It is a truth universally acknowledged that every article about Pride and Prejudice must begin with a takeoff on the first line of the book (done and done). And in the 200 years since it was first published on Jan. 28, 1813, admirers, critics, social commentators, and others have written countless words about this witty, insightful peek into the human heart. Not only that, but Jane Austen’s most famous work has been reinvented and reimagined time and time again, often in unique and surprising ways that wring something new out of the timeless story. Here are 10 that stand out.
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As zombie lit:
For all the literary retools, prequels, and sequels P&P has gone through, only one can claim to have singlehandedly launched a new genre. By replacing just 15% of the original wording with new material, Seth Grahame-Smith transformed the Bennets into a trained hit squad fighting the evil undead (and ninjas) in Pride and Prejudice and Zombies, and the mashup novel was born. The book was a huge hit, selling 1.5 million copies, and plans for a film version quickly materialized (although whether it will ever make it to theaters is still up in the air).
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As an Aldous Huxley-scripted movie:
Maybe it’s just book nerds like us that find this remarkable, but who knew the man behind one of the greatest novels of all time was briefly a Hollywood screenwriter? What’s more, the 1940 film version of Pride and Prejudice that he worked on starred Laurence Olivier, one of the most legendary actors ever, in the role of Mr. Darcy. The New York Times praised Huxley and his co-writer for providing the film with “a steady flow of superlative wit.” Because of the movie’s success, the world came very close to having an Aldous Huxley-penned Alice in Wonderland, which from a guy who was a public proponent of mescaline, would have been quite a trip.
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As a 1938 TV movie:
True Janeites have heard the rumors of a BBC version of P&P that aired around the time World War II was beginning, way back in 1938. But even the most ardent fans seem destined to never own a copy. Several juicy details, though, make it a highly sought-after Austen adaptation. For one, the film aired only twice, on May 22 and 27, the reason being that it was apparently filmed and broadcast live. Because of the weak transmission range of the building where it was shot, a maximum of only a few hundred people even saw it. Today that building — the BBC London TV Station at Alexandra Palace — is considered “the birthplace of television.”
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As a Marvel comic book:
Spider-Man. Iron Man. The Hulk. Mr. Bingley? In the last decade, comic books (or “graphic novels” to aficionados) have been experiencing the most widespread popularity in pop culture they’ve ever enjoyed, so maybe we shouldn’t have been surprised when industry giant Marvel made its way to Pride and Prejudice as an entry in its “Marvel Classics” series. Artist Hugo Petrus, who had already helped translate The Three Musketeers into graphic novel form, provided the artwork, with author Nancy Butler tackling the story. While some were less than jazzed with Petrus’ style, it was an ambitious undertaking that produced a work worthy of a place in the Austen canon.
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As a Bollywood film:
Moulin Rouge ushered in a new wave of Hollywood movies influenced by Bollywood, its Indian counterpart. So it was only fair that Bollywood get to try its hand at one of Hollywood’s favorite vehicles, Pride and Prejudice. The resulting Bride and Prejudice was a remake with an exotic flavor that could only have come from Bombay. The Bennets become the Bakshis, with Mr. Darcy an arrogant American (aren’t they all?). Carriages are replaced by elephants and the prim and proper sensibility of 19th-century England gives way to boisterous song and dance pieces, complete with Naveen Andrews from Lost totally shredding it on the dance floor.
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As an autobiographical web series:
Based on the fifteen minutes of a rerun we saw on HBO one time, the Lizzie Bennet Diaries are Pride and Prejudice meets Sex and the City. In these webisodes, the titular character has traded in dialogue for monologue, guiding webcam viewers through the absolute horrors (like, seriously, you guys!) of being 24 and still single when your mom really wants you to get married. While the premise comes off a bit self-centered, there is a lot of reward to fans of the source material. Characters like Bing Lee and Lizzie’s wacky sisters drop by, and the show surprisingly held off until episode 59 to introduce Darcy.
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As a kids’ show :
Mr. Darcy as a Jack Russell Terrier? Sure, why not. Wishbone was a children’s TV show that aired on PBS and Nickelodeon in the mid- to late-’90s. The premise was that Wishbone the dog would daydream his owner’s experiences into stories from literary classics starring himself. In the episode “Furst Impressions” (a nod to P&P’s original title), Wishbone takes on the role as the leading man, sweeping Elizabeth off her feet from one foot off the ground. The writers walked a fine line between introducing kids to a timeless work while mixing in some light humor (“Is this the part where you shut the door in my face?”), and containing it all within a half-hour.
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As a musical with flipped gender roles:
We haven’t mentioned any plays so far, but with a plot that centers around people standing around talking, P&P has been considered perfect play material virtually since its release. But a recent production set itself apart by taking the two main characters and flipping their roles. In 2006′s I love You Because, Lizzie was represented by greeting-card writer Austin (ahem) Bennet, who falls in love with Marcy, a photographer. Austin has to learn the difference between the cliched love of his greeting cards and real emotion, while getting over his ex-girlfriend. There’s friends with benefits, there’s modern-day New York, and there’s nary a bonnet in sight.
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As Japanese shoujo manga comics:
With over 58 million copies, the highest-selling shoujo manga — Japanese comics for young girls (the name means “little female”) — is Hana Yori Dango (Boys Over Flowers). Japanese fans who also enjoy classics from the Western world might have noticed the influence of a particular female writer from the early 1800s. Yes, the plight of stubborn, independent but poor young Tsukushi Makino dealing with the rich bully Tsukasa Doumyouji at her fancy Tokyo school has clear hints of Pride and Prejudice beneath. Pride and Prejudice on acid, apparently.
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As a steamy romance novel:
“Remarkable” would be one way to refer to Heather Lynn Rigaud’s Fitzwilliam Darcy, Rock Star; once she stopped spinning in her grave, Jane Austen would probably have an adjective or two to express her surprise at this reinvention. Here Mr. Darcy is the leader of a rock band called Slurry, and his guitar prowess is matched only by Elizabeth Bennet, the lead singer of his opening act, Long Borne Suffering. Like all rock stars, the members of Slurry enjoy having copious amounts of sex, and the women of LBS are more than happy to oblige them. Seeing as a daughter eloping threatened to destroy the entire family in Austen’s universe, who knows what she would think about what passes for a “romance novel” now.
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