Almost Shakespeare?

Tonight the Utah Shakespearean Festival put on a conference regarding their production of Pride and Prejudice which is playing this summer season down in Cedar City. There were a whole lot of women jammed into a conference room at the Salt Lake City Public Library—along with a smattering of men. The director, writer and the actor portraying Mr. Collins were there for us to, shall we say, harass?

Someone, I can't remember who it was, asked a good question. What about this story still appeals to us today?

First answer—Well duh, Mr. Darcy!
Second answer—Girl gets boy (along with money) and lives happily ever after.
Third answer—Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy and that scene at the lake . . .

Seriously though, I think most women feel like we're the underdogs in our own lives. I completely sympathize with any girl who feels inadequate, ugly, left out or imperfect. Elizabeth Bennet is one of the great heroins of literature (okay, that could be argued, but don't hate on her) and the reason I admire her is because I can relate. I'm still single. Due to my age, I think I'm now classified as a menace to society—or maybe that was just men, I can't recall. I also relate to being pretty down to earth as opposed to one of the silly sisters. Not that I have silly sisters, they're anything but. (Please don't hurt me girls.) Anyway, I get Elizabeth Bennet. Maybe not everything, but enough that I feel empathy for her, cringe with her and rejoice with her when she gets what she deserves!