. To make matters worse, Mrs. Willstone's sister sets her sights on Mr. Darcy. With Elizabeth's social status even lower than it was before, she knows she must abandon all hope of Darcy renewing his proposals, even as she begins to see him in a completely different light..."






The Journey by Jan Hahn

"Danger Shortly after the Netherfield ball, Elizabeth Bennet begins a journey to visit her relations in London with her travelling companions, Mr. Bingley's sisters and the proud, arrogant Mr. Darcy. Suddenly, their carriage is abruptly stopped, and Elizabeth hears the menacing cry, "Stand and deliver!" Abduction The leader of a band of highwaymen, Nate Morgan, a handsome, masked rogue, plans to seize Elizabeth for his amusement, but Darcy steps forward and offers himself as a hostage in her place. When his proposal fails to secure Elizabeth's release, Darcy makes a shocking declaration-Elizabeth is his wife! Romance At a time when a woman's future could be ruined by the slightest hint of scandal, Elizabeth's reputation will depend not only upon the actions of a hero but a villain as well. Filled with danger, excitement, daring and passion, The Journey follows Jane Austen's beloved characters from Pride and Prejudice as they embark on a fateful journey that changes their lives forever."

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An Arranged Marriage by Jan Hahn

"Can a marriage of convenience ever lead to true love? Immediately after Elizabeth Bennet refuses Mr. Darcy's proposal at Hunsford, her father dies, leaving Longbourn entailed away and little fortune to sustain his widow and daughters. Six months later, the Bennet family receives a visitor with a most unusual offer that promises to save the family from financial and social ruin. Elizabeth's sense of duty forces her to enter into an arranged marriage with a man she does not even like. Told from Elizabeth's point of view, An Arranged Marriage is a compelling twist on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice. Can Elizabeth overcome her feelings of anger, resentment, and suspicion toward her new husband and - the most bewildering sensation of all - a growing attraction for the last man in the world she ever wished to marry?"

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I am looking forward to reading all of these and I have one more I am planning on buying, the second variation from KaraLynne Mackrory coming out sometime this April...

Bluebells in the Mourning (by KaraLynne Mackrory)

"Jane Austen’s beloved Pride and Prejudice is re-adapted in this regency tale of love in the face of tragedy. Mr. Darcy is thwarted in his attempt to propose to Elizabeth Bennet at Hunsford when he encounters her minutes after she receives the sad news from Longbourn of her sister’s death. His gallantry and compassion as he escorts her back to Hertfordshire begins to unravel the many threads of her discontent with him. While her family heals from their loss, Darcy must search London for answers – answers that might bring justice, but might also just mark the end of his own hopes with Elizabeth. Is it true that nothing can be lost that love cannot find?"


Has anyone read any of these? Or does anyone have any other suggestions for good ones? :)


Your affectionate friend,

And They Lived Happily Ever After...

The last few chapters of ‘Pride and Prejudice’ bring, in my opinion, a very satisfying resolution as, most importantly, the right people eventually come together, after all the trials and tribulations through the story! 

 

 


The main events which make the ending so pleasing have to be the engagements between Jane and Bingley, and more importantly, between Lizzy and Darcy.  The reader has been brought up through the novel to want Jane to end up with Bingley and Darcy with Lizzy, so having this eventually happen is very satisfying - it is what you want to happen! 



Firstly Jane and Bingley.  There had been the ongoing question about whether they would ever get married from the very beginning of the story.  It is clear that Jane and Bingley like each other from the very first meeting at the Meryton assembly, and their relationship grew and developed, leading the other characters in the novel and the reader to think that they would be married. 

However, when Bingley goes to London, leaving Jane, it begins to seem more unlikely. Poor Jane is then never really happy again for the rest of the story which is why when Bingley returns to Netherfield it is such a happy event!  It is nice to have that assurance that as Bingley has come back and wants to see Jane again, he must still feel for her as he did before.  Also, Jane’s reaction when Bingley returns shows that she still feels for him (which I think was pretty obvious, however many times she tried to tell Lizzy otherwise!) 

 

The scenes when Bingley begins to once again court Jane and then consequently proposes to her are a very important part of the story. One of the major issues with Lizzy accepting Darcy was because of Darcy's involvement in separating Jane and Bingley in the first place. These scenes are all rather funny, especially Mrs Bennet's scheming, which creates comedy and this lightens the mood of the story after all the tension revolving around Lydia’s elopement with Wickham. The first time Bingley and Jane are in each other’s company again for a reasonable length of time is shortly after Bingley has returned to Meryton.  It is made clear that his feelings are unchanged in regards to Jane as Lizzy noticed “how much the beauty of her sister re-kindled the admiration of her former lover.”  It also says how “when he first came in, he had spoken to her but little; but every five minutes seemed to be giving her more of his attention.” After all this and some embarrassing winking, when they do finally get engaged, so many characters other than Jane and Bingley themselves are pleased, and it also leads on to the other, even more pleasing (for me anyway), engagement...



...between Darcy and Lizzy! It is the climax of the novel and I think it is fair to say, by the end of the story, the most wanted result!   It is the most gratifying event because mainly, they are the hero and heroine!  Also, it properly finishes the story as the problems Lizzy had with accepting Darcy in the first place are what make the bulk of the story.  When Lizzy first meets Darcy he seems very proud and disagreeable which is worsened when she is insulted by him at the Meryton assembly.  Then there is the problem of his past with Wickham and lastly the dilemma of his involvement with the separation of Jane and Bingley.  Because of these issues, you wouldn't want Lizzy to accept Darcy when he first proposes.

 

 

However, by the second time it would be quite a different story.  Lizzy has seen the 'change' in Darcy’s character when she bumped into him at Pemberley and she found out that what Wickham had told her about his relationship with Darcy was all lies!  Finally, Darcy helped in bringing Jane and Bingley together again so all the problems by the end of the novel have been resolved. So now when Darcy and Lizzy do get engaged, it is very satisfying as Darcy would be considered the perfect man for Lizzy, if not perfect in himself (who is? Perfect is boring anyway!)  Just as Jane and Bingley’s characters compliment each others, so do Darcy and Lizzy’s - what Darcy needs to complete and improve his character (to lighten up and become a little less proud) is what Lizzy can give and vice versa.  

The other marriage towards the end of the story is between Lydia and Wickham.  This is not necessarily a 'happy' marriage as Wickham is well, Wickham!  However, it is pleasing in that it saved the Bennet family from a lot of further grief which would have ensued had Lydia and Wickham not married. It is also happy in the sense that had they not been married, it is likely that Jane and Lizzy may not have married Bingley and Darcy, or at least more problems would have arisen, as the sisters would have been “tainted by association”.  As well, when it is discovered that Darcy is in fact the main person involved in saving Lydia from disgrace, this is another reason which helps Darcy's cause with Lizzy!  But I think what is most pleasing about this marriage for us is that Wickham and Lydia are stuck with each other! Wickham never loved Lydia and he is stuck with her for the rest of his life, and Lydia will soon realise that Wickham's heart is cold... They both get what they deserve!  (Shame, what a awful shame!)  
 

One of the major themes in ‘Pride and Prejudice’ is marriage which is why these three marriages are important - it is clear that marriage is important from the very first line of the novel; “It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife”, suggesting that a rich man’s main purpose in life is to get married and that young woman would be expected to want to be married to a rich man, which Mrs Bennet would definitely agree with!  Darcy and Lizzy’s marriage is very different in this respect as it goes against what would be expected; Lizzy did not marry for the money, she married for love and Darcy, who should have chosen a wife from among his social class, instead chose Lizzy, whilst expressly going against the wishes of his family and what was viewed as right by society.

 

I think that, from the point of view of Darcy and Lizzy’s engagement, it is very well written.  The conflicts between them are not all completely resolved until very near the end, leaving the question of when it would happen open right till the last moments!  Also, the point at which Lady Catherine de Bough visits Lizzy is very cleverly placed.  This visit takes place shortly after Bingley and Jane’s engagement which was a happy event in the story so it is rather a contrast! It is a very unexpected turn in the plot as after Bingley proposing to Jane, it may have been expected that Darcy would do the same pretty much straight after; what else could go wrong? However this event does create one last obstacle for poor Lizzy and Darcy.  The arguments put forward by Lady Catherine are rather strong and some might think they would have too much weight with Darcy for him to still marry Lizzy. The fact that even after the disapproval from Lady Catherine Darcy still wishes to marry Lizzy makes the ending even more wonderful because it shows how Darcy is going against his family and what would be considered ‘correct’ in society for Lizzy - he really must love her! 

 

I think that the ending could be seen like a ‘Fairytale’ ending as the hero and heroine of the story, along with other major characters, live ‘happily ever after’. However, it is made more realistic by the fact that Lady Catherine, after the marriage of Darcy and Lizzy, will not accept it and is very displeased with them both for quite a long time, and will not immediately forgive Darcy for marrying someone against her will and so below him in society. It is also made to seem more realistic because two of the four marriages that take place throughout ‘Pride and Prejudice’ are really not that happy. 






The marriage between Collins and Charlotte is by no means perfect as Collins is Collins and it is clear that there is no love in this marriage and Charlotte merely married him for safety, exactly what Lizzy would never do!  The other marriage between Lydia and Wickham is not perfect either because it was a marriage which only happened because Darcy made it so and of course there is no love there either, definitely not on Wickham side, as Wickham had no intentions of marrying Lydia to begin with! At least this shows that not everything turns out right in life, making the story more relatable than a fairytale.  I prefer this ending to a traditional fairytale ending, so long as I am the heroine of my own story! ;) 

 

The ending is not perfect in every aspect, but it is perfect in the ways you want it to be and so you can finish the book feeling completely satisfied - I certainly do!

Your affectionate friend,