Austen originally wrote the novel in the 1790s, but revised it considerably between 1811 and 1812. It was first published in 1813.
The main character is Elizabeth Bennet, daughter of a noble but poor gentleman in the English countryside. She is smart and clever, but tends to judge people too quickly.
Elizabeth's romantic foil is Fitzwilliam Darcy, a wealthy and essentially decent man whose bluntness and concern for social conventions tend to put other people off.
Elizabeth's father is eager to marry his daughters off, but Elizabeth's sister Jane struggles with a courtship to the wealthy Charles Bingley while Elizabeth herself engages in a love-hate interaction with Darcy.
Deceit and misunderstanding from various figures compound the Bennet girls' efforts to find happiness. Eventually, however, Jane marries Bingley, while Elizabeth realizes and accepts her love for Darcy.