188 Years Later, Have Things Changed?

Mark, Bridget, and Daniel from Bridget Jones Diary 

Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice has been adapted in many different ways. From stories following Austen's complete plot, to stories that venture out and add to the plot. An example of this would be Bridget Jones Diary directed by Sharon Maguire. 

Bridget Jones Diary summary 

Bridget Jones, who plays the part of Elizabeth Bennet in Bridget Jones Diary is a 32 year old woman, Much like Elizabeth she feels she is fighting against time to find a husband. With outside pressure from her mother and peers, it seems almost like her biological clock is running out. She is also outspoken and bold, much like Elizabeth. Mark Darcy, who is our Mr. Darcy of Bridget Jones Diary is an odd character who seems to strongly dislike Bridget from the moment he meets her. Much like Darcy with Elizabeth. 

Our two main characters, Darcy and Bridget, dislike each other very much. Mark Darcy does not like how Bridget drinks, smokes and much about her outspokenness. While Bridget finds Darcy to be arrogant. When Bridget falls for Daniel Cleaver, Darcy is quick to warn her family about how Cleaver is not a good enough man for Bridget. This later does prove correct when Cleaver cheats on Bridget with another woman at work. 

Similar to Darcy and Elizabeth, when Mark Darcy confesses his feelings to Bridget she shuts him down immediately. Though this happens, Darcy goes out of his way to get Bridget a big interview at her new job which gets her lots of notice. Darcy and Bridget spend the night cooking for her friends and birthday, getting to know each other. Eventually Cleaver shows up, confessing that he cannot stop thinking about Bridget, which causes Darcy to get upset and leave. Just like in Pride & Prejudice, Darcy and Cleaver fight, leaving Bridget mad at Darcy. After some time, at the Darcy's family party, Bridget finally confesses that she feels the same for Darcy. It is then announced that Darcy is to leave for New York, though he doesn't go because he forgot to give Bridget her "goodbye kiss."

Bridget Jones Diary book cover

Discussion of Gender

With our main character Bridget being 32 years old, she faces the societal pressures of being unmarried. We see this through out the movie with Bridgets mother pushing her to meet men at every social gathering. 

Another pressure of marriage and children we see throughout the movie is the dinner scene. Bridget gets asked why it is so many women in their 30's are unmarried, she responds with, "Oh, I don't know, I suppose it doesn't help that underneath our clothes our entire bodies are covered in scales." To which no one at the table laughs at her joke and moves on with their own conversations. Another part from this scene, when Bridget is getting nagged about not being married she replies with, "Tell me, is it one in four marriages that end in divorce now, or is it one in three." 

When people are discussing Bridget running out of time for marriage and children they will often make a "Tick Tock" sound at her to insinuate her age. Through out the movie, Bridget refers to herself as a spinster. I believe this is due to all the outside pressure being placed on her. 

Conclusion 

These two stories may be in very different time periods but they still show that societal normals have not changed. Woman are still given a biological clock, being seen as "spinsters" is not finding a husband. Woman are judged for their outspokenness and personality while it is normalized in men. While these stories may have differences due to the modernization of Bridget Jones Diary, the story still shows that it seems to be a woman's goal in life to find a husband, no matter the age.