Pride and Prejudice

Pride and Prejudice was first published in 1813 by Jane Austen. The story follows the main character, Elizabeth Bennet, as she deals with issues of manners, upbringing, morality, education, and marriage in the society of the landed gentry of the 19th century England. The landed gentry was a traditional British social class, consisting of land owners who could live entirely off rental income. The plot is driven by a particular situation which effects the lives of all who live on the estate. The estate where the Bennett family resides is entailed to one of Mr. Bennet's collateral relatives (male only), by the legal terms of fee tail (an estate of inheritance in real property which cannot be sold, inherited through a will, or given away by the owner, but which passes to the owner's heirs upon his death.)

In all honesty, I found this novel to be a very difficult read, mainly because of my severe disinterest in this time period. I honestly did not read the book in the original two weeks that I was supposed to have it done, rather after we had discussed it. I piled through the novel, so that I could move onto Pride and Prejudice and Zombies without feeling guilty that I had not finished this book.

By the middle of the book I had more of a desire to pluck out my eyelashes with a rushy spork than continue reading the woes of the Bennett family. I know most people love this book, but I am definitely not one of them. In fact, I would say I am one of the rare people who can say they absolutely detest this book. I actually found myself more interested in finishing The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow than turn another page. Eventually I did finally finish the story, but I was left questioning myself whether I could get the hours back that I spent reading it.