Who wrote Pride and Prejudice?
Quick answer
Pride and Prejudice was written by English novelist Jane Austen and published in 1813. It follows the witty Elizabeth Bennet and the proud, wealthy Mr. Darcy, whose first impressions of each other turn out to be wrong. It’s one of the most popular novels in English literature.
Key facts
- Author
- Jane Austen (1775–1817)
- Published
- January 28, 1813
- Original title
- First Impressions
- Setting
- Rural England, around 1800
The opening line
The novel begins with one of literature’s most famous sentences: “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.” It sets up the book’s playful look at marriage, money and social class.
The story in brief
Mrs. Bennet is desperate to marry off her five daughters, since their family home will pass to a male cousin. When the rich Mr. Bingley and his friend Mr. Darcy arrive nearby, Jane Bennet and Bingley fall for each other, while Elizabeth dislikes Darcy for his arrogance. As misunderstandings unravel, both Elizabeth and Darcy overcome their pride and prejudice.
Austen published anonymously
Like her other novels, Pride and Prejudice was published without her name; it was credited to “the Author of Sense and Sensibility.” Women writers at the time often hid their identities. Austen earned only about £110 for the copyright.
Jane Austen’s six novels
| Year | Novel |
|---|---|
| 1811 | Sense and Sensibility |
| 1813 | Pride and Prejudice |
| 1814 | Mansfield Park |
| 1815 | Emma |
| 1817 | Northanger Abbey (published after her death) |
| 1817 | Persuasion (published after her death) |
Her life
Austen was born in Steventon, Hampshire, the daughter of a clergyman. She never married and died in Winchester in 1817, aged just 41. She appears on the Bank of England’s £10 note.
On screen
Famous adaptations include the 1995 BBC series with Colin Firth and the 2005 film with Keira Knightley. The story also inspired Bridget Jones’s Diary.
For another classic of English literature, see who created Sherlock Holmes. Writing about the novel? Start with a good essay introduction.
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