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PRIDE AND PREJUDICE VOTED THE MOST ROMANTIC NOVEL

© Viola Ashford

What would Jane Austen have thought of Valentine's Day? Did she ever receive a Valentine's Day message herself? A romantic at heart, Jane Austen probably approved of Valentine's Day and liked the story of St. Valentine who allegedly aided Christian martyrs and couples who secretly married in defiance of Claudius the Cruel who forbade his soldiers getting married. One hopes that she did receive a Valentine's Day message from the young man she fell in love with, Thomas Lefroy, who later became the Chief Justice of Ireland, but it is doubtful.

She would probably have thought that Valentine's Day has become much too commercial these days. However, I am sure she would like 'Pride and Prejudice' being voted the most romantic book of all time by the UK's Romantic Novelist's Association.

Pride and Prejudice certainly wasn't the first romantic novel. In fact, romantic writing has a very long history, probably dating back to the famous poetry of the Age of Chivalry - the Arthurian romances and the story of Tristan and Isolde, for example. Pamela by Samuel Richardson, which heavily influenced Jane, was the first romantic classic.

However, Pride and Prejudice, introduced two classic elements of most romantic novels written afterwards - unresolved sexual tension and the arrogant and proud hero. The conflict between the feisty heroine, Elizabeth, and the sexy hero, Mr.Darcy, relates to a classic misunderstanding creating tension between the characters as they each have wrong impressions of the other's character. Elizabeth, although finding herself attracted to this tall and handsome figure (especially when played by Colin Firth!) dislikes his snobbish manners and pride, and chooses to quickly believe Mr.Wickham's story. This is because it reinforces her impression of his character.

She is not completely wrong, however. Mr. Darcy's first proposal is the epitomy of snobbery, as he describes how he wants to marry Elizabeth in spite of her vulgar, bad-mannered and poor family, who are in a completely different class from himself.

Darcy's impression of Elizabeth is also not totally wrong. He detects her quickness to judge, her impatience and her pride which is comparable with his, when she refuses his proposal.

Jane Austen's method of reaching a happy ending with these two well-matched and fascinating characters has set a wonderful example for all romantic novelists since. The character of Darcy too has been copied to some extent by many romantic novelists. In the case of Rebecca, for example, fourth on the list of most romantic books, the hero portrays classical arrogance, pride and Darcy's rather enigmatic qualities.