A truth universally acknowledged
Why we never tire of Pride & Prejudice
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that a single gal in possession of a large following must be in want of a classic to adapt.
And so, this week’s news: a brand new adaptation of Pride & Prejudice is in the works, created by none other than Dolly Alderton for Netflix. The announcement has been met with a mixture of delight (who doesn’t love P&P), dissent (so much discussion about the casting, Netflix, and how faithful it will be) and a slight sense of disorientation. Because…
Haven’t we just had one?
Apparently not. Unfortunately for me, I am now old: that ‘last one’ was released in 2005. It is now 20 years old. This feels impossible, and yet here we are. (Fans of the 2005 Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen version: there is a theatre re-release to celebrate this on April 25th)
I, like many, hold a deep and abiding loyalty to all 6 hours of the 1995 BBC series. It remains, for me, utter perfection. But in the name of research - and nostalgia - I revisited the 2005 film to see how it holds up. And it’s pretty damn good.
Why Pride & Prejudice still hits (10,000 a year!!)
I’m always a little embarrassed to declare it one of my favourite books, not because it doesn’t deserve it but because it feels so obvious. It is beloved by so many and we are a nation obsessed.
Jane started writing it in 1796/7 when George III was still on the throne, giving you a neat Bridgerton-era overlap. It was finally published in 1813, during the Regency period, with George IV on the throne as prince regent. She released it anonymously (’by a lady’) and her working title? First Impressions.
And that is exactly what it plays with: assumptions, appearances and a comedy of manners.
The Georgian period was a time of transition: French Revolution, the beginnings of the Industrial revolution, the first whispers of feminism, a shift in class structures & the rise of the middle class
The Bennets, like The Austens, were part of the landed gentry - socially eligible to mix with, but a considerable step below the wealth or influence of the aristocracy
10,000 a year(!!) in context: £100 a year was the minimum income for a small household with a maid. For £300 a year a small family could live comfortably with two servants, but carriages needed at least £700. Mr Bennet draws about £2k/year but he has 5 dowries to bear and it’s all entailed away to Mr Collins on his death.
Despite its precise historical moment, it still feels startling current. It’s the blueprint for half of BookTok: Enemies to lovers, Grumpy Sunshine, social satire.
Everything we know about… Dolly’s version
It will be adapted and executive produced by Dolly Alderton (of dating column and modern-romance book fame), as a six-part series for Netflix
It will be “a faithful adaptation of the classic”
The cast announced so far is already generating buzz:
Emma Corrin (The Crown) as Elizabeth Bennet
Jack Lowden (Slow Horses) as Mr Darcy
Olivia Colman (another Crown alum) as Mrs Bennet. Genuinely excited by this
Filming is set to begin later this year in the UK - does this mean a potential release Christmas 2026?
The internet has, of course, reacted exactly as one might expect. Particularly given Netflix’s last Austen adaptation (Persuasion) tanked.
My faves on Reddit:
“The first thing I thought was, ‘Let’s hope it doesn’t include Lizzie breaking the fourth wall and complaining about how Bingley ghosted her sister.’”
“Lydia will be aged up lest the pearl-clutchers come out in force. They’ve aged up the heroine of Rivals by three years just to make it acceptable for modern mores. Despite the fact that it was set in the 80s, when Prince Charles was engaged to a teenager.”
“I want a Muppets version where Mr and Mrs Bennet are Kermit and Miss Piggy. Gonzo is Bingley and one of the chickens is Jane. Darcy and Elizabeth are the only humans. Waldorf or Statler in a wig plays Lady Catherine.”
My best of P&P
I could write you pages on my love for this book, but instead here are a few of my favourites.
The best lines:
“Tolerable I suppose, but not handsome enough to tempt me” - my husband and I use this weekly to describe things
“I could not have parted with you to anyone less worthy” - father of the bride speech worthy
“Capital, capital” - not canon, but iconic all the same
The best comedic characters
MR COLLINS!! My favourite ever comedic character of all time, a true Shakespearean fool. I adore everything about him, truly brilliant writing. Please also consider this my pitch for Harry Melling (Dudley Dursley) to be considered for this role
Mrs Bennet - Alison Steadman is a triumph, she is Mrs Bennet to me. Perfection
Mary Bennet - The original awkward, bookish girl
Notable mention here for Jane (Austen) herself - who introduces the eldest Bennet daughter as the most beautiful, kind, and serene of them all… and then names her Jane
The best pop culture moments:
Bridget Jones’s Diary - iconic, brilliant, Colin Firth was such a coup. If you haven’t seen Bridget Jones 4, it’s just as good as you’re hoping for
You’ve Got Mail - forever my favourite film referencing my favourite book. I hear Tom Hanks every time I pick up the book “I bet you read Pride & Prejudice every year. I bet you just love that Mr Darcy”
Colin Firth & that lake - possibly the most cited scene in A Level English essays, and perhaps the clearest sign that the book itself went unread
If you love P&P read these next:
Eligible by Curtis Sittenfeld (modern retelling by one of my fave writers)
The Marriage Portrait by Maggie O’Farrell (different era, similar themes of agency and power)
Excellent Women by Barbara Pym (post-war social commentary on the lives on women)
I’ll leave you with a quote from my friend, who I harassed for further details due to her proximity to the production: I did wonder why they are making it again, but this conversation proves why.
We are never done with P&P, and I suspect it is never done with us.
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Loved reading this newsletter. Maybe Easter weekend is a good time for a repeat viewing of P&P…😊