Pride and Prejudice

JANE AUSTEN

Pride and Prejudice

Retold by Clare West

Classics

This simplified edition from OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY printed for educational purposes.

Stage 6 (2500 headwords)

'It is a truth well known to all the world that an unmarried man in possession of a large fortune must be in need of a wife.' And so, when such a man comes to live near the Bennet family, Mrs Bennet is delighted. At once, she sees in Mr Bingley a possible, almost a certain, husband for one of her five daughters.

'People say he's quite young, very handsome, and extremely charming!' says foolish Lydia, the youngest of the Bennet sisters. 'And even better, he loves dancing! Everybody knows that means he's likely to fall in love!'

But with whom? Soon, Elizabeth Bennet is sure that he admires her eldest sister, Jane. Certainly, he is most attentive to her whenever they meet, but who can tell if admiration will lead to marriage, and happiness?

Mr Bingley, however, is not the only young man to show interest in the Bennet girls. There is their cousin, the boring Mr Collins. There are the officers of the regiment - the charming Mr Wickham, for example. And of course, there is Mr Bingley's friend, Mr Darcy — tall, dark, and extremely wealthy, but then he is such a rude, proud, disagreeable man ...

'The moment I first met you, I noticed your pride, your sense of superiority, and your selfish disdain for the feelings of others. You are the last man in the world whom I could ever be persuaded to marry,' said Elisabeth Bennet.

And so Elisabeth rejects the proud Mr Darcy. Can nothing overcome her prejudice against him? And what of the other Bennet girls – their fortunes, and miisfortunes, in the business of getting husbands?

This famous novel by Jane Austen is full of wise and humorous observations of the people and manners of her times. (Word count 29 455)