Pride and Prejudice [Classic Tales Edition] recap

Elizabeth Bennet meets the wealthy but aloof Fitzwilliam Darcy after his friend Charles Bingley rents Netherfield and falls in love with Elizabeth's sister Jane. Elizabeth's dislike of Darcy deepens when the charming officer George Wickham accuses him of cruelty. Darcy unexpectedly proposes, but she rejects him for his pride, his role in separating Jane and Bingley, and his alleged treatment of Wickham. His explanatory letter exposes Wickham's misconduct and forces Elizabeth to reconsider her judgments. Visiting Darcy's estate, she sees his generosity and meets him again on warmer terms, but her sister Lydia's elopement with Wickham threatens the whole family. Darcy secretly finds the couple and finances their marriage. Bingley returns and becomes engaged to Jane. After Elizabeth refuses Lady Catherine's demand that she reject Darcy, Darcy proposes again and Elizabeth accepts. The two couples marry, while Lydia and Wickham remain improvident and dependent on family assistance.

The Bennets of Longbourn have five unmarried daughters and an estate that will pass to a male cousin, making their future security uncertain. Mrs Bennet is delighted when the rich bachelor Charles Bingley rents nearby Netherfield Park. At a local assembly Bingley is sociable and clearly admires the eldest daughter, Jane, while his still wealthier friend Fitzwilliam Darcy appears proud and refuses to dance with Elizabeth Bennet. Elizabeth responds to the slight with amused dislike. Jane and Bingley continue to enjoy one another's company, though Jane's reserve makes her feelings easy to underestimate. When Jane becomes ill during a visit to Netherfield, Elizabeth walks there and remains to nurse her. Her independence and intelligence increasingly attract Darcy, even as Caroline Bingley mocks Elizabeth's country connections and tries to secure Darcy's attention for herself. Elizabeth notices his interest but interprets his manner through the poor impression he made at their first meeting.

Jane recovers and the Bennet sisters return home. Mr Collins, the pompous clergyman who will inherit Longbourn, arrives intending to repair relations with the family and, privately, to choose one of the daughters as a wife. In Meryton the sisters meet George Wickham, a handsome militia officer who shows immediate unease when Darcy appears. Wickham tells Elizabeth that Darcy unjustly denied him the church career intended for him by Darcy's late father. The story confirms Elizabeth's existing prejudice, and Wickham's easy manners make her ready to trust him. At the Netherfield ball, Wickham is absent but Elizabeth must dance with Darcy; their strained conversation reinforces her dislike. Collins embarrasses the Bennets by his obsequious attention to Darcy and his public solemnity, while Mrs Bennet speaks openly of Jane's expected marriage. Jane and Bingley remain attached, but the behaviour of several members of Jane's family gives Darcy and Bingley's sisters reason to oppose the match.

Mr Collins proposes to Elizabeth, confidently treating her refusal as modest encouragement until Mrs Bennet demands that Mr Bennet force her to accept. Mr Bennet instead supports Elizabeth's decision. Collins soon transfers his attention to Charlotte Lucas, who accepts him for the security of a home despite having no romantic expectations. Elizabeth is shocked by her friend's practical choice. Bingley abruptly leaves Netherfield for London, and Caroline writes as though he will not return and hopes to marry Darcy's sister. Jane is deeply hurt but continues to think well of everyone involved. During a London visit she calls on Caroline, whose cold response reveals that the friendship was insincere. Elizabeth concludes that Bingley's sisters and Darcy have separated the couple. Meanwhile Wickham's attentions shift to a young woman who has recently inherited money, weakening Elizabeth's personal hopes without yet changing her belief in his account. Elizabeth travels with Sir William and Maria Lucas to visit the married Collinses at Hunsford, near Lady Catherine de Bourgh's estate at Rosings.

At Hunsford, Elizabeth sees that Charlotte manages her marriage by arranging the household to minimize Mr Collins's company. Lady Catherine receives the visitors at Rosings and questions Elizabeth with commanding curiosity. Darcy arrives with his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam and repeatedly visits the parsonage. Fitzwilliam casually reveals that Darcy recently saved a friend from an unsuitable marriage, confirming to Elizabeth that Darcy separated Bingley from Jane. Darcy then proposes to Elizabeth, declaring his love while dwelling on the inferiority of her family. She rejects him and accuses him both of ruining Jane's happiness and of mistreating Wickham. The next morning Darcy gives her a letter. He explains that he believed Jane did not love Bingley and objected to the impropriety of her relatives. He also states that Wickham rejected a promised church living for money, spent it, and later tried to elope with Darcy's fifteen-year-old sister for her fortune. Reviewing past events, Elizabeth recognizes inconsistencies she ignored and admits that vanity and prejudice distorted her judgment of both men.

Elizabeth returns to Longbourn with a transformed private opinion of Darcy, though she tells Jane only what is necessary about Wickham. Lydia is invited to Brighton with the colonel's wife and the militia. Elizabeth warns her father that Lydia's unchecked behaviour may bring disgrace, but he allows the trip because it promises temporary quiet at home. Elizabeth later tours Derbyshire with the Gardiners. Believing Darcy absent, they visit Pemberley, where the housekeeper's affectionate account presents him as a generous master and brother. Darcy unexpectedly appears and treats Elizabeth and her relations with striking courtesy. He calls on them, introduces Elizabeth to his shy sister Georgiana, and encourages further meetings between the two parties. Elizabeth begins to understand that she could have respected and loved him, while Darcy's altered manner suggests that her rejection prompted serious self-examination. Their renewed acquaintance is warm but still unsettled, and neither has spoken directly about the proposal or the letter.

News arrives that Lydia has run away from Brighton with Wickham, apparently without marrying him. Elizabeth tells Darcy and immediately leaves with the Gardiners, convinced that the scandal has ended any possibility between them. Mr Bennet and Mr Gardiner search in London. Wickham's debts and lack of intention to marry become clear, but Mr Gardiner eventually reports that the couple have been found and that Wickham will marry Lydia in exchange for financial arrangements that seem unusually favourable. Mr Bennet assumes his brother-in-law has paid a large sum. Lydia and Wickham visit Longbourn after the wedding. Lydia remains heedless of the harm she caused and accidentally mentions that Darcy attended the ceremony. Mrs Gardiner's answering letter reveals that Darcy located the fugitives, paid Wickham's debts, purchased his military commission, and arranged the marriage, asking that his role remain secret. Elizabeth understands that he acted for her sake as well as for Lydia and the family, deepening both her gratitude and her affection.

Bingley and Darcy return to Netherfield. Bingley renews his courtship of Jane and proposes, to the joy of both Jane and Mrs Bennet. Lady Catherine then arrives at Longbourn after hearing a rumour that Darcy may marry Elizabeth. She demands that Elizabeth deny any engagement and promise never to accept him, arguing that Darcy is intended for her daughter. Elizabeth refuses to surrender her freedom of choice. Lady Catherine reports the encounter to Darcy, but Elizabeth's refusal to renounce him gives him reason to hope. On a walk, Darcy again declares his love, and Elizabeth accepts him. They discuss the changes since his first proposal: he has tried to correct his arrogance, while she acknowledges the prejudice encouraged by wounded pride and Wickham's deception. Darcy confirms that he separated Bingley and Jane because he misread Jane's reserve, and that he later corrected the mistake. Mr Bennet gives his consent after Elizabeth assures him of her love. Jane marries Bingley and Elizabeth marries Darcy. Elizabeth settles at Pemberley, becomes close to Georgiana, and welcomes the Gardiners, while Lydia and Wickham remain financially unstable and repeatedly seek assistance from their better-established relations.

Bingley returns to Netherfield and, once assured of Jane's affection, asks her to marry him. Lady Catherine then visits Elizabeth to demand that she promise never to accept Darcy, but Elizabeth refuses. Learning of this refusal gives Darcy hope that Elizabeth's feelings have changed. During a walk he renews his proposal, and she accepts, acknowledging how completely her opinion of him has altered. They explain the misunderstandings that divided them: Darcy believed Jane indifferent to Bingley, while Elizabeth had trusted Wickham's account and judged Darcy through her first resentment. Mr Bennet consents after satisfying himself that Elizabeth truly loves Darcy, and Mrs Bennet is delighted by the match. Jane and Bingley marry, as do Elizabeth and Darcy. The Bingleys later move nearer to Pemberley, Elizabeth grows close to Georgiana, and the Gardiners remain welcome visitors. Lydia and Wickham continue to live beyond their means and seek help from their relations, while Lady Catherine eventually resumes contact with her nephew despite her anger at his marriage.