Paperback, 745 pages
English language
Published March 2007 by Anchor Books.
This first-ever fully annotated edition of one of the most beloved novels in the world is a sheer delight for Jane Austen fans. Here is the complete text of Pride and Prejudice with more than 2,300 annotations on facing pages, including:
• Explanations of historical context
Rules of etiquette, class differences, the position of women, legal and economic realities, leisure activities, and more.
• Citations from Austen’s life, letters, and other writings
Parallels between the novel and Austen’s experience are revealed, along with writings that illuminate her beliefs and opinions.
• Definitions and clarifications
Archaic words, words still in use whose meanings have changed, and obscure passages are explained.
• Literary comments and analyses
Insightful notes highlight Austen’s artistry and point out the subtle ways she develops her characters and themes.
• Maps and illustrations
of places and objects mentioned in the novel.
• An introduction, a bibliography, and a …
This first-ever fully annotated edition of one of the most beloved novels in the world is a sheer delight for Jane Austen fans. Here is the complete text of Pride and Prejudice with more than 2,300 annotations on facing pages, including:
• Explanations of historical context
Rules of etiquette, class differences, the position of women, legal and economic realities, leisure activities, and more.
• Citations from Austen’s life, letters, and other writings
Parallels between the novel and Austen’s experience are revealed, along with writings that illuminate her beliefs and opinions.
• Definitions and clarifications
Archaic words, words still in use whose meanings have changed, and obscure passages are explained.
• Literary comments and analyses
Insightful notes highlight Austen’s artistry and point out the subtle ways she develops her characters and themes.
• Maps and illustrations
of places and objects mentioned in the novel.
• An introduction, a bibliography, and a detailed chronology of events
Of course, one can enjoy the novel without knowing the precise definition of a gentleman, or what it signifies that a character drives a coach rather than a hack chaise, or the rules governing social interaction at a ball, but readers of The Annotated Pride and Prejudice will find that these kinds of details add immeasurably to understanding and enjoying the intricate psychological interplay of Austen’s immortal characters.
I expected something deeper/monumental, having known nothing about the book before. But for such an old book it is well written and the characters and love story are cute ☺️
Pride And Prejudice is a difficult novel for me to review because, although this was my first reading of Austen's work, I have already encountered its essential storyline in televised adaptations and numerous other novels so I felt as though I was revisiting the book rather than coming to it fresh. I enjoyed the humour, especially Austen's partly-veiled observations on the predicament of women rendered useless without a husband and, of course, her wonderful characters. Austen had such a talent for observation and for just exaggerating foibles enough to make people such as Mrs Bennet and Lady Catherine ridiculous, but not unbelievable. Personally I wasn't convinced by Darcy's complete change of behaviour mid-book, but both he and Elizabeth have wonderfully sparkling conversations and spats with the great energy fairly leaping from the page. The repression of their social situation contrasts brilliantly with the obvious strength of their emotional attraction to …
Pride And Prejudice is a difficult novel for me to review because, although this was my first reading of Austen's work, I have already encountered its essential storyline in televised adaptations and numerous other novels so I felt as though I was revisiting the book rather than coming to it fresh. I enjoyed the humour, especially Austen's partly-veiled observations on the predicament of women rendered useless without a husband and, of course, her wonderful characters. Austen had such a talent for observation and for just exaggerating foibles enough to make people such as Mrs Bennet and Lady Catherine ridiculous, but not unbelievable. Personally I wasn't convinced by Darcy's complete change of behaviour mid-book, but both he and Elizabeth have wonderfully sparkling conversations and spats with the great energy fairly leaping from the page. The repression of their social situation contrasts brilliantly with the obvious strength of their emotional attraction to each other.
I was interested to learn from Ian Littlewood's introduction that Pride And Prejudice was pretty much an overnight success upon its publication, but that it took some sixteen years and at least one drastic rewrite to get to that stage. The book was refused on its first submission in the late 1700s, even though Austen would have paid for the printing herself! An example to authors everywhere of the importance of not giving up!
