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What Are the Different Versions of Pride & Prejudice?

A well written piece of literature can stir the imagination of those that read it, and many works of fiction have become regarded as classics. "Pride and Prejudice" by Jane Austin falls into this category, with the original book being worked into a number of versions since its first publication. This includes book, television and movie adaptations.
  1. Original Version

    • Jane Austen originally wrote the book which gained fame as "Pride and Prejudice" in 1796. The book started life with the title "First Impressions", although this version never made it into print. In 1811, Austen made revisions to the book, including changing the title, and this version was first published in 1813.

    "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies"

    • "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies" places the characters of the novel in a more unusual setting. Conceived by Seth Grahame-Smith, the book is an expanded version of Austen's work, with much of her text remaining. It has the characters dealing with the social prejudices of the original story, although in the updated horror-style version they also have to contend with zombies taking over their village.

    "Bride & Prejudice"

    • "Bride & Prejudice" is a Bollywood take on the Jane Austen novel. Released in 2004, the movie has an Indian mother searching for suitable husbands for her four daughters, in song and dance Bollywood style. Aishwarya Rai and Martin Henderson play the lead characters, with the movie running to a length of almost two hours.

    BBC Television Drama

    • This production featured Oscar winner Colin Firth in one of his early starring roles. He played Mr. Darcy, with Jennifer Ehle taking on the role of Elizabeth Bennet. The drama was originally broadcast as 6 episodes on BBC television in 1995, and is a faithful reworking of the original Jane Austen story.

    1940 Movie Version

    • Two famous movie stars of the time played the leading roles in this 1940 production, with Greer Garson taking on the role of Elizabeth Bennet and Laurence Olivier playing Mr. Darcy. It was the first major adaptation of Austen's book, although with a little artistic license to suit the requirements of 1940's movie fans.

    2005 Movie Version

    • The 2005 movie adaptation had Kiera Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen taking on the starring roles of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy. It follows the main plot of the original book, although in a truncated version to suit the running length of just over two hours. The movie was generally well received by both critics and fans.

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