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  • Essay / Critical Analysis of the Film Adaptation of Pride and Prejudice

    Jane Austen's classic 1813 novel, Pride and Prejudice, made its way to the big screen in Joe Wright's 2005 adaptation. The film is filled with romance, peppered with humor and clever dialogues, keeping the audience continually engaged. Despite the entertaining plot and well-developed characters, there is a serious problem with the film, namely its ridiculously contemporary approach. Although Elizabeth's "just rolled out of bed" appearance is acceptable in a modern context, it remains historically inaccurate. The customs of the time were also not adequately represented. The cast of the film did an outstanding job portraying all the characters and supporting the novel. It's no surprise that things have changed since Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice and the 2005 adaptation didn't do this recreation the justice it deserved. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay The film begins by introducing Mr. and Mrs. Bennet and their five daughters – Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia. As the family has no sons, Mrs. Bennet's only goal in life is to marry off her daughters before Mr. Bennett's death. At their convenience, a wealthy bachelor named Mr. Bingley has moved to Nethersfield and is enchanted with their beautiful daughter, Jane. Elizabeth, on the other hand, is less fortunate and does not hesitate to form an instant dislike for Darcy when she hears him insult her. I have to admit that the plot of the film is far from boring and does an exquisite job of engaging the audience. However, I refuse to give the film much credit for its excellent plot given that it is based entirely on Jane Austen's classic novel. The film, as far as historical accuracy goes, is a poor representation of the period and lacks research. I was very disappointed in assessing the lack of Regency hairstyles for the film. It seemed like the entire Bennet family didn't own a single hair comb or maybe they had a rule that only allowed them to have one style per week. Almost all hairstyles were inappropriate and, although messy hair with bangs, may be justified for the modern era, did not become popular until many years later. Elizabeth is also caught several times in society with her hair down. At the time, this was considered brazen, immodest and even sinful. Women of this era had to take great care of their presentation and often had elaborate hairstyles. This image is from the 1995 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. This film did a much better job of depicting the hairstyles of the time. The images below are examples of the inaccurate styles evident in the 2005 adaptation. Modern, messy hair wasn't the only look the film portrayed incorrectly. The customs of the Regency period were scandalously inaccurate. Elizabeth's habits of traveling without the company of a man and walking instead of using carriages would have been completely unacceptable in Jane Austen's time. Except when going to church or a park early in the morning, women always had to be accompanied by another woman or man. In the film, Elizabeth is depicted in her nightgown several times, and while this would not be considered a problem today, during the Regency period, being seen in pajamas in society would be culturally unacceptable. Darcy is also revealed barging into Elizabeth's room unannounced. Men were not allowed to enter a woman's room..