Pride and Prejudice (1813), Jane Austen: summary

This romantic novel is 204 years by now, but the Bennets’s story still exists today probably in third country or non-democracy government. Of course, outside of those countries, it is so easy to find Lizzy Bennet. Though I have watched the film adaption, but I prefer the book. The underlining theme of this novel is how a 19 years old girl like Lizzy to deal with her age in deciding marriage. Mrs. Bennet, her mother, is so relieved to find her eldest daughter crossed in love to a Bingley.  There are still four daughters have came to their age in state of marriage.
 
I like the author in describing the Bennets, and also how she depicts Collins and Darcy. It is in details and delivered in natural and elegant conversation. This fiction allows me to understand what happened to middle class family back in early 1800s. This fiction is a perfect object for learning beautiful and classy writing, though I have to admit this fiction is not easy to comprehend.

Pride and Prejudice (1813), Jane Austen: summary

Not all that Mrs. Bennet, however, with assistance of her five daughters, could ask the subject, was sufficient to draw from her husband any satisfactory description of Mr. Bingley. He was quite young, wonderfully handsome, extremely agreeable, and to crown to whole, he meant to be at the next assembly with a large party. In a few days Mr. Bingley returned Mr. Bennet’s visit. He had entertained hopes of being admitted to a sight of the young ladies, of whose beauty he heard much; but he only saw the father. An invitation dinner was soon afterwards dispatched; and already had Mrs. Bennet planned the courses that were to do credit to her housekeeping.

And when the party assembly room it consisted of only five altogether – Mr. Bingley, his two sisters, the husband of the eldest, and another young man. Mr. Bingley was good-looking and gentlemanlike; he had pleasant countenance, and easy, unaffected manners. His sisters were fine women, with an air of decided fashion. His brother-in-law, Mr. Hurst, merely looked the gentleman; but his friend Mr. Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien, and the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand years. The ladies declared he was handsomer than Mr. Bingley and he was looked at great admiration for about half the evening, till his manners gave a disgust which turned the tide of popularity; for he was discovered to be proud. His large estate in Derbyshire was unworthy to be compared with his friend.

Mr. Bingley had soon made himself acquainted with all the principal people in e room; he was lively and unreserved, danced every dance, was angry that the ball closed so early, and talked of giving one himself at Netherfield. What a contrast between him and his friend. Mr. Darcy danced only once with Mrs. Hurst and once with Miss Bingley, declined introduced to any other lady, and spent the rest of the evening in walking  about t room, speaking occasionally to one of his own party. He was the proudest, most disagreeable man in the world, and everyone hoped that he would never come there again. Amongst the most violent against him was Mrs. Bennet, whose dislike of his general behavior was sharpened into particular resentment by his having slighted one of her daughters.

Mr. Bingley was dancing with the only handsome girl in the room as Darcy looked at the eldest Miss Bennet. The evening altogether passed off pleasantly to the whole family. Mrs. Bennet had seen her eldest daughter much admired by the Netherfield party. Mr. Bingley had danced with her twice, and she had been distinguished by his sisters. Jane was as much gratified by this as her mother could be, though in a quitter way. Elizabeth felt Jane’s pleasure. Mary had heard herself mentioned to Miss Bingley as the most accomplished girl in the neighborhood; and Catherine and Lydia had been fortune enough never to be without partners, which all that they had yet learnt to care for a ball.

Mr. Bingley inherited property to the huge amount from his father, who intended to purchase an estate. His sisters were anxious for his having an estate of his own; but though he was now only established as a tenant. Between him and Darcy there was a very steady friendship, in spite of great opposition character. Bingley was endeared to Darcy by the easiness, openness, and ductility of his temper. In understanding, Darcy was the superior. Bingley was by no means deficient, but Darcy was clever.

Bingley had never met with more pleasant people or pettier girls in his life; there had been no formality; he had soon felt acquainted with all the room; an as to Jane Bennet, he could not conceive an angel more beautiful. Darcy, on the contrary, had seen a collection of people in whom there was little beauty and no fashion, for none of whom he had felt the smallest interest. Elizabeth Bennet he acknowledged to be pretty, but she smiled too much. 

Lady Lucas was a very good kind of woman, not too clever to be a valuable neighbor to Mrs. Bennet. They had several children. The eldest of them, a sensible, intelligent young woman, about twenty-seven, was Elizabeth’s intimate friend. It was Charlotte Lucas.

Occupied in observing Mr. Bingley’s attentions to her sister, Elizabeth was far from suspecting that she was herself becoming an object of some interest in the eyes of his friend. Mr. Darcy had at first scarcely allowed her to be pretty; he had looked at her without admiration at the ball. He began to wish to know more of her, and as a step towards conversing her himself, attended to her conversation with others. Mary had neither genius nor taste; and though vanity had given her application. The third girl of Bennets was the only plain one in family.  

Mr. Bennet’s property consisted almost entirely in an estate of two thousand a year, which unfortunately for his daughters, was entailed, in default of heirs male. She had a sister married to a Mr. Philips, who had been a clerk to their father and succeeded him in the business, and a brother settled in London in a respectable line of trade. The two youngest of the family, Catherine and Lydia, were particularly frequent in these attentions; their minds were more vacant than their sisters.

Mr. Collins was not a sensible man, and the deficiency of nature had been but little assisted by education or society; the greatest part of his life having been spent under the guidance of an illiterate and misery father, and though he belonged to one universities. A fortune chance had recommended him Lady Catherine de Bourgh when the living of Hunsford was vacant; and the respect which he felt for her high rank, and his veneration for her as his patroness, mingling with very good opinion of himself, of his authority as a clergyman, and his right as a rector, made him altogether a mixture of pride and obsequiousness, self-importance and humility.

Having now a good house and a very sufficient income, he intended to marry; and in seeking a reconciliation with the Longbourn family he had a wife in view, as he meant to choose one of the daughters. Mr. Collins had only to change from Jane to Elizabeth.

As Elizabeth had no longer any interest of her own to pursue, she turned her attention almost entirely on her sister and Mr. Bingley. The discussion of Mr. Collins’s offer was now nearly at an end, and Elizabeth had only to suffer from the uncomfortable feelings necessarily attending it, and occasionally from some peevish allusions of her mother. Mr. Collins was also in the same state of angry pride. Elizabeth had hoped that his resentment might shorten his visit, but his plan did not appear in the least affected by it.

The Bennets were engaged to dine with the Lucases and again during the chief of the day was Miss Lucas so kind as to listen to Mr. Collins. Charlotte Lucas assured her friend of satisfaction in being useful, and that it amply repaid her for little sacrifice of her time. The strangeness of Mr. Collins making two offers of marriage within three days was nothing in comparison of being now accepted. Charlotte Lucas the wife of Mr. Collins was a most humiliating picture.

Jane confessed herself a little surprised at the match, but she said less of her astonishment than of her earnest desire for happiness, nor could Elizabeth persuade her consider it as improbable. Kitty and Lydia were far from envying Miss Lucas, for Mr. Collins was only clergyman; and it affected them in no other way than as a piece of news to spread at Meryton.

Mrs. Bennet persisted in disbelieving the whole of the matter. Mr. Bennet’s emotions were much more tranquil on the occasion, and such as he did experience he pronounced to be of a most agreeable sort; for it gratified, he said, to discover that Charlotte Lucas, whom he had been used to think tolerably sensible, was s foolish as his wife, and more foolish his daughter. Between Elizabeth and Charlotte there was a restraint which kept them mutually silent on the subject. Her disappointment in Charlotte made her turn with fonder regard to her sister.

Jane was crossed in love, Mr, Bennet suggested his second daughter to Mr. Wickham. Wickham’s society was of material service in dispelling the gloom which the late preserve occurrences was now openly acknowledged and publicly had thrown on many of the Longbourn family. The whole of what Elizabeth had already heard, his claims on Mr. Darcy, and all that he suffered from him.

Mrs. Bennet had the pleasure of receiving her brother and his wife, who came as usual to spend the Christmas at Longbourn. Mr. Gardiner was a sensible, gentlemanlike man, greatly superior to his sister, as well by nature as education. The Netherfield ladies would have had difficulty in believing that a man who lived by trade, and within view of his own warehouse, could have been so well-bred and agreeable. Mrs. Gardiner, who was several years younger than Mrs. Bennet nd Mrs. Philips, was an amiable, intelligent, elegant woman, and a great favorite with all her Loungbourn nieces. The first part of Mrs. Gardiner’s business on her arrival was to distribute her presents and describe the newest fashion.

Lady Catherine was tall, large woman, with strongly-marked features, which might once have been handsome. Her air was not conciliating, nor was her manner of receiving them such as to make her visitors forget their inferior rank. She was not rendered formidable by silence; but whatever she said was spoken in so authoritative a tone. Mrs. Collins had invited her friend Lizzy to her new home. Lady Catherine was there too. Easter was approaching, and the week preceding it was to bring an addition to the family at Rosings, which in so small a circle must be important. Elizabeth had heard soon after her arrival that Mr. Darcy was expected there in the course of a few weeks. There were to nephews of Lady Catherine to require them, for Mr. Darcy had brought with him a Colonel Fitzwilliam, the younger son of his uncle Lord.    

Colonel Fitzwiliam’s manners were very much admired at the Parsonage, and the ladies all felt that he must add considerable to the pleasure of their engagement at Rosings. Lady Catherine continued her remarks on Elizabeth’s performance, mixing them with all the forbearance of civility, and at the request of the gentlemen, remained at the instrument till her ladyship’s carriage was ready to take all home.

All field sports were over. Within doors there was Lady Catherine, books, and a billiard-table, but gentlemen cannot always within doors.  The two cousins found a temptation from this period of walking thither almost every day. They called at various times of the morning, sometimes separately, sometime together, and now and then accompanied by their aunt. It was plain to them all that Colonel Fitzwilliam came because he had pleasure in their society; and Elizabeth was reminded by her own satisfaction in being with him, as well as by his evident admiration of her.  Her former favorite George Wickham; and though, in comparing them. In her kind schemes for Elizabeth, she sometimes planned her marrying Colonel Fitzwilliam.

Elizabeth awoke the next morning to the same thoughts and meditations which had at length closed eyes. She could not yet recover from the surprise of what had happened. She was proceeding directly to her favorite walk, when the reconciliation of Mr. Darcy’s sometimes coming there stopped her, and instead of entering the park, she turned up the lane, which led farther from the turnpike-road. After walking two or three times along that part of the lane. The five weeks which she had now passed in Kent had made a great difference in the country.

Mr. Darcy handed her a letter. He wrote it without any intention of paining her. He explained everything about himself and George Wickham. His father supported Wickham at school, and afterwards at Cambridge. George Wickham was the son of a very respectable man, who had for many years the management of all the Pemberley estates, and whose good conduct in discharge of his trust naturally inclined my father to be of service to him.

Fitzwilliam’s father had died five years ago, and his attachment to Mr. Wickham was to the last so steady. His own father did not long survive Fitz’s father. Wickham wrote him and hope Fitz should not think it unreasonable for expect some more immediate monetary advantage. Fitz’s sister who is more than ten years his junior, was left to the guardianship of her mother’s nephew, Colonel Fitzwilliam.

When she read and re-read with the closet attention, the particulars immediately following of Wickham’s resigning all pretension to the living. The extravagance and general profligacy which he scrupled not to lay at Mr. Wickham’s charge, exceedingly shocked her; the more so, as she could bring no proof of its justice. She had never heard of him before his entrance into the military, in which he had engaged at the persuasion of the young man who, on meeting him accidentally in town. She grew absolutely ashamed herself. Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think without feeling she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, and absurd.

Elizabeth, however, had never been blind to the impropriety of her father’s behavior as a husband. She had always seen it with pain; but respecting his abilities, and grateful for his affection at treatment of herself.  She was visiting her uncle in Pemberly. Mr. Gardiner and his wife was scarcely a less interesting personage tan to herself. They had long to see Darcy. The whole party before them, indeed, exited a lively attention. Elizabeth had settled it that Darcy brought his sister. Miss Darcy was tall, and on a larger scale than Lizzy. She was only sixteen, her figure was formed, and her appearance womanly and graceful.

In seeing Bingley at the party, her thoughts naturally flew to her sister, Jane. But, though that might be imaginary she could not be deceived as to his behavior to Miss Darcy, who had been set up as a rival to Jane.  

Bingley expressed great pleasure in certainty of seeing Elizabeth again, having still a great deal to say to her. Elizabeth, construing all this into a wish of hearing her speak of her sister, was pleased, and on this account, as well as some others found herself. But she had no reason to fear her uncle and his wife’s curiosity, it was not their wish to force her communication. Of Mr. Darcy it was now a matter of anxiety to think well, as far as their acquaintance reached, there was no fault to find. They could not touched but his politeness, and had they drawn his character from their own feelings and his servant’s report. They had nothing to accuse him of but pride; pride probably he had. It was acknowledged, however, that he was a liberal man, did much good among the poor.

Elizabeth got letter from her Jane. Their mother was grieved, Lydia, had left home; has thrown herself into the power of Mr. Wickham. She had no money, no connections. Mr. Bennet has gone to London, and Jane begged their uncle immediate assistance. In their letter to her friend, she call herself as Lydia Wickham. She was only sixteen. Their sister wedding day arrived; and Jane and Elizabeth felt for her probably more than she felt for herself. They came. Lydia’s voice was herd in her vestibule. Her mother embraced her. Lydia was Lydia still; untamed; wild; noisy; and fearless.

Wickham’s affection for Lydia was just what Elizabeth had expected to find it; not equal to Lydia’s for him. Lydia was exceedingly fond for him. The situation of affairs in the Longbourn family could not be long secret. The Bennets were speedily pronounced to be the luckiest family in the world, though only a few weeks before, when Lydia had first run away, they had been generally proved to be marked out for misfortune. A week after Bingley’s engagement with Jane had been formed, Lady Catherine de Bourgh arrived in early morning. She was in Longbourn to see Lizzy on behalf her nephew, Mr. Darcy. It was unbelievable for Lizzy, he had sent his aunt to propose her.

*****

December, 28, 2017

Sekapur Sirih

Era Victoria diwarnai Charles Dickens, Lewis Carroll, dan banyak nama besar lainnya, tak kalah sejumlah penulis wanita turut serta, membawa suasana seperti Bronte bersaudara, George Elliot, dan Jane Austen (1775-1817) – umumnya bertema drama romantika. Hampir seluruh karya Austen terkenal dan diantaranya ialah Pride and Prejudice. Dapat dimengerti jika karya ini bombastis pada jamannya, karena hingga kini pun novel ini masih menarik dinikmati. Kisah drama romansa yang dituturkan dengan alami dan apa adanya tentang keluarga yang memiliki lima putri. Keluarga Bennet tidak memiliki putra, kelak penerus keluarga. Ny. Bennet ingin buru-buru menikahkan gadis-gadisnya.

Walau sudah pernah menikmati karya ini dalam bentuk film, dibintangi Keira Knightley, tapi membaca langsung selalu lebih memuaskan. Latar keluarga biasa dan penyewa yang hidup di desa, sebuah pesta dansa telah mempertemukan gadis Bennet dengan pria idaman mereka. Membayangkan memiliki lima gadis di jaman milenial sekarang, keluarga kelas menengah, tentu sangat kompleks atau mungkin saja bahkan berbalik, tentu tidak sepelik pemikiran Ny. Bennet. 

Perpaduan kemajuan Iptek-Internet dan persamaan gender membuka peluang besar bagi wanita terutama di negara maju dan berbasis demokrasi, dibarengi sejuta tantangan, konsekuensi, dan efek buruk pun muncul di era kebebasan dan teknologi media sosial ini -- plus-minus setiap jaman. Tokoh Jane, 22 tahun, gadis lembut rupawan, jatuh hati dan diberi harapan oleh pemuda dari kota. Elizabeth, 19 tahun, biasa dipanggil Lizza atau Lizzy, sebagai tokoh sentral, tergolong melawan jamannya; dia kritis, pemberontak dan berbeda dengan karakter gadis pada umumnya.

Kisah fiksi ini sudah 204 tahun, teknologi dan peradaban tidak juga mampu menghadang kejadian serupa nihil di sekeliling kita. Anak dijadikan sebagai tumpuan harapan keluar dari ekonomi keluarga lewat perjodohan. Memang Austen tidak secara ekstrim menggambarkan hal tersebut. Ny. Bennet mengharapkan putri keduanya, Lizzy, menikahi Collin, pewaris kaya, dia sangat bahagia Jane dipinang lelaki kaya.

Buku ini terbitan Gramedia Pustaka Utama 2017, sebanyak 520 halaman. Tidak tepat bagi pembaca pemula, agak sulit dipahami, saya harus kembali membaca untuk lebih mendalami makna setiap paragraf. Kita akan dimanjakan oleh keindahan tulisan dan percakapan, irama perlahan dan rapih membawa kita tenggelam dalam bahasa indah dan sopan.  

Terjemahan Ringkasan (Resume) Pride and Prejudice (1813) dalam Bahasa Indonesia

Kisah diawali dengan acara pesta dansa, kecantikan putri tertua keluarga Bennet memukau Tn. Bingley. Ny. Bennet sangat bersuka cita malam itu, putri tertuanya didekati pria berkualitas dan kaya seperti Bingley. Jane berusia 22 tahun, gadis tercantik di wilayahnya, adiknya Elizabeth tidak secantik dirinya, dikenal cerdas dan kritis, sangat berbeda denga gadis-gadis lainnya. Ia menginginkan pernikahan dengan atas cinta, tidak sekedar perjodohan. Ibunya sangat mengkuatirkan Lizzy yang tengah berusia 19 tahun. Mary putri ketiganya memiliki sifat datar dan acuh. Catherine dan si bungsu Lidya ceria dan tidak memiliki rasa takut.  

Selepas acara pesta dansa itu, Jane dan Tn. Bingley semakin dekat. Elizabeth sendiri menyukai Tn. Wickham, ayahnya sendiri menyarankan menerima tentara itu. Mr. Darcy, sahabat dari Bingley menaruh hati pada Elizabeth. Ny. Bennet sangat menentang, meminta putrinya menjauhi pria sombong itu. Fitzwilliam Darcy superior terhadap orang lain. Dalam pesta, ia adalah lelaki paling tampan, tapi perilakunya tidak menyenangkan dan memuakkan. Ia menyadari dirinya tidak sekedar tampan, tapi pewaris kekayaan melimpah, bisa dibilang pemua terkaya dalam pesta.

Dengan sikapnya yang kaku Tn. Collins dan bibinya Lady Catherine, wanita berkelas dn kaya, mendatangi kediaman Bennet, tujuannnya tak lain adalah untuk mencari istri. Dengan senang pula Ny. Bennet menjodohkan putrinya Lizzy untuk menjadi istri Collins. Lizzy sama sekali tidak tertarik dengan pria kaku itu. Selama kunjungan di rumah Bennet, Charlotte Lucas yang setia mendengar semua keinginan Collins. Keluraga Bennet membuat jamuan makan usapan terima kasih atas waktu dan kesediaan Charlotte menemani tamu mereka. Colins memang aneh, hanya dalam tiga hari dia meminang dua gadis. Lizzy menolaknya, ia lebih tertarik dengan Tuan muda Wickham, walau ia tidak tahu pasti apakah itu namanya cinta.

Ny. Bennet sungguh tak menyangka, akhirnya Collins melamar Charlotte, teman Lizzy. Kitty dan Lidya malah senang, bagi keduanya Collins kaku, formal tidak cocok buat Lizzy. Jane juga sangat heran dengan keputusan rencana pernikahan Collins dan Charlotte. Tn. Bennet sangat kecewa, itu seharusnya putrinya.

Charlotte dan suaminya mengundang Lizzy ke rumah mereka. Bagaimana pun Charlotte tetaplah  teman Lizzy, keadaannya agak kikuk. Selama tinggal di rumah Collins, wanita kaya Lady Catherine juga berada di sana, banyak memberi protes dan pandangannya akan keluarga Bennet yang terlalu berani dengan putri lima dan dibesarkan sendiri oleh ibunya, tanpa guru dan pengasuh. Saat paskah, Darcy dan sepupunya Colonel William melewatkan waktu di kediaman Collins. Lizzy sempat pula menyimpan rasa tertarik pada William, rupanya Darcy tetap menginginkannya.

Waktu berlalu. Jane dengan kisah sedih merasa tidak dipedulikan Bingley selama kunjungan di London, namun akhirnya hubungan keduanya mencair kembali. Darcy akhinya berhasil meyakinkan Lizzy dan meminang gadis itu. Keluarga Darcy yang sangat kaya raya mempekerjakan banyak orang termasuk ayah Wickham. Pemuda itu memilih karir militer. Wichkam sendiri tidak begitu peduli dengan Lizzy, terakhir ia mendekati Lydia. Surat Darcy yang mengisahkan semua keadaan rumah dan kisah Wickham meyakinkan bahwa Darcy tidak seburuk yang diberitakan orang-orang. Lizzy membuka hati untuknya. Pertemuan keduanya ketika di rumah pamannya Gardiner membuat mereka semakin mengenal satu sama lain. Darcy adalah pria kaya berkelas, Lizzy menyadari pria itu bukan untuknya, wanita itu telah jatuh hati padanya. Lagipula, selama ini ia berpikir ia telah dijodohkan dengan putri Lady Catherine.

Berita buruk tentang pelarian Lydia dengan Wickham sempat membuat sedih dan malu keluarga Bennet. Pada akhirnya pernikahan si bungsu Lydia dengan Wickham, belum genap enam belas tahun, membuat keluarga itu lega. Kebahagian datang, ketika lamaran Bingley pada Jane, disusul kedatangan Lady Catherine melamar Lizzy untuk keponakannya Darcy. Tersisa kini hanya Mary dan Kitty Bennet. 

******

28 Desember 2017