Elizabeth Bennet, the second eldest of five daughters whom Mrs Bennett is anxious to dispose of in marriage, is the most intelligent and delightful of all Jane Austen&s heroines. Her vitality, vivacity and wit, her hasty dismissal of superior Mr Darcy the most disagreeable man in the world& how he improves his manners and she changes her mind, are the central ingredients of Pride and Prejudice. It is Jane Austen&s best-loved novel and through the depth and sparkle of its comedy we are encouraged to consider what balance of energy and order, playfulness and regulation constitutes real strength of character.