Aiyeeee! Aieeeeeee!!!

Pride and Prejudice, whether in the form of a worn paperback or in it's latest film adaptation, tends to have that effect on me. I find myself floating on such rapturous delights that broach no doubt as to this book being my favorite. Jane Austen, you are the best. Where would I be without you? (Maybe a little OA, but like I said, rapturous delights!)

In Blue Like Jazz, Donald writes this of Pride and Prejudice:

"I understand you can learn a great deal about girldom by reading Pride and Prejudice, and I own a copy, but I have never read it. I tried. It was given to me by a girl with a little note inside that read: What is in this book is the heart of a woman. I am sure that the heart of a woman is pure and lovely, but the first chapter of said heart is hopelessly boring. Nobody dies at all. I keep the book on my shelf because girls come into my room, sit on my couch, and eye the books on the adjacent shelf. You have a copy of Pride and Prejudice, they exclaim in a gentle sigh and smile. Yes, I say. Yes, I do."

Although a little indignant that Austen or Pride and Prejudice be called boring, I had to laugh. I know few men who enjoy the novel. And, yes, I exclaim and smile when I find that out.

Does it contain the heart of a woman? Hah, what is the heart of a woman? It sounds nice when someone calls it pure, lovely or good. At the moment though, my heart is more monstrousity than beauty. If it shall ever be pure and lovely and good, I don't know and in my despair, I can barely believe that I am a new creation. But, I digress.

Pride and Prejudice, romantic as it can get, is always described in introductions to be a satire of many things. I won't go into that. The 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." tells us that the book will be about courship and marriage and that the book will be simple yet witty. I'm no literary critic, I confess, but that's what I thought. (I feel weird writing this knowing the great Butch Pang might rove over my blog and see this)

The book seems to be a compilation of Austen's thoughts on marriage (among other things admittedly), herself never married. Darcy and Elizabeth seems to have the most successful marriage, based on a mutual understanding. Their affections were certainly not broought upon by appearance and it took some time to get over their prejudices and their pride for them to get to know each other. It is a book to be read and reread. I purchase my own copy when an edition with a cover using the latest film's poster comes out.

Here's a quote from the movie:

Mr. Darcy: Miss Elizabeth. I have struggled in vain and I can bear it no longer. These past months have been a torment. I came to Rosings with the single object of seeing you... I had to see you. I have fought against my better judgment, my family's expectations, the inferiority of your birth by rank and circumstance. All these things I am willing to put aside and ask you to end my agony.
Elizabeth Bennet: I don't understand.
Mr. Darcy: I love you.

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PS Upon reading my latest posts, it seems I vacillate beteen sadness and rapture. Oh well, one cannot mope around all day.