Among the multiple reinterpretations of this literary work, we have all, time and again, come across the story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy: the personifications of “pride” and “prejudice”, respectively.

However, the question that remains is: how can a book essentially focused on the search for marriage and romance, in their most classic and “traditional” forms, be so intertwined with the feminist achievements? That's what we wish to discuss!

Firstly, it's important to understand that “Pride and Prejudice” aims to portray the way women were perceived by the deeply patriarchal society of the time - and it does quite effectively.

Secondly, it is undeniable that Elizabeth Bennet is a strong, intelligent, charismatic, witty, feminist character! Elizabeth is an avant-garde woman who shares her father's ideas in the sense that she doesn't appreciate the conventional thoughts of society's perception of wealth as a formulator of a social “ranking”.

Which brings us to our third topic! We cannot fail to highlight the ability of this work to focus on a subject that has everything to do with the principles of equality that govern feminism. Feminism must be libertarian, without regardless of races, ethnicities, or social classes. “Pride and Prejudice” demonstrates that two centuries ago, there were already huge dichotomies between classes (it's all in the title: “Prejudice”.)

Despite being set at a time when women had as much value as the “quality” of their marriages (a factor that depended, for example, on the husband's ability to support his family), reading “Pride and Prejudice” is an excellent way to understand that we still have a long, long way to go. Yes, it is true that nowadays we already have the freedom to make our choices (personal, romantic, professional...), but if that's happening, we owe it to “characters” like Elizabeth, able to reaffirm their opinions!

There are many more reasons we could enumerate, but the best thing is to read Jane Austen's classic. Do it and share your opinions in the Josefinas' Book Club, on WhatsApp (HERE) or Telegram (HERE).

Have a nice reading!