The Lizzie Bennet Diaries Analysis

Pathos in The Lizzie Bennet Diaries: Telling a Classic Tale Through Modern Media

The works of Jane Austen have a long history of being readapted for modern pop culture consumption. The 1995 movie Clueless sets the plot of Austen’s Emma in a Beverly Hills high school, while Bridget Jones’s Diary, both a book and movie series, brings the love triangle of Pride and Prejudice to present-day London. In 2012, a new medium for adaptation was added to the list when the web series The Lizzie Bennet Diaries, a retelling of Pride and Prejudice, began airing on YouTube. By the use of pathos conveyed through images, texts and sounds, the series successfully captures the attention of previous Jane Austen fans and introduces a new audience to the timeless

Jane and Lizzie have recently returned from Bing Lee’s house, where they were staying while their house was being remodeled. During that time, Jane and Bing began a serious relationship, while Lizzie grew to detest the egotistic Darcy. She instead starts seeing George Wickham, a swimmer who is revealed to have had a past with Darcy. This episode is the first time Wickham appears on screen. He reveals that he and Darcy grew up together and are no longer on good terms. He does not want to talk about the subject directly, but agrees to fill Lizzie in hypothetically, using the fake names “Darvid” for Darcy and “Batman” for George. He goes on to tell the viewers that “Darvid’s” father had promised to pay for “Batman” to go to college, but when the time came, “Darvid” refused to give him the money. This reinforces any doubts Lizzie has about Darcy and gives her reason to continue looking upon him

After not leaving her room for several days, she comes out in, to the surprise of Lizzie, a happy and pleasant mood. She asks to do costume theater to reenact Lizzie’s recent dispute with George, and Lizzie reluctantly agrees. While acting as Lizzie getting mad at George, Jane finds herself instead talking about Bing and begins to break down. Lizzie, assuming that this move must be Darcy’s doing, encourages her to go talk to Lee, and Jane eventually decides to take a job in LA with the hopes of rekindling their relationship in the