Tag Archives: Jane Austen
Do Your Speak Jane Austen? (Part 1)
Part I: Do You Speak Jane Austen? When my son was about three years of age, he shocked several onlookers at the mall by saying, “I have a splendid idea, if you would acquiesce.” You see, his mother is an … Continue reading
Jane Austen and the Concept of Accepting a Marriage of Convenience
Settling for the Compromise Marriage What hope was there for the dowerless daughters of the middle class during Jane Austen’s lifetime? Such is a topic Austen explored repeatedly in her novels. Elizabeth and Jane Bennet sought men of a like … Continue reading
Pride 47, Prejudice 5
Pride and Prejudice was originally entitled First Impressions, which is a much better title when one considers how Jane Austen bombards her readers with the theme of “impressions”: first, flawed, and founded. However, that is material for a future post. What … Continue reading
Regency and Victorian England: Household Servants
“The dinner, too, in its turn, was highly admired; and he begged to know to which of his fair cousins the excellence of its cooking was owning. But here he was set right by Mrs. Bennet, who assured him, with … Continue reading
Publishing Options for Women Writers in Jane Austen’s Time
Novels during the early Regency were geared toward the female reader; therefore, the door opened, if only a crack, for the female writer to step through. The female writers of the time assisted Jane Austen in several ways, among … Continue reading
Austen’s Publishing History
Today is the 200th Anniversary of the publication of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.” I thought in honor of the date we would take a quick look at the process of having her works published. Most of Austen’s story lines … Continue reading
Oh, Give Me Land Lots of Land (or) the 19th Century Entail
As it had been for centuries, a man’s status in 19th Century British Society rested in the land he held. Land was a symbol of wealth and social rank. Therefore, the need to pass one’s “wealth” to future generations increased … Continue reading
“Going Courtin’” in the Regency Era
Society during the Regency era expected strict propriety from its young people. Sometimes the rules were strict and unreasonable, but somehow the youth of Jane Austen’s time managed to come together. Young men of the time were often older than … Continue reading
The Governess: Qualified to Teach the Usual Branches of a Good English Education
A governess’s job was to teach the children of middle and upper class households in 19th Century England. By 1850, there were 21,000 governesses registered in England. In Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, our heroine places the following advertisement, which eventually lands … Continue reading
Oh, the Places You Will Go (Part 2)…the Settings for Jane Austen’s Novel
Sense and Sensibility Norland Park in Sussex – the Dashwood’s family estate Barton Park in Devonshire – home of Sir John Middleton Barton Cottage in Devonshire – home of the Dashwood women Delaford in Devonshire – home of Colonel Brandon … Continue reading
