Pride and Prejudice: Narratives, Society, and Alternate Endings

This Blog task was assigned by Megha Ma'am (Department of English, MKBU).

Introduction 

 Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice continues to capture readers and audiences alike through its timeless themes of love, class, family, and societal expectations. Both the novel and its numerous adaptations—especially film versions—offer unique ways of presenting Austen’s story. In this blog, I will explore three dimensions of Austen’s masterpiece: the narrative strategies in novel and film, the illustration of society in Austen’s time, and some speculative alternative endings.

1. Narrative Strategy: Novel vs. Movie

The novel relies on Austen’s characteristic narrative voice—witty, ironic, and observant. Her third-person omniscient narration gives us deep insights into characters’ inner thoughts, especially Elizabeth Bennet’s. Free indirect discourse allows Austen to blend the narrator’s commentary with Elizabeth’s perspective, helping readers understand both her prejudices and gradual transformation. The pacing of the novel is deliberate, moving through letters, dialogues, and detailed descriptions of manners and settings.

The movie adaptations, by contrast, must condense this subtle psychological exploration into visual storytelling. For example, the 2005 film directed by Joe Wright uses camera work, landscape, costumes, and expressions to convey emotions that Austen articulates through language. Scenes such as Darcy’s first proposal or Elizabeth’s reflections after reading Darcy’s letter rely on cinematic techniques—silence, background music, and close-ups—rather than narration. Film adaptations also often re-order or exclude events to maintain dramatic momentum within a two-hour timeframe, inevitably simplifying some of Austen’s complex social observations.

In short, the novel privileges irony and interiority, while the film prioritizes visual spectacle and emotional immediacy. Both, however, highlight the enduring tension between pride and prejudice in human relationships.

2. Society in Jane Austen’s Time

Austen’s novels mirror the early 19th-century English society, where family, class, and marriage were defining forces. Women’s social mobility was closely tied to marriage, since they had limited opportunities for education or independent wealth. In Pride and Prejudice, Mrs. Bennet’s obsession with marrying off her daughters reflects the economic necessity of securing stable futures for women.

Social rank was rigidly structured, with the landed gentry, aristocracy, clergy, and merchant classes interacting under strict codes of manners. A man like Darcy, with his ten thousand a year, belonged to the upper gentry, making his marriage prospects significant not just personally but socially. Elizabeth, though intelligent and witty, is constrained by her lower financial status.

The novel also reveals how reputation and morality mattered deeply in Austen’s society. Lydia’s elopement threatens to disgrace the entire Bennet family, showing how a single woman’s impropriety could destroy social standing. Austen critiques these values with subtle irony, suggesting both the necessity of navigating such a world and the injustice it imposed, especially on women.

3. What If? Alternate Endings to Pride and Prejudice

Speculating about “what ifs” opens fascinating possibilities for Austen’s story:

a) If Darcy and Elizabeth Never Got Together

Without their union, Elizabeth might have ended up marrying someone like Colonel Fitzwilliam—respectable but not her intellectual equal—or perhaps choosing to remain unmarried, asserting her independence. Darcy, burdened by pride and social expectation, might have settled for a match within his own rank, leading to a less fulfilling marriage. Thematically, the novel would lose its central message of personal growth—Darcy learning humility and Elizabeth overcoming prejudice.

b) If Lydia’s Elopement Had a Different Outcome

Had Lydia not been rescued by Darcy’s intervention, the Bennet family’s reputation could have been permanently ruined. Jane’s engagement to Bingley might have been broken off under family pressure, and Elizabeth would have had little chance of marrying advantageously. This darker ending would underscore the cruel power of social judgment, highlighting how precarious women’s lives were in Austen’s time.

Alternative Ending 1: Elizabeth Rejects Darcy a Second Time

Elizabeth, despite Darcy’s transformation, refuses to marry him, choosing instead to live independently. Though difficult, this ending would emphasize women’s right to autonomy over the security of marriage. It would be a radical rewriting of Austen’s world, aligning more with modern feminist interpretations.

Alternative Ending 2: Lydia and Wickham Reform

Instead of Wickham remaining irresponsible, he reforms after marriage, and Lydia matures as well. Though less realistic, this ending would suggest that even flawed characters can change, mirroring Darcy and Elizabeth’s growth but in a different register.

Alternative Ending 3: Jane Marries Darcy, Elizabeth Marries Bingley

If Darcy and Elizabeth never reconciled, perhaps Jane and Darcy could form a union based on gentleness and social compatibility, while Elizabeth, more lively and bold, might bring out Bingley’s hidden strength. This reshuffling would alter the dynamics but still keep the two families connected.

Conclusion

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice thrives because it balances irony, romance, and social critique in ways that continue to inspire both faithful adaptations and imaginative retellings. The differences between the novel and film highlight how storytelling evolves across mediums. The portrait of Austen’s society reminds us of the restrictions under which women lived. And exploring alternative endings allows us to reimagine the fragile balance between love, reputation, and personal freedom.

In the end, Austen’s original conclusion—Elizabeth and Darcy overcoming pride and prejudice—remains the most satisfying, but the “what ifs” remind us just how delicately Austen crafted her world.

Refrence:

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen | Project Gutenberg https://share.google/hjJgCLX1SjhYPoVz6

Georgian society in Jane Austen's novels - Wikipedia https://share.google/m9W1pqvEiqQqa4Vco