Elizabeth Bennet, the heroine of the story, is the daughter of a comfortable, but not wealthy, gentleman with a small estate. Elizabeth has four sisters, and because the family has no son, the estate will pass to a male cousin upon Mr. Bennet's death. What this means for the Bennet daughters is that there will be little or no property or dowry to give them upon their marriages, which may affect their ability to find suitable husbands. Their mother is determined to marry them off, and her schemes alternately amuse and embarrass her family.

Fitzwilliam Darcy, a gentleman of large estate and great wealth, visits the village where the Bennets reside and meets Elizabeth at a ball. Elizabeth and Darcy take an immediate dislike to each other, but his first impression changes rapidly and he soon falls in love with her. Elizabeth, however, arrogantly retains her unfair prejudice against Darcy, and it is only when she learns some very important lessons about herself that she is able to see the goodness that lies beneath his proud exterior.