After Lefroy died in 1869 one of his nephews wrote to Austen’s nephew James Edward Austen Leigh to say: 'My late venerable uncle…said in so many words that he was in love with her, although he qualified his confession by saying it was a boyish love.Jane receives another letter from Caroline Bingley, confirming that her family intends to stay in London through the winter. Austen’s lack of wealth is believed to have played a part in the pair not ending up together. Darcy is believed to be partly based on Irish politician and lawyer Thomas Lefroy, who had a flirtation and spent some time with Jane Austen during a break from studying law. He is 'unworthy' to be compared to his friend Charles Bingley, they decide. From the start they develop a dislike of and a prejudice against him. But very quickly they make up their minds from Darcy’s manner that he is insufferably proud and behaves as if he is superior to those around him. Aside from Darcy’s handsome looks, what makes a big impression on the ballgoers is that he is wealthy and worth ten thousand pounds a year. This describes the reaction to Fitzwilliam Darcy and his friend Charles Bingley at the Meryton ball, attended by the Bennet sisters and their mother. First published anonymously in 1813 when it wasn’t deemed ladylike to pursue a career in writing, it remains one of the world’s most popular novels more than two hundred years later. It is one of six major novels which earns her a deserved reputation as master ironist and supreme pioneer of comedy. Austen was only 21 years old when she wrote Pride and Prejudice. Darcy are not at all searching for a wife, the situation is totally opposite, as we very quickly learn. It is a good example of verbal irony as women in the late 18th century were far more dependent on their husbands, than vice versa. The memorable first line also signals the classic novel’s treatment of men as commodities and prized possessions for single women.

The satirical view Austin takes of her characters and of marriage in the Regency period is established. It introduces us to four important themes: marriage, love, money and class.

Its masterful ironic style and humorous tone are foreshadowing of the sparkling humor and irony to be found throughout the classic novel.

The opening sentence of Jane Austen’s comedy of manners is without question one of the most famous and best known first lines in literature.

Pride and prejudice annotations