Pride and Prejudice is a romantic novel by Jane Austen, published anonymously in three volumes in 1813. The story is set in rural England at the turn of the 19th century and follows the Bennet family, which includes five very different sisters. The novel centers on the relationship between Elizabeth Bennet, the intelligent and high-spirited heroine, and Fitzwilliam Darcy, a rich aristocratic landowner. The two must overcome their own pride and prejudices to come to accept each others goodness of character and fall in love. The novel is a classic of English literature, written with incisive wit and superb character delineation. Upon publication, it was well received by critics and readers, and the first edition sold out within the first year.