Pride & Prejudice

Mr. Bennet has five daughters, but his property can only be passed onto male heirs (because it is entailed). In order for one of the daughters to support the family, she would have to get married (because of the way the entailment worked, the husband would then have to adopt the surname of his father-in-law). This sets the stage for the novel, which deals with themes such as marrying for love and not wealth or prestige and the role of wealth and class in her society.

Over the years, Pride and Prejudice has become one of the most revered, talked about, and adapted books ever. Like many of her other works, it has been tapped for film adaptations multiple times and has set the stage for hundreds of literary adaptations. It is one of the best examples of what the public domain allows for – unlimited creativity in any number of mediums.