Pride And Prejudice: 25 Most Memorable Quotes, Ranked

The 2005 film adaptation of this classic Jane Austen novel has brought Pride and Prejudice movie quotes to a whole new demographic of audiences. Starring Keira Knightley, Rosamund Pike, Donald Sutherland, Matthew Macfadyen, and many others, Pride and Prejudice was a remarkably wonderful adaptation. This period drama wasn’t as stilted and dreary as many period dramas. This romantic drama connected with a new generation, and is still widely watched and admired by fans.

Jane Austen’s works continue to be some of the most popular adaptations since their release in the early 1800s. Austen’s novels have stood the test of time as people read and reread her work for her prose. Her universal plots and characters are as relevant now as they were in the 19th century. There have been several adaptations of Austen’s work. Thanks to the Pride and Prejudice movie quotes, it remains a highlight from her adaptations, still connecting with audiences over 20 years after its release.

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25 “My Good Opinion, Once Lost, Is Lost Forever.”

Mr. Darcy

The theme of every version of this story is in the very title. While Elizabeth’s pride is wounded from her initial interactions with Mr. Darcy, his prejudice doesn’t allow him to see her family as the loving unit they are. His “good opinion” is already hard to earn. When he explains who he is with this line, however, it’s also made clear, before the audience knows the full story of Wickham, that Mr. Darcy is very decisive and stubborn.

Once he’s formed an opinion about someone, it’s very hard for him to change his mind. If someone has already earned his admiration and then does something to lose it, he is not the kind of man to freely offer forgiveness. That’s very clear in the situation with Wickham. Mr. Wickham breaks Georgiana’s heart after making her so many false promises that Mr. Darcy will never trust the man he once considered a friend.

24 “One Of These Days, Lizzy, Someone Will Catch Your Eye, And Then You’ll Have To Watch Your Tongue.”

Jane Bennet

While some of the characters in Pride and Prejudice believe that Elizabeth Bennet has such a caustic sense of humor about the men in society because she’s bitter about not being married, that’s not the case. Elizabeth turns down proposals because she only wants to marry if she truly loves someone. Love matches were not exactly the norm in Jane Austen’s lifetime. It was much more common for a marriage to be more transactional, a way to bond two families and protect interests like land and inheritance.

Jane is often the one amused by Elizabeth’s comments about the men in society around them. Despite that, she sees through what others assume is bitterness. Elizabeth genuinely doesn’t like all of the pretending involved in society and dislikes that she is not supposed to be herself in public. Jane’s insinuation here is that one day, Elizabeth might feel the need to curb her opinions in society once she does fall in love.

The beauty of Elizabeth’s relationship with Mr. Darcy is that she doesn’t have to. He loves her even through his misconceptions of her and her biting remarks to him.

23 “…With So Evident A Design Of Insulting Me, You Chose To Tell Me That You Liked Me Against Your Better Judgment.”

Elizabeth Bennet

When Mr. Barcy attempts to tell Elizabeth Benny how he truly feels about her, he does it alongside a litany of reasons he shouldn’t feel anything for her. He says unkind things about her and her family, but he’s not entirely meaning to be unkind. He simply wants to explain his perception of events, and that he cares for her despite that perception.

Elizabeth, however, is not swayed by his being honest with her. Instead, she only becomes even more furious with him. She does not understand how he can expect her to be happy about his growing feelings for her while he stands in front of her and insults her to make his point. A variation of this conversation occurs in every version of Pride and Prejudice, but Keira Knightley’s reaction as Elizabeth is perfect, and her hurt and anger is part of what makes the exchange so memorable.

22 “What Have You Done To Poor Mr.Darcy?”

Charlotte Lucas

On its own, this line might not appear particularly memorable. Fans of Pride and Prejudice, however, know that it comes after a baffling exchange between Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy – baffling for Elizabeth, that is, not the audience.

Mr. Darcy comes into a room to speak with Elizabeth, already aware of his growing feelings for her. While they exchange pleasantries and Elizabeth offers him tea, he denies the tea and effectively bolts from her presence. He leaves the room just as Charlotte comes in, and since Elizabeth and Charlotte don’t have the same context for his actions as the audience, he looks like a man spooked by a ghost, or potentially, terrified of something Elizabeth has said to him.

It makes Charlotte’s line amusing, but it also makes Elizabeth’s admission that she has no idea what she’s done equally hilarious.

21 “Though She May Well Perish With The Shame Of Having Such A Mother.”

Elizabeth Bennet

While Elizabeth might find most men she meets objectively awful, her mother understands the reality of the situation better than Elizabeth. The Bennet family consists of older parents and five daughters, two of whom are already older than the age most women are married in the era in which they live. None of the daughters will inherit the family property and there is no modern safety net for them. That is why Mrs. Bennet schemes and matchmakes at every possible opportunity, including when Jane gets a cold and is, fortunately, confined to a wealthy person’s house to recover.

While Mrs. Bennet gets dramatic, discussing the potential for Jane to actually die, Mr. Bennet is sure Jane will not be dying from a cold. Elizabeth makes fun of her mother though, noting that Jane just might die of shame at her mother’s antics instead. While Elizabeth has no problem mocking her mother in front of the rest of the family, of course, she doesn’t do that when they’re in public or at a society event. Despite her mother’s antics annoying her and embarrassing Jane, Elizabeth clearly still loves her dearly.

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20 “Lizzy For Every Day, My Pearl For Sundays, And…Goddess Divine… But Only On Very Special Occasions.”

Elizabeth Bennet To Mr. Darcy

“You may only call me “Mrs. Darcy”… when you are completely, and perfectly, and incandescently happy.”

By the end of Pride & Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet had gotten past her pride and Mr. Darcy had shed his prejudice, and they finally found love with each other. Throughout most of the movie, Mr. Darcy couldn’t communicate well with Elizabeth, feeling flustered, confused, and embarrassed, often in equal measure. However, in the end, they found their way into each other’s arms and both were completely in love.

Elizabeth says he should only call her Mrs. Darcy when he is ”
incandescently happy
.”

This final scene saw them sitting outdoors, the house in the far background. He looked into her eyes and called her “my dear,” which Elizabeth didn’t like. As she explained, that is what her father called her mother when he was angry. When Mr. Darcy asked what he should call her, she gave him this fun list of names. When Elizabeth says he should only call her Mrs. Darcy when he is “incandescently happy,” he calls her that exact name – five times in a row – before kissing her to end the movie.

19 “You See, He And I Are So Similar.”

Elizabeth To Mr. Bennet

“He’s Been A Fool About So Many Things, About Jane, And Others… But Then, So Have I.”

When Mr. Darcy asks Mr Bennet for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage, Elizabeth comes in next to talk to her dad. He knows that Elizabeth has been unhappy with Mr. Darcy’s actions throughout the movie. He wants to make sure from her that this is really something she wants since he believes she “hates” Mr. Darcy. That is when Elizabeth breaks down and says she doesn’t hate Mr. Darcy at all; she loves him. When Mr. Bennet seems confused, Elizabeth explains that Mr. Darcy did some foolish things, but she did as well.

Both of them were prideful and both showed a sense of prejudice in their actions. It was when Elizabeth realized that they were both to blame that she realized that she loved him and he loved her back. This is when she finally decided she wanted marriage. This was something that Elizabeth had to learn about herself, and she explained it perfectly to her father, as she realized she was as foolish as Mr. Darcy, and the only way to find happiness was to admit their shortcomings.

18 “I Cannot Believe That Anyone Can Deserve You…”

Mr. Bennet To Elizabeth

“But It Apppears I Am Overruled. So, I Heartily Give My Consent.”

Donald Sutherland is masterful in Pride & Prejudice as Mr. Bennet. While Elizabeth’s mother is a handful and often overwhelmed, Mr. Bennet remains composed, cares for his family, and mostly, loves his Lizzie with all his heart and soul. When Mrs. Bennet tries to force Elizabeth into a marriage without love, Mr. Bennet disapproves. However, when Elizabeth finally finds love, he is overwhelmed with emotion. This comes after Mr. Darcy asks for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage.

When she tells her father she loves Mr. Darcy completely, tears come to Mr. Bennet’s eyes.

Mr. Bennet does not know how to react. He believes Darcy to be a cruel man for much of the movie, only to learn of his true heart by the end. When Mr. Darcy asks for Elizabeth’s hand in marriage, Mr. Bennet wants to ensure it is what she wants. When she tells her father she loves Mr. Darcy completely, tears come to Mr. Bennet’s eyes as he delivers this line to show his happiness with his daughter finally finding love. Mrs. Bennet wants to push all her daughters into marriage, but Mr. Bennet wants more for Elizabeth.

17 “Oh, ‘Quite Well’ Is Not ‘Very Well.’ I’m Satisfied.”

Elizabeth To Georgiana Darcy

There was a scene in the movie where Elizabeth sees Mr. Darcy hugging a young woman. She rushes out in a panic, believing that this is Mr. Darcy’s romantic partner and that she mistook his affection for her, but it’s his younger sister. When Elizabeth realizes the error, she returns and meets Georgiana. She says her brother says Elizabeth plays the piano “so well.” This comment refers to a previous scene in the movie when Lady Catherine forces Elizabeth to play.

Elizabeth dismisses the compliment and Mr. Darcy explains he said “very well” and not “so well.” It was fun wordplay that showed their awkwardness in their relationship and the fact it refers back to a previous awkward moment for Elizabeth, making light of it as a new beginning for the two. Pride & Prejudice is as much a comedy of errors as a romantic epic. Many things happen that Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth take the wrong way, and it causes their relationship to have several peaks and valleys.

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16 “You Have Insulted Me In Every Possible Way, And Can Now Have Nothing Further To Say.”

Elizabeth To Lady Catherine de Bourg

When Elizabeth met Lady Catherine de Bourg, it was not a pleasant experience. Lady Catherine spoke down about Elizabeth’s family, insulted her mother, and demanded that Elizabeth play piano to entertain the dinner crowd. She was a rude and insufferable woman. Lady Catherine spoke down to Elizabeth and the young woman never knew how to respond, fearful of defending herself against the overbearing woman. This led to a moment later in the movie when Lady Catherine shows up at Elizabeth’s home.

It was the moment that Elizabeth finally stopped letting people push her around.

She demands that Elizabeth not see Mr. Darcy again and never enter into an engagement with him in the future. This time, Elizabeth finally stands up for herself. She refuses to make any such promise, delivers this quote to Lady Catherine, and then orders her to leave her home. The look on Lady Catherine’s face was priceless, and it was the moment that Elizabeth finally stopped letting people push her around and became a true Jane Austen hero. It perfectly counters her earlier encounter with the woman.

15 “What A Superbly Featured Room And What Excellent Boiled Potatoes! Many Years Since I’ve Had Such An Exemplary Vegetable.”

Mr. Collins

Mr. Bennet has no male heirs and only has his daughters. This means there is no one to inherit his land, as none of the women are allowed to do so by law. As a result, Mr. Collins will inherit the home and land when Mr. Bennet dies. So, the idea of getting all the daughters married and settled in new families is very important to Mrs. Bennet. However, none of the girls have any desire or eyes for Mr. Collins – although he has strong feelings for Elizabeth Bennet.

Mr. Collins is quite dull, doesn’t add much to the conversation, and isn’t the best suitor for any of the Bennet daughters, although Mrs. Bennet believes one of her daughters should marry him, as that would ensure the home remains in the family by marriage. However, he does little to win the family over – and shows as much during this lunch scene. In this hilariously awkward line, Mr. Collins is overly excited about the state of the boiled potatoes at the dinner the Bennets have prepared for him.

14 “I Do Not Have The Talent Of Conversing Easily With People I Have Never Met Before.”

Mr. Darcy

Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy have completely different personalities, as Elizabeth can easily talk to new people and make friends fairly quickly, while Mr. Darcy has none of those skills. He can build relationships over time, but Mr. Darcy’s not very comfortable meeting new people. He shows up at the movie’s start for a giant party and is uncomfortable and stiff throughout the event, barely speaking to anyone. This includes Elizabeth, who tries to strike up a conversation.

Later in the movie, Mr. Darcy explains his attitude at the party. Mr. Darcy is self-aware enough that he’s able to tell Elizabeth he’s uncomfortable in a room full of people he doesn’t know. This never changes throughout the movie, but Mr. Darcy shows that he is more than willing to speak to people once he has gotten to know them better. The quote is even better because Elizabeth mocks him and says he should “practice” more, which is a line Lady Catherine delivered to her earlier in the movie.

13 “No, I Prefer To Be Unsociable And Taciturn. Makes It All So Much More Enjoyable, Don’t You Think?”

Elizabeth Bennet

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This is another Pride & Prejudice quote that proves how different Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy are, especially regarding their personality. Mr. Darcy has more of a bruting personality and doesn’t mind being alone, while Elizabeth is more friendly and enjoys talking to people. The two often don’t see eye to eye and, for most of the movie, they seem upset with each other because of their inherent differences, but of course, they truly fall in love by the end of the story.

Many times in the movie, Mr. Darcy comes across as unlikable and rude. However, that isn’t his true personality once someone gets to know him. Mr. Darcy is often awkward, and he shows that he doesn’t know how to react when talking with a woman as outspoken and stubborn as Elizabeth Bennet. However, by the end, Elizabeth understands Mr. Darcy’s eccentricities, and when she says this line, it is done as a sarcastic joke to the man she has fallen in love with.

12 “Your Selfish Disdain For The Feelings Of Others Made Me Realize You Were The Last Man In The World I Could Ever Be Prevailed Upon To Marry.”

Elizabeth Bennet

Mr. Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet go through an odd courtship through most of the story, as Elizabeth truly thinks Mr. Darcy hates her and everything he does is meant to hurt her. This specific Pride & Prejudice quote has a strong basis in two big things that happened earlier in the movie. At the big party, Jane dances with others and doesn’t pay Mr. Bingley much attention. Mr. Darcy believes she is not as interested as Mr. Bingley is and convinces his friend that she might not be the best for him, breaking up their relationship.

Elizabeth thinks Mr. Darcy did this out of his hatred for her and her family. Later in the movie, George Wickham lies to Elizabeth about how Mr. Darcy wronged him, even though George broke Mr. Darcy’s sister’s heart. When Mr. Darcy first confesses his feelings to Elizabeth, she shoots him down and delivers this scathing quote. Mr. Darcy explains why he interfered with Jane and Mr. Bingley’s relationship, but Elizabeth does not care. These actions, even the untrue ones, cause Elizabeth to hate Mr. Darcy more than ever.

11 “We Are All Fools In Love.”

Charlotte Lucas

The Bennet family’s friend Charlotte says this dream-like line at the ball where the Bennet sisters attempt to find acceptable suitors. Pride and Prejudice, like most of Austen’s work, has a great balance between romance, comedy, and drama, and this is one of the most romantic lines in this adaptation, which isn’t a quote from Mr. Darcy or Elizabeth Bennet. The line is instead from a character who wants to be romantic but understands she has to marry for status and comfort.

Charlotte is getting older, and she knows her time is nearing a close. While she sees her friend Elizabeth as someone who is in no hurry, Charlotte is a much more hapless romantic throughout the movie. She wants love and sees those around her finding it while she keeps dreaming. This sadly leads Charlotte to quickly accept Mr. Collins’s marriage proposal. While Elizabeth doesn’t understand this way of thinking at all, it does a good job of showing how different she is even from her friends.

10 “You Could Not Make Me Happy And I’m Convinced I’m The Last Person In This World Who Could Make You Happy.”

Elizabeth Bennet

Mr. Collins proposes marriage to Elizabeth, and he doesn’t even give her a chance to reply. And when she turns him down, he makes it seem as though she’s doing it to appear modest, as girls are supposed to do. But Elizabeth puts the nail in the coffin with these lines. They may be harsh, but they are true. Elizabeth refuses to let things happen to her. And she refuses to marry someone whom she doesn’t respect in the least. What she says is true, and while hurtful, it is what is best for both people.

This was even worse when the door opened after her rejection and all her sisters began to laugh at Mr. Collins. It was humiliating for him and ensured that no Bennet child would ever marry this man. Mrs. Bennet knew that this could doom them since he would inherit their home, and he quickly left and rebounded. Mr. Collins married Charlotte, but this was a moment where Elizabeth showed she was headstrong and refused to accept anything less than true love from her suitors.

9 “Your Mother Will Never See You Again If You Do Not Marry Mr. Collins, And I Will Never See You Again If You Do.”

Mr. Bennet

Mr. Collins will inherit the Bennet family’s home and estate after Mr. Bennet’s passing because he had no sons. In such a situation, Mrs. Bennet is especially anxious to ensure all her daughters are married and well-settled. Mr. Collins shows interest in Jane, but Mrs. Bennet knows that she could potentially marry Mr. Bingley, the better suitor. She then pushes Mr. Collins to Elizabeth, thinking that the marriage between Elizabeth and Mr. Collins is in the best interest of the entire family.

Elizabeth is strongly against it. Luckily, her father takes her side in the situation, being thoroughly unimpressed with Mr. Collins, and gives her the validation she needs to go against her mother. Mrs. Collins sees a hopeless situation and believes Elizabeth will never get married. She also knows that could leave Elizabeth without anything once Mr. Bennet dies. However, Mr. Bennet has no intention of dying anytime soon, and he only wants what is best for Elizabeth, and that is not Mr. Collins.

8 “Can You Die Of Happiness?”

Jane Bennet

Jane and Mr. Bingley are of the same temperament. They are both quiet, modest, and shy. They are very much in love with each other, but think the other not to be as interested in them as they are which leads to them being away from each other for a while. At one point, Elizabeth tells Mr. Darcy that Jane is shy and barely shares her feelings with anyone, not even with her own sister. When Mr. Darcy understands this, he sets out to make things right.

Mr. Bingley returns, and after an awkward moment at the start, he does propose and Jane accepts; both are ecstatic. Jane never reveals her emotions as clearly as Elizabeth does. It is only after the engagement that she makes it very clear to Elizabeth how happy she is now. It’s a very sweet moment to see such an excited Jane, who usually suppresses her emotions. When she says she will “die of happiness,” it shows that she has found true love and Elizabeth begins to see a future for herself as well.

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7 “Only The Deepest Love Will Persuade Me Into Matrimony, Which Is Why I Will End Up An Old Maid.”

Elizabeth Bennet

This is one of those moments when Elizabeth clarifies her position on marriage and love. She doesn’t denounce it but she makes it very clear that she will only marry for love. She realizes that this determination would most probably lead to her ending up as an old maid because she knows there is a huge possibility she wouldn’t fall in love so deeply with anyone around her. It is part of the “pride” in the story’s title, as Elizabeth is very prideful, keeping her from finding true happiness.

This causes her to look down on those around her, although she never realizes she does this – even when it is purposefully to Mr. Collins or in anger to Mr. Darcy. While Mr. Darcy shows his signs of prejudice, by judging others, Elizabeth also judges people, but only because she has so much pride and expects no less from those around her, no matter how hard it might be for them. However, she does find love by the end when she realizes her faults, and this quote shows part of that journey of discovery.

6 “When You Have Five Daughters, Lizzie, Tell Me What Else Will Occupy Your Thoughts.”

Mrs. Bennet

Elizabeth mocks Mrs. Bennet for her undying interest in matters of marriage. When Lydia runs away, Mrs. Bennet goes to bed because she can’t handle the news. But when she finds out that Lydia has been wed, Mrs. Bennet is immediately excited once again that her 15-year-old daughter has managed to get herself married. She thinks it is something congratulatory, and she is quickly back on her feet and ready to get moving on pushing her other daughters into marriage.

When she rushes down to meet Lydia and her new husband, Elizabeth mocks her for doing so but Mrs. Bennet is unapologetic. She has five daughters who will not inherit anything after their father’s death. So, of course, it is the only thing she is worried about. It seems Mrs. Bennet will marry her daughter to anyone no matter if there is love or not, but she has strong worries as a mother about their futures. She is doing it out of love as a mother, something Elizabeth never fully understands.

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