The Evolution of Pride and Prejudice through Digitization

The Evolution of Pride and Prejudice

I chose this topic because the story Pride and Prejudice has existed long before the internet, and so it is easy see the many changes it has undergone. In fact, one could say that digitization is what has allowed it to survive for so long as one of the most popular romance stories today. The "thesis" of my site could be that without digitization, Pride and Prejudice would not have the same appeal to us. In fact, it would probably not even be popular. Why? Without digitization, we wouldn't have all of the movies which are so much easier to follow than the book in today's world, nor would we have the modernized versions of the story that pull in even more fans.

Here are some possibilities for the pages that I have come up with:

1. The Home/Introductory/Welcome Page

An introduction to the topic. Explains what the site is about and has a few catchy images that would somehow show the evolution that Pride and Prejudice has undergone over time, especially since digitization.

2. How it began 

 
It began a novel, 
and then ...


Stages of Evolution: 

Read aloud in homes. Made into a six-hour-long movie. Made into shorter, modernized movies whether set in Jane Austen's time period or in modern society. Made into a YouTube series where the videos are much shorter.

  

3. The Simplification of Language

With all of these changes from paper to digitization, the language of Pride and Prejudice has changed greatly. One of key reasons why Pride and Prejudice is so popular today is because avid Pride and Prejudice fans who could understand the complex dialogue and subtle humor of the book wanted to share it with everyone else so that they could also enjoy it, but in simple language that they could understand (and, lets face it, the more people you can reach, the more money you will make). People have translated the complicated, "old" language from the book with its enormous vocabulary into language that most people will understand today. The modernized films and YouTube segments have especially helped people to more fully grasp the concepts in the story, but many modernized books and even graphic novels have also been written, making it even easier for modern women to relate the themes in the story to their own lives. (The authors of modern adaptations practically do it for them.)

4. Time

Another change that has made P&P more accessible is the time required to read, view, or enjoy it. Before, people had to read the whole book in all its complexity. Later, they could watch a six-hour-long movie. Now, people can watch much shorter movies and even YouTube segments 2-5 minutes long. This change reflects how much society has changed. Either people have much less "free time" to read books, or their attention spans have greatly shortened, which is one of the possible effects of digitization and the internet. It is likely that it is both. Whatever the case may be, however, it is clear that shorter time=greater accessibility to everyone, which has contributed to the popularity of Pride and Prejudice. Had it never been digitized and stayed a book, much fewer people would be familiar with the story. (Probably chiefly English Lit majors, and those are disappearing as it is.)

5. Mr. Darcy:  How His Name Has Become a Title for "The Perfect Man." 

I have dozens of memes to prove it. But all joking aside, the digitization of Pride and Prejudice has allowed Mr. Darcy's supposed "Perfect Man-ness" to evolve from what it was considered to be in Jane Austen's time to what it has become now. I will have to do some further studying on what the consensus on Mr. Darcy back in Jane Austen's day was. He may not have even been seen as a "perfect man." After all, the book reveals that he has many flaws along with his strengths. Nowadays, the name "Mr. Darcy" is a term widely used to refer to an ideal man, but how has that happened over time? I'll show in this page that  digitization is to blame.

6. Pride and Prejudice Mashups

The melding of Pride and Prejudice characters, plot-lines, and themes with other stories and genres has also added to its popularity, and it has allowed the fans of P&P to keep the spirit of the story alive. They no longer have to be mere readers or viewers of the story--now they can be participants in the story that they cherish so much. This has also contributed to the evolution of Pride and Prejudice, introducing new ways to look at the characters, themes, and story-line. Although people aren't able to contact Jane Austen online, fans can communicate with other fans through the internet and continue to explore new elements in their favorite classic novel. Fans using their creativity to portray the characters of Pride and Prejudice in various different mediums also contributes to the overall popularity of P&P.

(it would be wise to show a Pinterest board full of P&P here, in addition to the following images.)