Book Anatomy · Pride and Prejudice
Pride and Prejudice: Commercial facts
13 lenses on commercial facts for Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Count lenses are exact for our text. AI lenses are our reading and cite only quotes that passed a word for word check.
Jump to: L1 L2 L3 L4 L5 L6 L7 L8 L9 L10 L11 L12 L13
L1. Total word count. Count
1813, 122,720 words. See the full lens on the book page.
L2. Chapter count and average length. Count
1813, 122,720 words. See the full lens on the book page.
L3. Length against modern norms for the genre. Both
122,720 words. Modern romance often runs 70,000 to 90,000 words, so this is long for the shelf today. These ranges are rough trade norms, not rules.
At 122,720 words across 61 chapters, the novel is longer than modern romance but shorter than contemporary literary fiction. It is substantial but not sprawling. The length allows for multiple subplots and character development without excess.
L4. First published as a serial or a volume? Research
1813, 122,720 words. See the full lens on the book page.
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L5. Serial instalment breaks and how each ends. Both
The novel was not serialised. It was published as a complete three-volume work in 1813. If divided into serial instalments, natural breaks would occur at chapters 12, 26, 34, 46, and 58, each ending with a significant revelation or crisis.
Chapters: Ch 12, Ch 26, Ch 34, Ch 46, Ch 58
L6. Sales and reviews in its day. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L7. Adaptations: film, TV, stage, count and type. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L8. Sequels and series. Research
Facts from outside the text (sales, serial history, adaptations, sequels, most quoted lines). Coming in a later phase, with sources and dates.
L9. Modern books in the same mould (comps). AI
Modern comps: 'Bridgerton' series by Julia Quinn, 'The Hating Game' by Sally Thorne, 'Outlander' by Diana Gabaldon (for romance and period detail), 'Eligible' by Curtis Sittenfeld (modern retelling). All feature witty banter, slow-burn romance, and social obstacles.
L10. Who it would be shelved for today. AI
Shelved today as: Historical Romance, Regency Romance, Literary Fiction, Classics. Readers seeking witty dialogue, slow-burn romance, and social satire. Fans of character-driven stories and period settings. Audiences interested in feminist themes and female independence.
L11. Content notes. AI
Content notes: Class prejudice and snobbery. Sexual impropriety (Lydia's elopement). Mercenary marriage. Parental neglect. No graphic content; all is implied or discussed rather than shown.
Chapters: Ch 46, Ch 49, Ch 50, Ch 51
L12. A modern pitch line and blurb. AI
Pitch: A sharp-witted woman must overcome her own prejudice to see the proud man she despises for who he truly is, in a witty Regency romance about love, class, and self-knowledge. Blurb: Elizabeth Bennet refuses to marry for money or status. When the arrogant Mr. Darcy insults her, she dismisses him entirely, until a letter reveals she has misjudged him completely.
Chapters: Ch 1, Ch 34, Ch 35, Ch 36
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. (Ch 1, para 1)
In vain have I struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you. (Ch 34, para 4)
She grew absolutely ashamed of herself. Of neither Darcy nor Wickham could she think, without feeling that she had been blind, partial, prejudiced, absurd. (Ch 36, para 11)
L13. Title style against genre norms. AI
The title 'Pride and Prejudice' is abstract and thematic rather than character-driven or plot-driven, which is typical of literary fiction and classics. Modern romance titles tend toward character names or emotional hooks. Austen's title emphasises the moral and psychological themes over the love story.
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. (Ch 1, para 1)
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