Pride and Prejudice, a romantic novel by Jane Austen, was published anonymously in three volumes in 1813. A classic of English literature, written with an incisive wit and superb character delineation, centers on the burgeoning relationship between Elizabeth Bennet, the daughter of a country gentleman, and Fitzwilliam Darcy, a rich aristocratic landowner. Upon publication, Pride and Prejudice was well received by critics and readers. The first edition sold out within the first year, and it never went out of print.
