In Jane Austen’s time, society did not have any telephones, in order to communicate with their families. The only way they could communicate with their family and friends, who lived far away, was by writing letters, and by receiving them. In both Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice and the 2005 Joe Wright film adaptation of the novel, there is some similar and different emphasis of the intimacy of letters. The letters, which may be seen in both the novel, as well as the movie adaptation, help not only the characters to relate news, but also help the plot move forward. The letters that we see in both the novel and the film adaptation, we can see what type person are writing the letters.
During the course of the novel, as well as the film adaptation, several letters go around among the characters. It could be said that quite a few of these letters do not bring warm or good news. Several actually bring bad, or disappointing, news to the person to whom the letter is being addressed and, at times, to people close to the receiver.
The first letter is the letter that Jane receives, which is sent by Caroline Bingley, inviting her to dine with her. It is a brief and straightforward letter. In the novel, we know exactly what is written in the letter, written by Miss Bingley. It is fairly straight forward, and the reader may know exactly what is said in the letter. However, in the 2005 Joe Wright film adaptation, Jane only summarizes the letter, in her own words.
There are also a couple of things missing from the film adaptation. For instance, in the novel, Caroline writes that Jane is invited to dine with Louisa and her. In the film, Jane is only invited to dine with Caroline. There is absolutely no mention of Louisa or Mr. Hurst, in the entire Joe Wright film adaptation. The second difference is that, in the novel, Caroline gives the reason why her brother won’t be dining with them. But in the film, Jane doesn’t mention the reason, if it was written in the letter.
Whether the letter from the novel, or from the film adaptation, this letter reveals some sense of willingness to get to know Jane on Miss Bingley’s part. The reader and the audience may get a sense of warmth and kindness, in this letter. It doesn’t appear hostile in any way, which we soon find out to be in Caroline’s nature, at times. It is quite the opposite, as a matter of fact.
The second letter, which the reader and audience may see, is the one that Elizabeth receives from her elder sister, who has fallen sick. In the novel, Jane Austen gives us a sample of the letter, and what is said. However, in the film adaptation, the audience does not know everything that Jane writes in the letter to her sister. All that we know is that Jane has a headache and a sore throat, but this is not mentioned in the novel. Jane Austen only tells us that Jane is unwell. Yet, we still get the same sense of intimacy between the two sisters.
Then, although we don’t know what is written, the reader and audience are aware of Mr. Darcy, writing a letter to his sister, Georgiana, in Volume 1, Chapter 10. We can imagine that there will be a large amount of intimacy between Darcy and his sister, as he is her gardian, and the only close family that she has, with the exception of the De Bourgh. Although it is not known until later, the audience and reader may gather that Darcy and his sister are close, which is why we may assume that there may be a large amount of intimacy in this letter. In both the novel, and the Joe Wright film adaptation, this letter is given the same amount of attention, and it is brought up the same person. It is Caroline Bingley, who brings up the subject.
There is also the letter from William Collins, which Mr. Bennet receives, informing the Bennets of his arrival. In Jane Austen’s novel, the reader gets the entire letter, and may get a sense of what type of man Mr. Collins is. However, in the film adaptation, Joe Wright decided not to let the audience know what is written in the letter. The audience discovers that the Bennets are about to have a guest, and then, we’re left to assume that the man we see in the following shot is the man, who sent the letter. It is a very interesting letter to read.
Two of the other letters, which are the most interesting and important ones of the novel, are the letter addressed to Elizabeth from Mr. Darcy, explaining his actions, after proposing, and the letter to Elizabeth from Jane, informing her of Lydia’s elopment. These two letters are really the most important, in the sense that these letters put things into the course that the story is meant to take.
The first letter, the one from Mr. Darcy, explains his motives for separating Jane from Mr. Bingley, as well as his behavior towards George Wickham. In the novel, in the letter, Austen writes, “You must, therefore, pardon the freedom with which I demand your attention; your feelings, I know, will bestow it unwillingly, but I demand it of your justice. Two offences of a very different nature, and by no means of equal magnitude, you last night laid at my charge.” (216) This is the way that Darcy explains the reason why he is writing a letter, in the novel. Although Darcy the 2005 film adaptation doesn’t use the exact same words as in the novel, this letter gives out the same intention.
In the Joe Wright film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, the audience doesn’t hear as much of the letter, as the reader may, from the novel. However, the letter in both the novel and the film adaptation has the same tone. Both letters have a sense of guilt, which is done with civility, much like all the other letters. However, it has a different tone, because it isn’t from sister to sister, or friend to friend. It is from two people, who aren’t on the best of terms, but with this letter, one of them, Darcy, is trying to make things better with the other, with Elizabeth Bennet. One can feel that there is some sort of barrier between these two characters. It can be felt much before this point, but this letter can certainly reinforce this theory.
The second important letters to Pride and Prejudice is the two letters, from Jane, informing Elizabeth of Lydia’s elopment. These two letters inform Elizabeth of what has been going on, within the Bennet family, which is what letters were used for, in those days. There is still some sense of intimacy that two sisters, like Jane and Elizabeth, would have, but there is also a sense of distress in the tone of Jane’s writing, as she has disturbing news to tell her younger sister, about their yougest sister.
These two last letters allow the story to set into place. If it weren’t for these letters, it is difficult to imagine how the story may have played itself out. Perhaps the story would have ended the same way, but the course would have played out differently. It is difficult to know exactly. Each letter is important, but it isn’t like these three letters to Elizabeth, the one from Mr. Darcy, and the two from her sister, Jane.
These letters are both seen in the film adaptation. The audience can get a general feeling of the letter from Mr. Darcy. We don’t get the entire letter or the exact letter, as we do with the novel, but we get the important aspects of it, which is what we expect, as an audience. In a film adaptation, or a play adaptation, there can’t be every aspect of the novel in the adaptation. There is simply too much information.
In Jane’s letter to her sister, in the Joe Wright film adaptation, we simply have Elizabeth, played by Keira Knightley, summarizing what the letters say. It is very briefly mentioned and described by the characters in the movie. We don’t get the same feel of the letter as Jane Austen gives us in her novel. These aspects are somewhat to be expected, as film adaptations only want to give the audience the important aspects, the general feel of the novel.
Had it not been for all the letters through the novel, it may not have the same feel as it does with all these letters. As readers in today’s society, we have to remember that letters were the only way of communication with people, who live a long distance away from them. It’s not like today, where we can pick up the receiver, dial a phone number, and talk to someone, who lives two cities down, or five kilometers away from us. It serves the same purpose of communicating with a loved one, but it doesn’t have the same personalization. Letters are a one-way communication, and telephone is a two-way communication.
In the letters in the novel, as well with the few letters from the Joe Wright adaptation, the readers and the audience may get a feel for the intimacy of the receiver and the writer of the letters. The letter will be a lot more personal between two close sisters, than with two people who don’t really know each other, very well.

Bibliography
Austen, Jane. Pride and Prejudice. Ed. Robert Irvine. Broadview Literary Text, 2002.
Pride and Prejudice. Dir. Joe Wright. 2005.