Pride and Prejudice : Lost in Translation
Compressing a wonderfully written classic novel into a two-act drama is always a major challenge. As it is virtually impossible to present a similar depth of character or intricacy of storyline, an adaptor is forced to make choices on what to omit.
In her adaptation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, Janet Munsil has chosen to concentrate on the story of the rocky romance between Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy. Admittedly, this is the central theme of Austen’s rich novel, but it is only one aspect of her picture of the social scene in 19th century England. For example, when Lydia, the youngest of the Bennetts’ five daughters, returns after her elopement, she pushes ahead of her sisters to point out that, as a married woman, she takes precedence over the unmarried four. This key scene has vanished from Munsil’s episodic adaptation, although she retains Lady Catherine de Bourgh’s shock that all five daughters are “out” in society at once. The two, to my mind, belong together and are much more effective if both are included.