Quiz: do you know your Pride and Prejudice from your Bridget Jones's Diary?

On the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen's iconic novel, take our test to see if you can tell the 19th century prose from Bridget's one-liners

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Quiz: do you know your Pride and Prejudice from your Bridget Jones's Diary?
Written By
Susanna Lazarus

200 years ago today, Jane Austen's famous novel Pride and Prejudice was first published. Little did she know that 188 years later, she would inspire Renee Zelwegger's performance as the overweight, chain-smoking, big knicker-wearing comedy heroine Bridget Jones.

Now, 19th century prose is commonly known for its refined turn of phrase, articulate vocabulary and decorous tone. Not exactly the terms you might use to describe Zelwegger's expletive-ridden liaisons with Hugh Grant's floppy-haired Daniel Cleaver and Colin Firth's jumper-wearing, sideburn-touting Mark Darcy. 

But to celebrate Jane Austen's landmark anniversary, we have scoured both works to construct the Pride and Prejudice vs Bridget Jones quiz. Think you know your Mr Wickham from your Daniel Cleaver? Your Lizzie Bennet from your Bridget Jones? How about your Mr Darcy from your, er, Mr Darcy? Take our quiz to see if you can decipher whether the following quotes are the words of Jane Austen or inspired by Helen Fielding...

1. I could easily forgive his pride if he had not mortified mine.

2. Why are there so many unmarried women these days?

3. All women keep score. Only the great ones put it in writing.

4. I am the happiest creature in the world.

5. It is a truth universally acknowledged that when one part of your life starts going okay, another falls spectacularly to pieces.

6. At times like this, continuing with one's life seems impossible.

7. It has been coming on so gradually, that I hardly know when it began.

8. If I had the chance again I would not have had children.

9. I am the intellectual equal of everyone in this room.

10. I have been a selfish being all my life.

11. Obstinate, headstrong girl! I am ashamed of you!

12.Happiness in marriage is not entirely a matter of chance

13. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.

14.You tend to let whatever is in your head come out of your mouth without much consideration of the consequences.

15. I like you very much, just as you are.

16. One word from your will silence me on this subject forever.

17. I can see I've been labouring under a misapprehension.

18. I might as well enquire, why with so evident a design of offending and insulting me, you chose to tell me that you liked me against your will, against your reason, and even against your character?.

19. Up close, he was almost purple.

20. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you.

How did you score?

0-5: Disappointing indeed. If Mrs Bennet could see this her nerves would be positively fried by your poor performance. Take Mr Bennet's good advice and avoid her scolding by heading back to the drawing board.

6-10: Not bad, but we recommend buying some enormous panties, some bunny ears and a pot of Ben and Jerry's to improve your score next time around.

11-15: A decent effort, but to improve your total, why not spend one of these icy January evenings re-watching that Colin Firth scene. After all, it is research...

16-20: Excellent job. This calls for a celebratory dinner of blue soup, omelette, marmalade and green gunge à la Bridget.

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