Cut From the Classics brings your favorite novels to life as never before. Each week we present a profile of a character who originally appeared in the first draft of a major work of fiction, but was subsequently cut from the final draft. This insight into each author’s process brings a fuller, richer sense of their body of work.
Book: Pride and Prejudice
Author: Jane Austen
Publication Date: 1813
Character: Sarah Pebbletush
Pride and Prejudice holds a unique place of distinction in the literary world. Not only has it sold over 20 million copies since its original date of publication, but it continues to be enjoyed by recalcitrant schoolchildren and fiction-adoring readers alike. This work of romantic and social satire was written by Jane Austen, a clergyman’s daughter with a keen insight into the romantic goings-on of English society.
The novel follows the Bennets, a family of modest means living in a fictional Hertfordshire town near London. They are comprised of a put-upon, emotionally absent father, an overbearing, vulgar mother obsessed with making good marital matches for her five daughters, Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Lydia, and Kitty.
We see the Bennet’s world through the eyes of the intelligent, vaguely jaded, and sardonic protagonist, Elizabeth. Through Eliza (as she is called by her intimates) we learn of the novel’s inciting incident: the arrival of a wealthy bachelor neighbor, Mr. Bingley, who takes up residence in the nearby stately home of Netherfield Park.
Mrs. Bennet does her best to marry off one of her daughters to the gentleman in question, a plan that sets into action a series of romantic upheavals. Her eldest, Jane, falls in love with Mr. Bingley, but her mother’s boorish behavior nearly spoils their happiness. Elizabeth’s pride is hurt by Mr. Darcy, the standoffish friend of Mr. Bingley, which prevents her from realizing what a good match the two of them would make. The youngest daughter, Lydia, brings scandal to the family name after eloping with Darcy’s enemy, Mr. Wickham.
In a testament to its popularity, Pride and Prejudice (Indiebound) has spawned various television and cinematic adaptations, including a 1996 BBC miniseries that introduced Colin Firth to an American audience and Helen Fielding’s popular modern adaptation Bridget Jones’s Diary (Indiebound), which reintroduced Colin Firth, just in case anyone had forgotten.1
But there is another aspect of the novel unknown to all but the most dedicated Austen scholars. In the book’s preliminary drafts, Austen included a tertiary character who acted as another barrier between Elizabeth and Darcy. This character–Sarah Pebbletush–has been identified by culture theorists and critics as the first iteration of the popular romantic comedy trope, “the unnoticed best friend.”2
The heiress to a considerable fortune acquired by her father, the inventor and manufacturer of “Pebbletush Spittoons,” what Sarah lacked in grace and form, she made up for in ribald humor and a good heart.3 Described by Elizabeth as “dark, and filling her poor corsets near to bursting, with matchstick-end eyes and a laugh like the cock at dawn,” Sarah was not a beauty. Elizabeth’s uncharitable description goes on for three pages of shockingly cruel prose, which stands in stark opposition to the tone of the heroine later readers would come to know and love.
Pebbletush’s first appearance in the novel takes place during the infamous party scene at Netherfield. To celebrate his move into the neighborhood, Bingley throws a gathering for the locals, with punch and dancing. It is at this meeting that Darcy slights Elizabeth, beginning their romantic misunderstanding. However, in the original draft, Sarah also attended the party, serving as Darcy’s “amie d’ailier”4, cajoling him into better spirits by wearing the crystal punch bowl as a hat.
When Sarah catches Darcy moping, she does her best to encourage him to dance with “one of the many excellently turned out ladies here.” Darcy takes umbrage at this and uses his ire as an excuse to insult Elizabeth. Originally, Sarah’s suggestion that he take “someone” to the dance floor was meant to underscore the shopping trip Sarah had taken the day previously to buy dancing slippers in a bid to capture Darcy’s attention.5
It is believed that Austen excised Pebbletush for fear that her stolid, faithful nature and kind heart might misdirect the reader’s sympathies from Elizabeth. In the first draft, it is not Darcy who fetches Lydia and Wickham from obscurity, but Sarah. She makes the journey knowing how Darcy hates to “do things” and wishing to spare him pain.6 So terrified that her affections will not be returned, Sarah quickly marries an aged Hungarian count, when Mrs. Bennet loudly announces her suspicions of Sarah’s intentions. The count immediately dies of pleurisy. Scholars who have read the first draft of Darcy’s marriage proposal to Elizabeth, where Sarah stands at his side to tell jokes to lighten the mood, consider it one of the most tragic scenes in 19th-century fiction.7
Austen herself seems to have been at a bit of a loss as to how her creation would be best utilized in the novel. There are stand-alone fragments of text that indicate she struggled to find a place for Sarah for some time. An abandoned sequence titled “Wherein Sarah Makes Eliza More Beguiling” details in a surprisingly modern fashion Sarah’s attempts to “amend the countenance” of the practical Elizabeth in order to make her more alluring to Darcy, familiar to contemporary readers as the “makeover montage.”
Further fragments whose sole purpose seem to be finding a place for Sarah in the story are even more confusing. The most tantalizing includes a chapter where Sarah and Bingley fall in love, only for the normally placid Jane to drown Sarah in a bowl of cooled salmon broth during a picnic lecture at Pemberley.8 This segment is not shocking to readers alone. Tellingly, the fragment in question features more editorial notes than any other, including “???” in Austen’s own hand several times in the margin.
Ultimately, rather than pull focus from the protagonist, or drive a secondary character to murder, Austen removed Sarah entirely from the text. In her place, she added the more obviously villainous Caroline Bingley. who is eager both to encourage her brother to direct his romantic attentions anywhere but on Jane, and to procure Darcy’s heart–and fortune–for herself.
While Sarah Pebbletush does not grace the pages of one of England’s great romantic novels, there is little doubt that her existence alone serves to demonstrate Austen’s evolution as a writer of satire. One might go so far as to say that the term “chick lit” and “let’s go shopping” themselves owe a debt of gratitude to Ms. Pebbletush.
- Lesser-known adaptations include the children’s picture book Nobody Likes Mary: Mary, Enough, Jennifer Parker Domes, Pint-Sized Puffin Press, 1983. ↩
- I’ll Be There For You: Friendship from Falstaff to Friends, Derek Lemur Lions, Dakota Bookery Press, 2009. ↩
- There is a critical argument that this character was based on a friend of Austen’s, chamberpot heiress Lady Maria Stoneybottom of Small Handfoot, Hampshire. ↩
- Literal translation: “a friend of the wing.” ↩
- “‘I shall have the grey,’ cried Sarah to the attendant. ‘Grey is Darcy’s favorite color.’ Whether or not this was true, no one can say, as Sarah was quite color-blind.” Pride and Prejudice, Draft 1, pg. 37, Jane Austen, 1812. ↩
- “History’s Hipsters,” Lon MacVie, Urbanologie Press, 2011. ↩
- “You Had Me At Good Morrow: Tearjerkers from Austen to Ephron–How Do You Like Me Now, Derek?’’ Vanessa Lemur Lions, Self-published, 2012. ↩
- “Histrionics, Hijinks, and How They Dined,” Helen Poulet, Eatery Today, Issue VIXV, 1998. ↩
Tags: books, cut from the classics, literature, nothing takes the taste out of peanut butter quite like unrequited love, pride and prejudice, rebecca jane stokes, satire
GET IN, LOSER, WE’RE GOING SHOPPING
“Nobody Likes Mary: Mary, Hush” gets me every time. Also, it might as well be said that for the first three drafts of this series, I did not realize it was satire.
At first I figured that the name “Pebbletush” had to be made up, and then I was CONVINCED OTHERWISE. Two re-reads later (and after a glance at Rebecca’s byline) I realized what I was reading. It’s amazing.
It was Jane drowning someone in salmon broth that did it for me. Jane would never. So uncouth.
Gently smothered with a crusty loaf or nothing.
It was the Stoneybottom/Pubbletush footnote that had me going, “Hey wait…”
I am so ashamed that I had to click to the comments to figure out whether or not this was satire. I felt like it was, but then I was confused because it was so perfect. <3 u toastie.
“Scholars who have read the first draft of Darcy’s marriage proposal to Elizabeth, where Sarah stands at his side to tell jokes to lighten the mood, is among one of the most tragic scenes in 19th-century fiction.” <– Is there a word or two missing in this line? I’ve read it several times & I’m still not sure it makes sense.
Yes, there is. Fixed; thanks!
Oh, good! I thought I was losing my mind there for a minute ;).
I really enjoyed reading this fascinating backstory! I am a huge fan of Austen, especially P&P, but I had never heard about Sarah Pebbletush (her last name is so ridiculous, I can’t even process it). It certainly puts the book in a new light. I can’t help but be glad that she got cut from the final draft. I don’t think the story would be as cohesive or as memorable.
THANK GOD IT WASN’T JUST ME
It took reading the comments for me to get it. You guys are too highbrow for me!
For a bit I was asking myself: Real or fake? Real or Fake? Then I read this line from the end notes: “There is a critical argument that this character was based on a friend of Austen’s, chamberpot heiress Lady Maria Stoneybottom of Small Handfoot, Hampshire.” And was decided “That sounds true! REAL!” But clearly that was not the correct decision.
THIS IS GOING TO BE GREAT! I LOVE THIS SERIES ALREADY!
I was an English major and then taught English and the only reason I figured out it was satire on first reading was the lack of sources to point toward Miss Pebbletush’s existence. YOU ARE NOT ALONE (insert awkward middle school style slowdancing here) I AM HERE FOR YOU…
You guys. Everything today is the JAM.
NO but, the footnotes. Helen Poulet. Urbanologie Press! This goes deep. More on Urbanologie Press. MORE ON DEREK LEMUR LIONS.
Favorite detail of the clearly tumultuous story of the Lemur Lions: “Self-published.”
POOR VANESSA, I can see it all.
I don’t think my father, the inventor of “Pebbletush Spittoons,” would like this very much.
<3333456
OH I LIKE THIS A LOT. Please let everything y’all publish be so wonderfully weird!
Well, this is just delightful.
In a real Austen novel, Ms. Pebbletush would surely be rewarded for her doormattery with a suitably landed husband. As everyone knows, martyrdom is a sign of good breeding and admirable womanhood.
But could doormattery outweigh the crass horror of having a parent who made his fortune by working, instead of being born to it like a Proper Gentleman? I think girlfriend was lucky to find a sickly count, even if he was from the Continent.
Sickly counts who die promptly after the marriage are, clearly, the best kind of counts.
…unless they look like Henry Cavill and recover quickly.
“Pint-size Puffin Press”, yes please. This is hysterical!
But Charlotte is the unnoticed best friend!
Also, I almost fell for it, until I got to Pebbletush Spittoons. Hilarious!
Indeed! And she ends up with that horrible vicar. Ack.
Yeah, poor Charlotte. So unnoticed even culture theorists and critics fail to identify her as an “unnoticed best friend” trope character.
The first half of reading this I kept thinking about Charlotte too but the unnoticed best friend means Mr. Darcy’s best friend not Elizabeth’s. For the life of me, I can’t think of a single example of best friend in love with male protagonist from contemporary movies but I know it’s a thing.
Ooh, you’re right. So much for my reading comprehension skills. And yes, it’s definitely a thing, but I can’t think of an example now, either.
Oooohhh! Something Borrowed and 27 Dresses kind of had that dynamic.
The best I’m coming up with is Thor and Sif.
I missed that! Oh, no, I guess I’ll have to watch Thor again. Damn.
I sort of cheated, I don’t think it’s much more than a look in the first movie but I think it’s supposed to be more prominent in the sequel. That’s how far I’m reaching for an example here.
I think I’m getting unnoticed best friend confused with guy suddenly noticing girl who loves him from afar. I may have read too many romance novels.
GOD I HOPE NOT. I love Sif the Independent Badass!
It looks like a cross between Unrequited Tragic Maiden and Ignored Enamored Underling .
I’m thinking the entirety of “My Best Friend’s Wedding” (don’t watch it, it’s awful), the Amanda Bynes adaption of 12th Night, I think that’s it?
“matchstick-end eyes”
I love this description, because part of me can’t help but wonder if her eyes are small and prone to catching on fire when swiped across a rough surface.
I once knew a guy who kept a small patch of stubble purely so that he could strike matches on it. And did so. And then had to put them out, having nothing to do with them once lit. Best/worst.
I can’t decide what I love more: the salmon broth drowning death or the image of Colin Firth wearing a crystal punch bowl as a hat.
I know! Death by Salmon Broth!
The original title of War and Peace was War: What is it Good For?
I feel like Charlotte Lucas should have been the one to off Sarah Pebblebush. I mean, really. We all know a few days of marriage to Mr. Collins would make anyone a serial killer.
Oooooh: satire. I loved this when I thought it was research and analysis. Now I love it more.
“…knowing how Darcy hates to “do things””
I laughed through this entire article
I LAUGHED SO HARD AT THAT LINE.
I am Sarah Pebblebush, I think. But I’m trying. I’m trying real hard to be Lizzy.
““History’s Hipsters,” Lon MacVie, Urbanologie Press, 2011.”
I <3 this 4ever
Defs shared this with my Austen lovin’ bestie.
This was brilliant.
I should have known from the detailed plot explanation that this article wasn’t for real. Seriously, who doesn’t know what happens in P&P…
Darling toasties (is toasties a thing now? toasters? if ‘the hairpin’ is to ‘pinner’ then ‘the toast’ is to ‘???’?), I love you all. But I am a little shocked at the number of people who didn’t instantly recognise this as a joke. This is not to say you are dumb or the article is badly written! You’re all lovely and the article is funny. I wonder if this is some kind of US/Australia cultural divide? Were any of you who didn’t get it British or Australian?
In any case, come to Australia, me and my trained wallabies will help you develop your bullshit detectors.
If it helps you recalibrate, I’m American/Canadian and I figured this as satire within the first paragraph, and was also mildly surprised at the comments saying otherwise!
Thank you for helping to expand my assumptions!
Toasties!
I think we’re just really earnest over here. Not gullible, just…. earnest.
My dear Miss Pebbletush! Yeah earnest, that would explain it. I’ve been trained to be a hardened cynic from a young age.
Also, toasties. Toasties! lol. Who else thinks of a toasted sandwich when they think of the word toastie? mmmm, toasties.
Haha “Toasties” would be too Aussie (side note, my dad calls toasted sandwiches from a sandwich-press “hotties”)! I think Toasters would be more appropriate.
Or Toastettes? It is a lady site after all.
Ooh – Toastrixes!
I think I’m partial to “Toasters” for Battlestar Galactica and “brave little” reasons.
I am English and I got it. However, I live in Hampshire and I really wish Small Handfoot were an actual place. #sadface
but who will be the first to publish “nobody likes mary”?
“Hush, Mary.” <3