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乡绅班纳特有五个待字闺中的千金，班纳特太太整天操心的事情就是怎样为女儿物色称心如意的丈夫。
新来的邻居彬格莱（Charles）是个生活富足的单身小伙子，他立即成了班纳特太太钦定的目标。在一次舞会上，彬格莱对班纳特家的大女儿简（Jane）一见钟情，班纳特太太为此欣喜若狂。
参加舞会的还有彬格莱的好友达西（Darcy）。他仪表堂堂，非常富有，赢得了许多漂亮姑娘的芳心；可他偏偏生了一副高傲的性子，认为她们都不配做他的舞伴，也包括简的妹妹伊丽莎白（Elizabeth）。伊丽莎白自尊心很强，决定不去理睬这个傲慢的家伙。也许是注定的缘分，不久后，达西对她活泼可爱的举止产生了好感，在另一次舞会上主动邀请她跳舞，可是个性十足的伊丽莎白拒绝了他，达西狼狈不堪。
彬格莱的妹妹卡罗琳（Caroline）一心追求达西，可是她发现达西钟情于伊丽莎白，嫉妒让这个可怜的女孩儿失去了理智，她决意从中阻挠。而遭到伊丽莎白冷遇的达西也鄙视班纳特太太及其小女儿丽迪亚（Lydia）没有教养。在妹妹和好友达西的劝说下，彬格莱不辞而别，去了伦敦，但简对他还是一片深情。
因为班纳特没有儿子，他的家产将由远亲柯林斯（Collins）继承。柯林斯粗鄙无知，可他善于趋炎附势，居然当上了牧师。他向伊丽莎白求婚，遭拒绝后就与她的密友夏洛特（Charlotte）结婚了。
附近小镇的民团联队里有个英俊潇洒的青年军官威肯（Wickham），人人都夸他，伊丽莎白也对他产生了好感。一天，他对伊丽莎白说，他父亲是达西家的总管，达西的父亲曾给他一大笔遗赠，却被达西独吞了。伊丽莎白并不知道威肯在说谎，因为这件事，她对达西更加反感。
柯林斯夫妇请伊丽莎白去他们家作客，伊丽莎白在那里遇到达西的姨妈凯瑟琳（Catherine）·伯德夫人，并且被邀去她的路馨山庄做客。不久，她又见到了来那里过复活节的达西。达西无法抑制自己对伊丽莎白的爱慕之情，向她求婚，可是他的态度还是那么傲慢。先前的误会没有消除，伊丽莎白对他仍有偏见，便坚决地谢绝了他的求婚。受到打击的达西痛苦地离开了她，临走前留下一封长信作了解释：他承认彬格莱不辞而别是他促使的，原因是他不满班纳特太太的轻浮和鄙俗，并且认为简并没有钟情于彬格莱；威肯说的却全是谎言，事实是威肯自己把那笔遗产挥霍殆尽，还企图勾引达西的妹妹乔治娅娜私奔。伊丽莎白读信后十分后悔，既对错怪达西感到内疚，又为母亲的行为羞愧。她逐渐改变了对达西的看法。
第二年夏天，伊丽莎白随舅父舅母来到达西的庄园，与他再次相遇。她发现达西变了，不仅对人彬彬有礼，在当地很受人们尊敬，而且对他妹妹乔治娅娜非常爱护。她对他的偏见消除了。正当其时，伊丽莎白接到家信，说小妹丽迪娅随身负累累赌债的威肯私奔了。这种家丑使伊丽莎白非常难堪，以为达西会更瞧不起自己。但事实出乎她的意料，达西得知这个消息以后，不仅替威肯还清赌债，还给了他一笔巨款，让他与丽迪娅完婚。自此以后，伊丽莎白往日对达西的种种偏见统统化为真诚之爱。彬格莱和简经过一番周折后终于重修旧好，一对情人沉浸在欢乐之中。而一心想让自己的女儿安妮（Annie）嫁给达西的凯瑟琳·伯德夫人匆匆赶来，蛮横地要伊丽莎白保证不与达西结婚。伊丽莎白对这一无理要求断然拒绝。此事传到达西耳中。他知道伊丽莎白已经改变了对自己的看法，诚恳地再次向她求婚。最后，一对曾因傲慢和偏见而延搁婚事的有情人终成眷属。
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.
However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrounding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters.
“My dear Mr.Bennet,” said his lady to him one day, “have you heard that Netherfield Park is let at last?”
Mr.Bennet replied that he had not.
“But it is,” returned she; “for Mrs.Long has just been here, and she told me all about it.”
Mr.Bennet made no answer.
“Do you not want to know who has taken it?” cried his wife impatiently.
“You want to tell me, and I have no objection to hearing it.”
This was invitation enough.
“Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs.Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place, and was so much delighted with it, that he agreed with Mr.Morris immediately; that he is to take possession before Michaelmas, and some of his servants are to be in the house by the end of next week.”
“What is his name?”
“Bingley.”
“Is he married or single?”
“Oh! Single, my dear, to be sure! A single man of large fortune; four or five thousand a year.What a fine thing for our girls!”
“How so? How can it affect them?”
“My dear Mr.Bennet,” replied his wife, “how can you be so tiresome! You must know that I am thinking of his marrying one of them.”
“Is that his design in settling here?”
“Design! Nonsense, how can you talk so! But it is very likely that he may fall in love with one of them, and therefore you must visit him as soon as he comes.”
“I see no occasion for that.You and the girls may go, or you may send them by themselves, which perhaps will be still better, for as you are as handsome as any of them, Mr.Bingley may like you the best of the party.”
“My dear, you flatter me.I certainly have had my share of beauty, but I do not pretend to be anything extraordinary now.When a woman has five grown-up daughters, she ought to give over thinking of her own beauty.”
“In such cases, a woman has not often much beauty to think of.”
“But, my dear, you must indeed go and see Mr.Bingley when he comes into the neighbourhood.”
“It is more than I engage for, I assure you.”
“But consider your daughters.Only think what an establishment it would be for one of them.Sir William and Lady Lucas are determined to go, merely on that account, for in general, you know, they visit no newcomers.Indeed you must go, for it will be impossible for us to visit him if you do not.”
“You are over-scrupulous, surely.I dare say Mr.Bingley will be very glad to see you; and I will send a few lines by you to assure him of my hearty consent to his marrying whichever he chooses of the girls; though I must throw in a good word for my little Lizzy.”
“I desire you will do no such thing.Lizzy is not a bit better than the others; and I am sure she is not half so handsome as Jane, nor half so good-humoured as Lydia.But you are always giving her the preference.”
“They have none of them much to recommend them,” replied he; “they are all silly and ignorant like other girls; but Lizzy has something more of quickness than her sisters.”
“Mr.Bennet, how can you abuse your own children in such a way? You take delight in vexing me.You have no compassion for my poor nerves.”
“You mistake me, my dear.I have a high respect for your nerves.They are my old friends.I have heard you mention them with consideration these last twenty years at least.”
“Ah, you do not know what I suffer.”
“But I hope you will get over it, and live to see many young men of four thousand a year come into the neighbourhood.”
“It will be no use to us, if twenty such should come, since you will not visit them.”
“Depend upon it, my dear, that when there are twenty, I will visit them all.”
Mr.Bennet was so odd a mixture of quick parts, sarcastic humour, reserve, and caprice, that the experience of three-and-twenty years had been insufficient to make his wife understand his character.Her mind was less difficult to develop.She was a woman of mean understanding, little information, and uncertain temper.When she was discontented, she fancied herself nervous.The business of her life was to get her daughters married; its solace was visiting and news.