Pride and Prejudice and Affectionate Imitation

Why do we love Pride and Prejudice so much? Is it that we recognize ourselves in the ego of Darcy? Can we relate to Lizzie’s presumptiveness? Are we encouraged by these headstrong characters’ capacity to modify their first impressions of each other and find love? Do we all just secretly think we’d look great in an empire waist? If nothing else, it must be a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen’s classic book has beguiled readers body and soul. Arguably Jane Austen’s most popular novel, Pride and Prejudice has, over the course of two centuries, never gone out of print. And some of the people most energized by Austen’s creation are other writers, as is evident in this short list of later novels shaped and influenced by Pride and Prejudice.

The Toledo Library celebrates the life and legacy of Jane Austen and her works. Check out these books influenced by the famous novel and look for more blog posts and booklists highlighting the author’s most famous titles and the works they inspired.