Pride and Prejudice

The Bennets (who live in the Hertfordshire village of Longbourn):

Mr Bennet is the father of five daughters, but only really likes the eldest one, Elizabeth. His fortune is to pass to his cousin, the 25 year old William Collins, who is a clergyman in Kent.
Mrs Bennet, silly beyond belief, indulges her youngest two children, garrulous, main aim in life is to marry off her daughters asap
Jane 23, beautiful, believes the best of everyone, naive, marries Bingley
Elizabeth, lively, spirited, her father's favourite, rejects Darcy's first proposal of marriage, but gradually her intense dislike of D turns to love as he shows himself to be a kind and generous man, saving Lydia from ruin
Mary, bookish, plain, moralistic
Catherine (Kitty) 17, with Lydia only interested in officers and bonnets
Lydia 15/16 headstrong, selfish, very stupid, tallest of sisters, elopes with Wickham and eventually marries him

The Lucases (neighbours to the Bennets)

Sir William made money in trade in the town of Meryton
Lady Lucas
Charlotte 27, good friend of Elizabeth Bennet, marries William Collins on the rebound after his proposal of marriage to Elizabeth is rebuffed. She does not love him but is keen not to get left on the shelf, and wants a comfortable life
Maria

The Bingleys

Charles 23, a fortune of БТ4,000 to БТ5,000 a year, has recently moved from the north of England and rented the estate at Netherfield, diffident, good friend of Darcy
Louisa
Caroline is keen to marry Darcy, and thinks her chances of getting him will be improved if she can get her brother married to Darcy's sister; to this end, even though she likes Jane Bennet, she does her best to come between her and Bingley, urging him to leave Netherfield and live in London.
Mr Hurst, Bingley's brother-in-law, only likes food, drink and cards

The Darcy clan

Fitzwilliam Darcy, tall, handsome, rich (БТ10,000 a year), home is at Pemberley in Derbyshire, is the nephew of Lady Catherine de Bourgh; brother and co-guardian of Georgiana. He is shocked when EB rebuffs his first proposal of marriage, being convinced she would jump at the chance to marry him. The refusal hurts his pride but makes him see the error of his ways, and he becomes more humble (and human) as a result. Darcy felt his friend Bingley's love for Jane was unrequited and thus connived with Caroline Bingley in getting Bingley away from Netherfield.
Georgiana Darcy, more than ten years younger than her brother whom she respects even more than she admires; she very nearly eloped with Wickham aged 15, while on holiday in Ramsgate.
Lady Catherine de Bourgh, is a widow of great wealth. She is also Darcy's aunt, and lives at Rosings in Kent. She is the patroness of William Collins. She is very arrogant and is used to having her own way. She is hoping that Darcy will marry her only child Anne (who is sickly and looked after by Mrs Jenkinson). She is incensed when she hears of her nephew's plan to marry EB, and rushes to Longbourn to demand EB should promise she'll never wed Darcy. Inadvertently her intervention actually brings about the union she is determined to prevent, as she later calls on Darcy to demand he forget EB. What she tells him of her meeting with EB makes him realize EB might indeed care for him after all.

others

Mr Philips, the brother-in-law of Mrs Bennet's sister
Mr Gardiner, a brother of Mrs Bennet, sensible, gentlemanly, has a young wife, who gets on well with Elizabeth and Jane. They spend every Christmas at Longbourn. They live in Gracechurch St in London, where they invite Jane when she is pining for Bingley. After their intended trip to the Lakes is cancelled, the Gardiners travel with Elizabeth to Derbyshire where they show her the beauty of Pemberley (and where E fortuitously bumps into Darcy again).
Colonel Fitzwilliam, 30ish, cousin and friend of Darcy, co-guardian of Georgiana
George Wickham is a handsome young man with an easy way with women. At first he makes a favourable impression on EB, until she learns of his murky past from Darcy. He is the son of a former steward on the estate at Pemberley. Darcy's father liked Wickham senior very much, and promised to look after his son after his death. GW is a liar, a gambler, and a womaniser. He tried to ensnare Georgiana Darcy but was foiled only by a last minute intervention by Darcy. GW is a smooth operator and tricks Elizabeth into believing he has been badly treated by the dastardly Darcy. When he realizes he is not getting anywhere with EB, he turns his attention to Miss King who has БТ10,000 to her name. Later he elopes with Lydia Bennet never intending to marry her. Darcy tracks them down in London, and bribes him to marry her (and save the Bennet family honour) by paying off his debts and buying him a commission in the army. They are posted to Newcastle.
Mr Denny, a friend GW's, and a fellow officer.
Colonel Forster whose wife invites Lydia to join them in Brighton (where she falls in love with Wickham)

Notes on the text

The reading and rereading of letters in the book is analogous to our reading and rereading of P&P. Certain things escape our attention on first reading. We do not realise their full importance until later when we reread the book (or certain passages). This rereading is called retrospective reading.

Elizabeth Bennet is the central character; it is through her eyes that we see events develop. The point of view of the book is hers, but at certain key moments, we are not privy to all she sees. For example, when she sees Darcy meet Wickham unexpectedly in the street, she tells us that one of the men went bright red in the face, while the other went white. She does not tell us whose face went red and whose white. It is not until later when we have read more of the story that we can guess who went which colour. Also, we see some things she doesn't: e.g. the look of joy in Darcy's eyes when he realises that EB loves him. She keeps her gaze fixed down out of modesty, so only hears the happy tone of his voice. In addition, we see (i.e. realise) that Darcy's constant attention to EB is because he loves her, while to EB herself his frequent visits are baffling. We the readers see how their relationship (and with it the book) will end (in marriage) as that is how all Jane Austen's novels end! The enjoyment comes from the process by which that is achieved. It is like a detective story: we know the sleuth will solve the crime and get the baddie, but we are kept on tenterhooks thoroughout until the climax scene. (cf Virginia Woolf writing on Austen: "tenterhooks of tension"?).

EB is effectively the 'father' of her family; it is she who looks after their best interests and ensures their reputation is not sullied. Her father is a lazy, cynical and irresponsible man who does not stir himself from his study. He is selfish and is very nearly made to pay dearly for his lack of interest in his daughters' wellbeing (he fears he will have to pay back the large sum of money given to Wickham to bribe him to marry Lydia).

EB's mother is equally irresponsible and selfish, which begs the question: how did two such useless parents manage to bring up such fine children as EB and Jane?