This famous assertion opens Jane Austen’s novel Pride And Prejudice, quickly setting the tone and introducing the subject matter: money and marriage. Both are of great significance in the Bennett household – with five daughters, and the property being tied to a male heir, the family faces eviction and poverty unless the girls marry well. 

The five daughters are: Jane (beautiful and kind); Elizabeth (quick-witted and sharp); Mary (plain and pompous) and Kitty and Lydia (both vain and flighty girls). They are tolerated by their father, Mr Bennett, and alternately indulged and provoked by their mother, Mrs Bennett.

Introducing Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy

To the village of Meryton, comes a single man in possession of a good fortune, who, it is assumed, must be in want of a wife. His name is Mr Bingley and Jane immediately catches his eye at the Meryton Ball. Also at the ball is Mr Darcy, Bingley’s best friend, but he is less impressed with the locals. Elizabeth overhears him being very dismissive of all the girls, including herself!

Mrs Bennett hatches a plot to send Jane without a carriage and in the rain to visit Netherfield where Mr Bingley lives. As desired, Jane catches a cold and has to stay for a number of days, giving Mr Bingley time to fall heed over heels in love. Elizabeth goes to nurse her and Mr Darcy is given the opportunity to revise his hasty opinion of her charms, although she keeps her distance, mindful of his first impressions.

Mr Collins proposes

Mr Collins comes to Longbourn, home of the Bennett family. He is the clergyman who is to inherit the house when Mr Bennett dies. Mr Collins is a foolish man, a snob and obsessed with his patroness, Lady Catherine de Bourgh - as he never tires of mentioning.

Meryton is hosting a group of officers and they have been providing much entertainment for the more flirtatious girls in the village, including Kitty and Lydia. Among their number is the dashing Mr Wickham, who seems to take a shine to Elizabeth and has a story of being hard done by Mr Darcy in their past.

Mr Bingley hosts a ball at Netherfield and the Bennett family disgrace themselves. Shortly afterwards, the Bingleys leave for London with little explanation.

Mr Collins feels it is his duty to propose to one of the Bennett girls that he is bound to disinherit, and on being told that Jane is expecting a proposal from another quarter, plumps for Elizabeth. She rejects him (her mother is dismayed) and he proposes to Charlotte Lucas, Elizabeth’s best friend.

Jane goes to London to stay with relatives, the Gardiners, but never gets to see Mr Bingley and is only coolly entertained by his sister, Caroline. She believes there is no hope for her romance.

Then Mr Darcy…

Meanwhile, Elizabeth visits Charlotte to see married life at Hunsford. She has the “pleasure” of meeting the controlling Lady Catherine, who turns out to be Mr Darcy’s aunt. While she is there Mr Darcy drops by with his friend Colonel Fitzwilliam. Fitzwilliam unwittingly tells Elizabeth the truth about the Bingley’s hurried departure from Netherfield – his loyal friend Darcy had persuaded him to abandon a potentially disastrous affair with an unsuitable girl.

Mortified by his view of her family and what she sees as his callous actions in relation to both Bingley and Mr Wickham, Elizabeth rejects Darcy in no uncertain terms when he unexpectedly proposes (against his “will, …reason, and …character”).

Mr Darcy is moved to write to Elizabeth to explain his actions in regard to Mr Wickham. When she sees that she has been fooled by the latter’s superficial and charming manners, she is a little ashamed. Wickham had indeed grown up with Darcy but rather than having the respectable living of a clergyman taken from him by Darcy, in reality he had rejected it in favour of cash and then attempted to seduce Darcy’s innocent young sister. The plan was uncovered just in time and Wickham joined the Army.

Elizabeth visits Derbyshire with the Gardiners and they go to have a peek at Pemberley, Mr Darcy’s magnificent estate, believing him to be away in London. Elizabeth is intrigued by the housekeeper’s reports of him as a generous and warm employer and is very impressed by his beautiful house and well-kept grounds. When he turns up she is embarrassed to seem to be snooping but he is open and friendly to them all. 

The mood is broken by terrible news from home: Lydia has eloped with the treacherous Wickham and is living in sin with him in London. Wickham’s substantial debts to tradesmen in Meryton are uncovered and it seems as if Lydia, and by extension the reputation of her sisters, is ruined. The couple cannot be found and Mr Bennett returns despondently home. Miraculously, news comes that the pair have been discovered and forced to marry and Wickham has been paid off, with minimal cost to Mr Bennett. Everyone assumes it was Mr Gardiner’s generosity but Lydia lets slip that Mr Darcy was at the wedding and Elizabeth realises the truth.

Followed by Mr Bingley…

Mr Bingley returns to Netherfield and renews his acquaintance with Jane. A proposal quickly follows which is joyfully accepted. Out of the blue, Lady Catherine de Bourgh arrives at Longbourn. Her mission is to dissuade Elizabeth from marrying her nephew, Mr Darcy - she has heard an unsettling rumour that this is to be the case. Elizabeth refuses to promise not to marry him and Lady Catherine departs in a huff. Nobody can believe that Darcy would propose to Elizabeth and no one who knows her thinks she would ever accept.

Happily ever after

However, when Mr Darcy himself arrives, Elizabeth is able to thank him for his intervention with Lydia and let him know that her feelings on that score have changed. To most of her family’s amazement, and our delight, they are at last united.