By Eva Siminiceanu

On October 31, a tragedy occurred. The 2005 film adaptation of Jane Austen’s iconic novel Pride and Prejudice was removed from Netflix, and it is now not available for free on any websites or fee-based streaming services. It was a very difficult day for fans of both the novel and the film. 

A copy of the Austen novel Pride and Prejudice. Photo credit: National Library NZ via Wikimedia Commons.

The novel, published in 1813, follows the protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet, and her developing relationship with her love interest, Mr. Darcy. The novel examines class differences, especially those between the middle-class Bennet sisters, who depend on marriage to wealthy men for a stable future, and affluent people like Mr. Darcy. As the story progresses, both Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth have to manage their pride and learn to not make assumptions about people based on their class, gender, and appearance. Despite this complexity, the novel is mainly considered to be a romantic drama due to the large focus on Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy’s relationship. I haven’t personally read the book, but I am definitely planning on it. 

The 2005 film adaptation was directed by Joe Wright, and Elizabeth was played by Keira Knightley, a British actress also known for her role in the Pirates of the Caribbean movies. Mr. Darcy was played by Matthew Macfayden, a British actor who recently played a prominent role in the show Succession. Over time, the film has developed a cult following, and many people, including myself, are very familiar with it. 

When the film was released, it was met with mostly positive reviews. Film critic Roger Ebert wrote on his blog that Pride and Prejudice is “one of the most delightful and heartwarming adaptations made from Austen or anybody else,” and that he felt an “unreasonable happiness” while watching it. He also praised Knightley’s performance as Elizabeth. Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian also praised Knightley in his positive review, saying that “her star quality will quite simply roll over you like a tank.” Critic Robert Denerstein pointed out that the film “may even reach a few young people who normally might not be attracted to a period piece,” which is definitely shown by how popular it still is among audiences of all ages. 

Pride and Prejudice on display in Collegiate’s Saunders Family Library. Photo credit: Eva Siminiceanu.

Upper School librarian Elizabeth Kerr is a longtime fan of Pride and Prejudice. She first read the novel in a high school AP English class and has reread it multiple times over the years. She says, “it’s hard for a librarian to pick a favorite book, but that’s the closest one.” She says that she enjoys the novel each time she reads it and describes it as a ”timeless classic.” She loves how well-written it is and especially enjoys the “snappy comebacks” in the dialogue. However, Kerr is not a fan of the 2005 film. She prefers the 1995 BBC miniseries starring Colin Firth. She says that Macfayden is “not her Darcy” and believes that the longer format of the miniseries allows for a more detailed story that is faithful to the novel. The 1995 miniseries came out when she was in high school, and she says that everyone from that time period knows Firth as Mr. Darcy. She is very excited that Collegiate’s book club will be reading Pride and Prejudice this month. 

Senior Tyler Crawford (’24), who has only seen the 2005 version, believes that Macfayden’s portrayal of Mr. Darcy is a large part of the film’s appeal. She thought it was fascinating that they “made a very awkward man very attractive.” She enjoyed the slow buildup of Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy’s relationship and the romanticization of the time period. 

Other Collegiate students also recognize the 2005 adaptation as their preferred version of the story. Seniors Alexis Covington (’24) and Sadie Henderson-Best (’24) both describe the novel as a “comfort book” and believe that the 2005 adaptation is a “great representation of the story.” Covington has seen both the 1995 and 2005 filmed versions and believes that the 2005 film is superior because it is visually beautiful, immersive, and has “great emotional buildup.” She also thinks that Knightley was the perfect actress to play the role of Elizabeth. Henderson-Best agreed, calling Knightley the “queen of period dramas.” She also loves the movie’s soundtrack and is personally not bothered by the film’s removal from Netflix, since she has the DVD. The film is also appealing to those who have not yet seen it. Senior Olivia D’Ambrosia (’24) says, “I have not seen Pride and Prejudice, but it is on my list.” 

2005’s Pride and Prejudice promotional poster. Image credit: Universal Studios.

Despite this generally positive consensus, some critics believe that Pride and Prejudice is actually a harmful story. Rachel Feder, and English professor at the University of Denver who wrote the book The Darcy Myth, argues that characters like Mr. Darcy encourage people, especially women, to pursue negative relationships. She allegedly recalls the numerous times that Mr. Darcy insults Elizabeth’s looks, class, and family throughout the story, and concludes that he is a selfish character who uses his power as a wealthy man to influence Elizabeth’s choice to be with him. She also mentions more modern characters, like Chuck Bass of Gossip Girl, who were influenced by Mr. Darcy.

Although I appreciate this nuanced perspective on the story and its influence, I do not believe that Pride and Prejudice encourages negative behaviors. After watching the film, I interpreted it to be more of a critique of many of the things Feder brings up, like the power of rich men over women. For example, there is a scene where Elizabeth is encouraged to marry her strange yet wealthy cousin in order to be financially secure. It is obvious that he is a terrible match for Elizabeth, and it’s satisfying to watch her reject him when he expects her to accept his proposal. That scene shows the pressure many women of that time faced to marry men they did not like, because they could not seek financial stability on their own. 

Elizabeth also faces pressure from women like her mother to bring honor to her family through marriage. To me, the story is an objective, sometimes critical portrayal of those limitations rather than an endorsement of them. As Washington Post writer Elizabeth Held says, “it is not Mr. Darcy who is the monster but the patriarchal system ruling the Bennet women’s lives.” And, in the case of Mr. Darcy, his first proposal to Elizabeth is rejected because she thinks that he is elitist and stuck up, so he has to change and admit his mistakes before she agrees to be with him. By the end of the film, it is clear that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy truly understand each other, have overcome their prejudices, and want to be with each other, which is a positive message on literature and relationships. However, I look forward to reading the novel to see if there’s any difference and also maybe reading Feder’s book on the subject.