Pride & Prejudice (ePub)

Jane Austen (1775-1817), a preeminent English novelist, had a profound influence on English literature with her wit, social observation, and insightful commentary on the lives and morals of the early 19th century. Austen's novels are celebrated for their irony, realism, and social critique, particularly in relation to women's dependence on marriage for social standing and economic security. Born in a Hampshire village into a close-knit family of eight, Austen's environment provided the context for her fiction. 'Pride & Prejudice', her second novel, published in 1813, is particularly noteworthy. This book artfully weaves the tale of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, her most iconic characters, whose story examines the themes of pride, prejudice, marriage, and the social classes of the era. Austen's other notable works include 'Sense and Sensibility', 'Emma', 'Mansfield Park', 'Northanger Abbey', and 'Persuasion'. Her novels, though only modestly successful during her life, gained significant posthumous recognition and have since been adapted into a range of movies, television series, and scholarly works. Austen's narrative style, characterized by a combination of satire, humour, and social commentary, continues to resonate and captivate readers and academics alike, speaking to her enduring legacy as a cornerstone of classic English literature.