"Pride and Prejudice," a novel by Jane Austen, is a witty exploration of the nature of love, marriage, and society in early 19th-century England. It centers on Elizabeth Bennet, an intelligent and spirited young woman, and her family's efforts to secure prosperous marriages for her and her four sisters. The narrative unfolds against the backdrop of their rural community, where social standing and wealth dictate the dynamics of relationships. Elizabeth's evolving relationship with the aloof and seemingly haughty Mr. Darcy forms the crux of the story. Through a series of misunderstandings and revelations, both Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy overcome their initial prejudices and personal pride, leading to a deeper understanding and love for each other. Austen's sharp commentary on the class and gender dynamics of her time is delivered with humor and insight, making the novel both a delightful read and a thoughtful critique of societal norms.
Mr. Bingley was good-looking and gentlemanlike: he had a pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners. His sisters were fine women, with an air of decided fashion. His brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst, merely looked the gentleman; but his friend Mr. Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report, which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year. The gentlemen pronounced him to be a fine figure of a man, the ladies declared he was much handsomer than Mr. Bingley, and he was looked at with great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of his popularity; for he was discovered to be proud, to be above his company, and above being pleased; and not all his large estate in Derbyshire could save him from having a most forbidding, disagreeable countenance, and being unworthy to be compared with his friend.
Mr. Bingley had soon made himself acquainted with all the principal people in the room: he was lively and unreserved, danced every dance, was angry that the ball closed so early, and talked of giving one himself at Netherfield. Such amiable qualities must speak for themselves. What a contrast between him and his friend! Mr. Darcy danced only once with Mrs. Hurst and once with Miss Bingley, declined being introduced to any other lady, and spent the rest of the evening in walking about the room, speaking occasionally to one of his own party. His character was decided. He was the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world, and everybody hoped that he would never come there again. Amongst the most violent against him was Mrs. Bennet, whose dislike of his general behaviour was sharpened into particular resentment by his having slighted one of her daughters.
At Peech, we're passionate about enhancing your reading experience through the power of audiobooks. With our advanced Text-to-Speech technology, you can enjoy books in outstanding sound quality and in a variety of formats, including PDF, eBook and text. Whether you love immersing yourself in thrilling mysteries, exploring vast fantasy worlds, or gaining new knowledge from non-fiction, our product supports over 50 languages, enabling you to enjoy a diverse range of genres and authors from all over the world. Experience the joy of listening to your favorite books, crafted into audiobooks with clarity and precision, anytime and anywhere with Peech.
Yes, this book is in the public domain and can be accessed without any restrictions or royalties. The copyright term has expired. In most countries, copyrights last for the life of the author plus 70 years. Therefore, books published before the date of 1924 are generally in the public domain in the US if the copyright was not renewed.
You can download this book for free, for example, on the Gutenberg Project website. This version is available to download and read in various ebook formats, including PDF, epub, TXT and others.
To start listening to audiobooks, you need to follow these steps:
