Pride and Prejudice - My obsession with this simple, elegant story

Miss Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy have a charming magic to their simple and elegant relationship which made Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice a classic many enjoyed reading, rereading and retelling too.

I came across this gem of a story in an unconventional way. It all started with my love for the Japanese comics, the manga.

I have read so many mangas it's hard to keep track (actually that is not true, I keep track of my mangas at mangaupdates.com. it's wonderful website for that) and my appetite for it is insatiable. So when I can across these mangas that retell western classics in this eastern medium I had to try it. 

So I read Pride and Prejudice's manga. 

It was, unlike Pride and Prejudice, love at first "read". The elegance of the art and the flow of the plot gave the story an appeal that was hard to resist and of course I wanted more. I wanted to know every word Jane Austen used to create that world. I wanted to relive the story with every thought that came across the mind of the characters. So I read the original novel. 

It's hard to put into words how much I enjoyed it. The strong will of Elizabeth and the quiet passion of Darcy is a great mix for witty conversations and a sweet love story. 

So I went  looking for more of this wonderful story and I was in luck since I wasn't the only one obsessed with it. If you are like me and want to get your dose of this addictive story then this list (which I'm sure is not exhaustive) will really please you. 

1. TV Shows

There are many adaptations of P&P on the small screen but the one that stands out is the 1995 miniseries starring Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennet and Colin Flirth as the charming Mr.Darcy (now tell me this is not the best casting ever!!)

 

2. Movies

P&P did not escape the attention of the big screen (much to our delight!) The most recent adaptation is the 2005 movie starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen which keeps true to the original story plot (a major plus!). 

3. Comics

If all these moving pictures did not satisfy your cravings, comics are a great alternative. 

Marvel made a miniseries of 5 volumes which I still need to get my hands on. 

Of course let's not forget about the manga. that is a must read for all those who love mangas and classics.  

4. Audiobook

Another way of reliving the novel in a new form is by listening to it. Audiobooks are magical in the way they present past read novels in a new light making you fall in love with your favorite books all over again. So give listening to P&P a chance. 

5. Retelling in the literature

Of course if you still crave the written word, many have wrote novels bringing the original story with their own pinch of originality. I havent't read any yet but I came across a list at Goodreads with many promising reads.  

One that stood out from all is this unique retelling where Lynn Messina wrote a modern gender swapped story in Prejudice & Pride. 

So on this lovely note, I'll invite you all to enter Jane Austen's world and enjoy it in its various forms.