Why Do We Love Pride and Prejudice Variations?

I think that the foremost reason that we love the variations is that we love the characters or, at least, most of them. 🙂

1. Fitzwilliam Darcy – He was the shy, handsome genius that cared for Pemberley and all the people connected to it. He was a loyal friend in spite of the fact that he had meddled in the affairs and decisions of said friends. But we understand why he did. Because he cared about them and wanted them to be safe and happy. But he was an imperfect human like the rest of us and made mistakes with said friends at times. However, when he realized that he misjudged a situation or a person’s actions, he was quick to apologize. So, we find he had humility behind his tough man façade as well. No wonder Elizabeth Bennet fell in love with him. So did I, and it increases with every variation that I read.
2. Elizabeth Bennet – She was the beautiful sister/daughter who was quick to judge others, and that got her into trouble when she was not careful. Lover of family and friends, Elizabeth was willing to do what it took to protect those she cared about in spite of their flaws. Well, well! In some respects, Lizzy had a number of personality traits that were similar to Darcy’s. However, her traits that were polar opposites from Darcy’s might have balanced some of his flaws and helped him become more likeable to others. Elizabeth also loved her eldest sister, Jane, and would do just about anything to protect her. But she didn’t forget the rest of her family. Although she might remember how much she loved them, she may then have sighed at some of their more embarrassing traits.
3. Thomas Bennet – Lizzy loves him to death, even with his flaws, because he was her father, and the two of them were very much alike. Although we can understand why he hid in his study, we also try to remember that Fanny Bennet would drive anyone crazy-who was mindful of decorum-by her loud voice and course manners. Because of his hatred of the entail on his estate, he had fought and then almost given up fighting for his beloved home. Why? Because he tried to end the entail with the help of his brother-in-law, Mr. Phillips, but failed at kicking Mr. Collins out of the picture. Between Mrs. Bennet and all the responsibilities that he had, Bennet would just prefer to eat, read, and sleep in his study and not worry extensively about anything. And his two youngest daughters had worried him, but he was unsuccessful in curbing their bad manners and unladylike behavior. With his wife encouraging their outrageous behavior, Bennet didn’t have a chance of changing their actions and finally gave it up as a lost cause.
4. Fanny Bennet – Loud and uncouth, Fanny was mother to five daughters and worried about their future. If there wasn’t an entail on Longbourn and the possible future of poverty after Mr. Bennet died, she might have acted a little better, especially when they had visitors. We can’t blame her for worrying about the future of her family. That is one of the traits of a good mother. However, she also was a gossip. If she learned a secret, it would never ever again be a secret because she would announce it to the world.  So, we take her with a box of salt realizing that she really did care about her daughters in spite of her nerves.. However, she probably ran off every male suitor for her girls by her bad manners. And that is kind of sad.
5. Jane Bennet – Jane was the most beautiful of any of the Bennet sisters but also a bit timid. Bingley fell in love almost immediately but allowed his sisters and Darcy to talk him into refraining from courting her. If she had just been a tiny bit forward, Bingley might not have listened to his sisters and friend. I’m glad that she found her happiness with Bingley when he finally found the courage to go after their happiness instead of turning his back and walking away.
6. Mary Bennet – Poor Mary. Ignored by most of her family, she still managed to attain their attention by reading from Fordyce and practicing the pianoforte to improve her ability to play. Whether or not her family appreciated those efforts is subject to debate.
7. Kitty Bennet – Next to the youngest in age, Kitty found herself following in Lydia’s wake and being just as silly as she was. Not good as she was vulnerable to any militia member simply because Lydia caught much of the militia men’s attention, and not good attention at that, especially that of George Wickham
8. Lydia Bennet – Miss Bold and Brass was just as much a loudmouth as her mother especially when things did not go her way. Unfortunately, she attracted one of the worst men in the country: Mr. Wickham. One could try and sympathize with the young girl, but it wouldn’t help. She was just young and foolish because she wouldn’t listen to any common sense advice. As a result, she was just a seduction away from ruin. Horrors! She could also ruin the reputation of her family as well. It’s too bad that she didn’t seem to care.
9. Charles Bingley – Bingley was a happy fellow that probably had everybody smiling as he neared. Friendly to a fault that made his sisters bristle about some of his acquaintances being beneath them. He was well liked because he was friendly to all he met.
10. Caroline Bingley – Oh, my. Even though physically attractive, Caroline Bingley had an ugly manner about her. To feel good about herself, she looked down on everyone else. How did she ever decide that coming from trade made her equal to or above landed gentry? She was such a snob and a friend to nobody, not even her sister. Not a nice woman at all
11. Mr. and Mrs. Hurst – Mrs. Hurst was sister to Charles and Caroline Bingley. Louisa Hurst was in Caroline’s pocket and a ‘yes, ma’am’ to her sister while her husband slept or ate or drank or played cards. I wonder how long Charles allowed them to sponge off of him.
12. Mrs. Reynolds – Fitzwilliam Darcy’s housekeeper had known him since he was four years old. She loved the fact that he grew up to be such a fine young man. Although she was only a servant in the eyes of many, I appreciate the loyalty and the hard work that showed her respect for her boss.
13. The Gardiner’s – Mrs. Gardiner and her husband are aunt and uncle to the Bennet sisters. Mr. Gardiner was Fanny Bennet’s brother. With more common sense than Mr. and Mrs. Bennet, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner did what they could to encourage good manners and good conduct from Jane and Elizabeth.
14. Charlotte Lucas – This daughter of Sir William and Lady Lucas was a good friend to Elizabeth along with Jane. Considered on the shelf, she probably endured a lot of criticism when she married William Collins. She was totally calm when under fire and seemed content with her marriage..
15. George Wickham – He was the villain we love to hate. Oh, my goodness. He was a smooth, oily snake that had all the looks of honesty and the heart of a criminal. He pursued very young girls because they were going through the young and foolish years and never would have suspected what a dastard he was. Marshalsea was not enough punishment for someone as rotten as he was. It’s surprising that Darcy was able to talk Fitzwilliam out of killing Wickham, but we can understand why his cousin wanted him six feet under. I will say this, that some variations have portrayed him as a decent individual, and I have enjoyed them.
16. Georgiana Darcy – She was Darcy’s sweet and shy young sister that was one of the many victims of George Wickham. We don’t really have much information about her other than that she was very young, around fifteen years old, and was very proficient on the pianoforte. Darcy was also very protective of her and her welfare.
17. Colonel Fitzwilliam – Fitzwilliam was the son of Lord and Lady Matlock and Darcy’s cousin. Yes, I always think of him as being Richard Fitzwilliam. And I love that he was also very protective of Darcy and Georgiana. He also could be a big tease as well.
18. Sir William and Lady Lucas – They were good friends of the Bennets and parents to Charlotte and her brothers. Well liked by the whole community and genial hosts on occasion, they entertained fairly frequently. However, Lady Lucas was also a lover of gossip, the juicier, the better.
19. Mr. and Mrs. Phillips – While they were aunt and uncle to the Bennet sisters, Mrs. Phillips was also sister to Mrs. Bennet. We don’t see them in the book very often, but apparently Mrs. Phillips was a gossip like Lady Lucas and Mrs. Bennet.
20. Mr. William Collins – If I’d been married to him, I would have been tempted to bump him off in his sleep. He was such a stupid sycophant of Lady Catherine’s that it probably would have driven me nuts
21. Colonel Forster – A silly, older man who gave his heart to a foolish teenager who apparently supported Lydia’s bad conduct and elopement at Brighton.
22. Mr. and Mrs. Hill – The Hills were part of the servant staff at Longbourn and well loved by Jane and Elizabeth, liked and respected by Mary, and fluffed off by Kitty and Lydia. They were loyal to the Bennets after having been with them for many years, and Mrs. Hill helped and tolerated Fanny Bennet.
23. Lady Catherine de Bourg – She was Darcy and Georgiana’s aunt and sister to their deceased mother, Lady Ann Darcy. Lady Catherine was also one of the worst of harridans that thought she knew everything about everything, and everybody ought to bow to her extensive knowledge and obey her suggestions. She also kept demanding that Darcy marry Anne. It was obvious that she wanted Anne to get married and live at Pemberley. Lady Catherine would have had sole rule of Rosings and no dissenters. Unfortunately for her daughter, Anne, Lady Catherine kept her thumb on Anne, and dictated her life.
24. Anne de Bourg – After a while, I can understand why Anne didn’t fight her mother. When every thought and every possible decision of Anne’s was overridden plus she was dealing with health issues to boot, one cannot blame her for refraining from challenging her mother. I like the variations where she has the strength to tell her mother where to hop off.
25. Mrs. Long – She was one of the twenty-four families that inhabited Meryton and another one that loved to gossip. Unfortunately, gossip is hurtful, particularly when it is wrong information. It also has the ability to ruin the reputations of those who don’t deserve it.

My goodness, I didn’t realize that there were that many characters plus other minor ones in Austen’s classic. And their personalities and ways of life are interesting. It is too bad that there were different classifications of people: gentry, trade, etc. This gave various individuals the right to look down on someone they thought beneath them: servants, tradesmen. I fear that this attitude toward others still is found in various parts of the earth.

“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

‘Pride and Prejudice’ is an interesting book showing the prejudices of those times, the different personalities of the cast, and that life can be happy or sad depending on how we live it and treat others.

And I must say that with 400+ Pride and Prejudice variations that I love the different plots, the different endings, and how the personalities of some change over time. Please keep them coming. They are my favorites of fiction literature.

Please Note: Darcy Vs Bingley paperback for $9.99 is still available through November 30th, 2024. You save $3.00. Enjoy!