If you love old classical books, then you will have reasons to find this article interesting and informative.
Though there are hundreds of such classics, there are a few that have stood the test of time. One such book is the iconic and hugely family Pride and Prejudice.
Many of us, especially those belonging to the younger generation would like to find the right answer to the question should you read "Pride and Prejudice".
"Pride and Prejudice" is recommended for everyone to read, because the plot is captivating thoughts and ideas in this book are universal and continue to be as relevant as they were.
There are some common questions that keep coming to the minds of many people, especially the young and inquisitive minds.
Let us get started by understanding a few things about the age of this book. The book was written by Jane Austen way back in 1813. Therefore, the book is around 200 years old and it still continues to be as fresh as it was when written first. It is basically a romantic novel.
It would be pertinent to mention here that it was published anonymously in three different volumes in 1813.
It is considered to be an iconic representation of English Literature. It is written with that special and unique English wit and the character delineation is considered to be top class.
A major part of the book is built around Elizabeth Bennet, who happened to be the daughter of a country man. She had a turbulent relationship with Fitzwilliam Darcy who was a rich and aristocratic landowner.
Now that we have some historical perspective of Pride and Prejudice, let us get into some of the common questions that arise in the minds of the customers.
How long does it take to read “Pride and Prejudice”?
If you read at around 250 words per minute, the book should take around 6 hours and 34 minutes to complete if we are to be very specific and accurate.
This is indeed quite a bit of time, but we have to understand the fact that it is a big book and runs into three different volumes.
Reading it the first time may help you to get a reasonably good overall perspective about the books, the plot and story. However, if you are to know more about the literary wealth that the book offers, it may take around four to five reads.
Each reading might throw some new light into the literary masterpiece that is ingrained in the book.
Is “Pride and Prejudice” easy to read?
There are many people who are perhaps under the wrong opinion that Pride & Prejudice is hard to read. This is not exactly based on facts.
The book is not hard to read at all, provided you have a reasonably good grasp of the English language. You might find it a bit tough especially when you go through the first few pages.
However, it would be a good idea to keep trying and be at it. Once you are able to get over the initial difficulties, you should find it a lot easier to go through the book.
You could come across quite a few words and phrases that could be a bit tough on those who are not native English speakers. But this is not an attempt to discourage non-native readers.
They, too, will start liking the book, provided they have a good dictionary in hand. Once they are able to get the meaning of these so-called tough words and phrases, it will only be a matter of time before these start liking the book in its totality.
6 great reasons to read “Pride and Prejudice”
Let us now have a look at six of the main reasons why it makes a lot of sense to read this classic.
1. It is a top class entry level classic
The problem with some famous English and other language classic books is that the readers need a lot of experience to understand and comprehend the writings, the meanings and the overall plot and story.
However, this is not the case as far as Pride & Prejudice is concerned.
As a reader, you do not require years of experience and expertise in classics to understand, comprehend, and eventually love the book. The book is quite easy to understand and that is what my feedback is.
The first few chapters may be a bit difficult but once you get into the groove, you will be able to get into an automatic flow as far as the writing is concerned. There are dictionaries and other resources available that could make it easier for you should you get stuck somewhere.
2. It is full of wit and humor
Those who are reading the book for the first time may be in for some pleasant surprises.
When we look at the summary or the synopsis of the book and understand that it is a love story that is built in England of the 1800s, we may have reasons to believe that the book will be heavy and slow-paced.
However, this is not the case. The book is reasonably fast-paced and it also is packed with quite a bit of humor and wit. The relationships between the sisters Lizzle and Jane and the wit of Mr. Bennet are small examples of the kind of wit and humor that are part of this book.
3. It has romance built into it
If you are one of those who love romance (who does not?) then there are enough reasons to believe that this could be the book for you.
Even those who are not so romantically inclined may also have enough reasons to find this book extremely interesting and enjoyable. Though the main structure of the book is built around romance, it has many other things to offer.
Pride and Prejudice offers a number of interesting studies of different characters and is packed with humor, wit and also there is quite a bit of social commentary attached with the book.
4. It is a classic with a sound reason.
There are obviously a number of reasons for the continuing popularity of this classic. The plot, the style of writing and the description of characters and the way they easily fit into the main theme of the classic are simply incredible.
The characters are well-defined and their representation in the entire plot has been done exceptionally well.
5. The Focus of Introspection and Change
This is one of the few classics of that time that perhaps focuses quite a bit on change and introspection.
Hence, if you are one of those who perhaps may believe the positive impact of change, then this book could be for you. It has many things revolving around Elizabeth the main character.
She, over a period of time, understands that Darcy is not what she thought he was. This led her to pause, think and retrospect and then she started having a different viewpoint as far as Darcy was concerned.
6. Real Intrigue and Drama
Unlike a few classics, there are enough pages that are devoted to real drama and intrigue.
The first few conversations when Darcy proposed to Elizabeth and the showdown that she has with the aunt of Darcy are simple reasons to believe that Pride and Prejudice is much more than just another classic.
You will have many occasions where the drama and intrigue will for sure get into your system and you will find it difficult to put the book down.
Should you read “Pride and Prejudice” before watching the movie?
This should not be a difficult question to answer. If you are watching the movie just for the sake of enjoyment, then it may not be a bad idea to watch the movie first.
However, if you want to get into the intricacies of each character and the meaning and significance of various situations and happenings, then it makes much better sense to read the book and then watch the movie.
Otherwise, you may not be in a position to grasp the finer points and aspects of the book.
The Final Word
Whether you are a native English speaker or a non-native person who loves classics of different languages, then you must certainly take some time off and read pride and prejudice.
It is a perfect book for beginners and it has many things to offer for them. Even experienced book readers, especially those who are favorably inclined towards classics may also have many reasons to find this book interesting and informative.
As mentioned above, it would always be better to go through a first reading of the book and this could be quite rapid.
However, in case you want to go into the finer points of the book and understand the reasons as to why it is considered to be a masterpiece classic work, you have many reasons to read the book more than once.
