Bridget Jones' Diary compared to Pride and Prejudice

Bridget Jones' Diary (1997), by Helen Fielding, also a succesful film, offers a strange and parodic comment on Pride and Prejudice. Its action roughly echoes the plot - but in the midst of a quite different moral world.

Pride & Prejudice

There are numerous film adaptations of Pride and Prejudice, but probably one of the most notable version and probably the most famous is the film released in 2005 starring Keira Knightley (who was an Oscar-nominated performance) and Matthew Macfadyen.


Sparks fly when spirited Elizabeth Bennett meets single, rich, and proud Mr. Darcy. But Mr. Darcy reluctantly finds himself falling in love with a woman beneath his class. Can each overcome their own pride and prejudice?

List of characters

This is the list of the main characters tha t we have posted:

• Elizabeth Bennet
• Fitzwilliam Darcy
• Jane Bennet
• Mr Bennet
• Mrs Bennet
• Lydia Bennet
• George Wickham
• Mr Bingley

There are also several secondary characters but not less important in the plot:

• Mary & Catherine Bennet
• Mr Collins 
• Lady Catherine de Bourgh
• Mr and Mrs Gardiner
• Charlotte Lucas
• Colonel Fitzwilliam
• Caroline Bingley
• Georgiana Darcy

Mr Bingley, 'the single man in possession of a good fortune'

Bingley, who sets the book going, is kind, easy-going. All the beautiful young women seem to feel attracted to him, indeed he enjoys dancing and chating with all of them, totally opposite of his great friend Darcy, somewhat unreflective. The best example of Bingley's ductility personality is shown when he falls easily back in love with Jane after his friend's permission, now that he enjoys the approval of this friend.
Bingley as well as Jane are less intricate and developed characters as Darcy and Elizabeth (in contrast with the other pair or love interest of the novel).
   

Jane Bennet

She is the oldest of the Bennet daughters. She is the most beautiful of them and has good heart and gentle nature. She sees only the best in people, becoming rather extreme at times; for instance, in her disbelief that Wickham could be a liar.
Although Jane gets to married his beloved man, Bingley, her relationship with him is a rather static one. Their relationship, while pleasant, has nothing to do with the range of emotions that Elizabeth and Darcy feel for each other. Jane and Bingley are obviously in love and are compatible, but their relationship lacks the depth and devotion of feelings in Lizzy and Darcy's marriage, it is not the same level of passion.

George Wickham

Wicham is a charming and well-spoken young man, who uses his charismatic personality to insinuate himself into the lives of others. His behaviour throughout the novel shows him to be a gambler who has no scruples about running up his debts and then running away. He has a really mercenary nature noticed by some female characters in the novel, like Mrs. Gradiner or Elizabeth herself.
His marriage to Lydia Bennet represents a relationship that is based on physical gratification, which shows he acts upon his impulses combined with negligence.

Answers to the Pride and Prejudice quiz

Here are the answers to the quiz we proposed yesterday

How many answers you got right?

1. A
2. D
3. C
4. C
5. A
6. A
7. A
8. C
9. B
10. A
11. C
12. A
13. B
14. A
15. A
16. A