My education has been woefully lacking. I've read very few of the classics, apparently, much to my disadvantage. I just finished reading Austen's Pride and Prejudice after years of watching the classic 5-hour BBC miniseries, and the more recent Keira Knightley film version. Even though there's no doubt that I love Colin Firth and the beautiful images of the English countryside, I'm happy to report that, as is so often the case, the book is better.
The story of Elizabeth Bennett and Fitzwilliam Darcy is fun. The love story is not really all that extraordinary - just a series of misunderstandings, but the language is smart and quick; the retorts are biting and veiled behind obsequious politeness and double entendre. Who doesn't wish they could express themselves so smoothly and readily in a match of wits? And it's certainly fun to live vicariously through intelligent characters.
The book is a portrait of life during Austen's time, and lays bare the silliness of idle society. Mrs. Bennett's constant attempts to "one-up" her neighbors, Mr. Bennett's complete disengagement, how everyone judges everyone else - I suppose this is no different than certain people in society today (or perhaps even as society as a whole has always been now and forever). And maybe that's why Pride and Prejudice has remained so popular. Even though nearly 200 years have passed since its original publication, Austen's characterizations still ring true.
I suddenly feel an overwhelming urge to watch that BBC miniseries. All five hours of it. Again.
I just finished P & P...I have to say I really enjoyed it. There were points I was racing through to get to the next exciting bit...I have always loved Jane Austen movies and can't wait to see the 5 hour mini-series. It's next on my netflix queue.
ReplyDelete