The Voice of Lydia Bennet
A Modern Retelling of Jane Austen’s “Pride & Prejudice”
Within the last couple of decades, Jane Austen’s Pride & Prejudice has been developed and adapted into various films, television series, and even spin-off novels. Each and every one has attempted to portray the beloved classic in the most accurate way as possible. Of course, like with any two hour film or hour to half an hour TV episode, the likelihood of bringing the Bennet family to life within a 100% accuracy is difficult. Producers, directors, and screen writers have had to stick to these boundaries as well as putting their own creative spin and interpretation on the characters. However, there has never been a more creative and unique outlook to the love story of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy as that of YouTube’s vlog series “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries.”
In 2012, Hank Green and Bernie Su produced “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries” as a modernized vlog retelling the story. The vlog follows Lizzie Bennet who is a college student working on her Master’s degree in Mass Communication, her older sister Jane, a fashion designer and her younger sister Lydia, who attends community college. The YouTube episodes reiterates the lessons of pride and prejudice. It also highlights the understanding that young women today do not need marriage as means of happiness or financial security and put emphasis on the bond between sisters and the importance of family. This portrayal brings a new and fresh outlook as a modern retelling of the novel. But it also provides something that previous adaptations did not; an inside look to Lydia Bennet’s perspective. It gives Lydia a voice.
Lydia Bennet was the character that everyone loved to hate, and never hated to love. She is the youngest Bennet sister who is considered silly and irresponsible. In the novel she was considered Mrs. Bennet’s favorite child. She spent her time flirting and worrying about marrying an officer. Due to her parents never keeping her in check and indulging her frivolousness, Lydia ran away from home to elope with the despicable George Wickham.
Because of “The Lizzie Bennet Diaries” and the subsequent spin-off “Lydia Bennet Videos”, Lydia is seen as so much more complex than a silly little girl. She is young woman who faces the judgements of her family and society. Throughout the series, Lydia is criticized by her sister and her mother. In the second episode Lizzie calls Lydia a “stupid, whorey slut” (“My Sisters”). Later on, in Lydia’s own videos (“Runaway”) she quotes her mother by calling herself “selfish and irresponsible” and adds, “Nothing new there.”
Lydia’s vlogs document the changes in her demeanor from the flighty and energetic young girl to a needy, subdued, and depressed shell of herself as she breaks under the abuse and manipulation of Wickham. In her need to feel acceptance and love from Wickham, she agrees to record a sex tape with him. He later attempts to sell the tape online, but is thwarted by Mr. Darcy.
This modern retelling gives viewers a new outlook on Lydia’s side of the story. By making her the victim of abuse and manipulation, viewers realize that Lydia is like anyone else on this earth. Human. She made mistakes. She also learned from those mistakes. By giving her a voice, viewers can understand how easy it is to be influenced by the opinions of those around you. And how even the simplest of negativity thrown a young woman’s way can drastically alter how she sees herself. The vlog brings insight and awareness to how abuse can affect the actions and lives its victims.
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