The main character is Elizabeth Bennett, 21 years old, with a mother determined to see marriages in the family. It deals with issues surrounding marriage in the early 19th century. Her cousin, Mr Collins, a man of mean intelligence, is to inherit her father's estate; he ultimately marries Charlotte, Elizabeth's best friend. She is wooed by several suitors, Mr Wickham and Mr Darcy, the latter who she considers a rich snob, the former whom she thinks is "gentlemanlike". Mr Wickham ultimately proves himself to be of poor character by seducing Elizabeth's younger sister, and to her surprise Mr Darcy rescues the situation. It eventuates that Mr Darcy was aware of Wickham's defects in character, as his sister was also seduced by him; despite being in love with Elizabeth, he chooses not to tell her about this so as to not unduly influence any decision she might make. Ultimately Elizabeth see through the flaws in Mr Darcy, realizes that she loves him, and accepts his proposal of marriage, despite there being social condemnation of the match.
The story is a deep analysis of character. Every character is finely crafted, generally to contrast with others and demonstrate a point about the social niceties of love and marriage. Charlotte, Elizabeth's best friend, is clearly a very intelligent woman. She marries Mr Collins to ensure herself a happy and comfortable life. As a result, Elizabeth comes to a much dimmer view of her. It's debatable whether this is an example of Elizabeth's prejudice or Charlotte's lack of passion. Frequently Elizabeth is blinded by her own prejudice, particularly her prejudice against Mr Darcy's pride, from where the title of the novel comes.
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