The Annotated Pride and Prejudice

Annotations to the Front Cover

1. Jane Austen's sister, Cassandra, painted this picture of their niece, Fanny Austen Knight. Fanny's surname resulted from her father's adoption by distant relations named Knight who left their estate to him. This reasonably common procedure could explain the difference in name of Mr. Bennet and Mr. Collins in the novel, despite their common paternal ancestry.

2. Fanny was very close to Austen, often asking her advice about love and marriage. In her replies, Austen acknowledges the economic benefits of marriage for women but also argues firmly, in words she repeats almost verbatim in Pride and Prejudice, that one should never marry without love.

3. Fanny's sketching, like Cassandra's execution of this picture, suggests how many ladies drew or painted at that time. Such accomplishments were highly valued in young ladies; the Bennet girls are criticized for their inability to draw.

4. Fanny's dress is typical of period fashions, which favored high waists, soft flowing fabrics, and light colors.

The Annotated
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

Annotated and Edited by
DAVID M. SHAPARD

David Shapard graduated with a Ph.D. in European History from the University of California at Berkeley; his specialty was the eighteenth century. Since then he has taught at several colleges. He lives in upstate New York.

The cottage at Chawton, Hampshire. This was where Jane Austen lived in the last part of her life, and where she wrote most of her novels.

[From Mary Augusta Austen-Leigh, Personal Aspects of Jane Austen (New York, 1920), p. 112]

Contents

Notes to the Reader

Acknowledgments

Introduction

PRIDE AND PREJUDICE

VOLUME I
(Note: The following chapter headings are not found in the novel. They are added here by the editor to assist the reader.)

I            Mr. and Mrs. Bennet

II          The Bennet Family

III         The First Dance

IV         Elizabeth and Jane

V          The Miss Bennets and the Miss Lucases

VI         The Party at the Lucases

VII        Jane Invited to Netherfield

VIII       Elizabeth's First Evening at Netherfield

IX         Visit of Mrs. Bennet

X          Elizabeth Debating Darcy

XI         Discussion of Darcy and Pride

XII        Departure from Netherfield

XIII       Arrival of Mr. Collins

XIV       An Evening with Mr. Collins

XV        Encounter of Darcy and Wickham

XVI       Elizabeth and Wickham

XVII      Preparations for the Ball

XVIII     The Ball at Netherfield

XIX       Elizabeth and Mr. Collins

XX        End of Mr. Collins's Offer

XXI       News of Bingley's Departure

XXII      Mr. Collins and Charlotte

XXIII    The Reaction of the Bennets

VOLUME II

I           Despair over Bingley

II         The Gardiners' Christmas Visit

III        Jane's Stay with the Gardiners

IV        Elizabeth's Stop in London

V         Elizabeth's Arrival at Charlotte's

VI        Dinner with Lady Catherine

VII       Arrival of Darcy

VIII      An Evening at Lady Catherine's

IX        Darcy's Visit

X         Elizabeth and Colonel Fitzwilliam

XI        The Proposal

XII       Darcy's Letter

XIII      Reaction to the Letter

XIV      Farewell to Lady Catherine

XV       Departure of Elizabeth

XVI      Elizabeth's Return Home

XVII     Elizabeth's Revelation to Jane

XVIII    Lydia's Departure for Brighton

XIX      Beginning of Northern Tour

VOLUME III

I           Encounter at Pemberley

II          Visit of Darcy and Bingley

III         Second Visit to Pemberley

IV         News about Lydia

V          Return of the Travelers

VI         The Wait for Further News

VII        Announcement of the Engagement

VIII      Reaction to the Engagement

IX         Lydia's Return

X          Mrs. Gardiner's Letter

XI         Return to Netherfield

XII        Dinner at the Bennets

XIII       Bingley and Jane

XIV       Lady Catherine's Visit

XV        Mr. Bennet Teasing Elizabeth

XVI       Elizabeth and Darcy

XVII      Surprise of the Bennets

XVIII     Discussion of Earlier Events

XIX       Conclusion

Notes on the Text of the Novel

Chronology

Bibliography

Maps

Notes to the Reader

The Annotated Pride and Prejudice contains several features that the reader should be aware of:

Plot disclosures: a number of annotations allude to later developments in the story, as does the introduction. Such allusions are essential to making a variety of points, but they can spoil the surprise for anyone unfamilar with the story. First-time readers might therefore prefer to read the text of the novel first, and then to read the annotations and introduction.

Literary interpretations: the comments on the techniques and themes of the novel, more than other types of entries, represent the personal views and interpretations of the editor. Such views have been carefully considered, but nevertheless they will inevitably provoke disagreement among some readers. I can only hope that even in those cases, the opinions expressed provide useful food for thought.

Differences of meaning: many words then, like many words now, had multiple meanings. The meaning of a word that is given at any particular place is intended only to apply to the way the word is used at that point in the text; it does not represent a complete definition of the word in the language of the time. Thus some words are defined differently at different points, while many words are only defined in certain places, since in other places they are used in ways that remain familiar today.

Repetitions: this book has been designed so it can be used as a reference.