Category Archives: Regency era

The Concept of a “Marriage of Convenience” as a Plot Line in Jane Austen’s Novels

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 mind. The Dashwood sisters found … Continue reading →

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Universal Themes and Jane Austen: First Impressions

Universal Themes and Jane Austen: First Impressions Have you ever met someone with whom you have corresponded several times (Facebook, Twitter, phone, or the old-fashioned way by a letter) only to be surprised by his/her appearance? He/She looks nothing like … Continue reading →

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Maria Fagniani, Marchioness of Hertford and Regency Era Eccentric

The mistresses of the Prince Regent and his brothers were as well known. The Duke of Clarence, for example, sired ten children with Mrs Jordan, and the Duke of York’s relationship with Mary Anne Clarke caused a major scandal over … Continue reading →

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Henry ‘Orator’ Hunt, British Radical of the Industrial Age

Henry “Orator” Hunt (6 November 1773–15 February 1835) was a British radical speaker and agitator, who advocated parliamentary reform and the repeal of the Corn Laws. Because of his rousing speeches at mass meetings held in Spa Fields in London … Continue reading →

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“Going Courting” Regency Style

“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 … Continue reading →

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Growing Up Female During the Regency and Victorian Eras

Regency and Victorian Eras: Growing Up Female in the Country Young girls had little control over their lives during the Regency and Victorian eras. Their lives were strictly regulated by nurses and governesses. The girls were expected to practice correct … Continue reading →

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Regency Era Fashion for Women

Regency Fashion for Women The graceful style for women of the early 19th Century is known as the Empire style. Tightly laced corsets were overthrown for the more natural flowing gown. By the end of the 1790s, the Empire cut, … Continue reading →

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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 … Continue reading →

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Publishing Options for Women During 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 them … Continue reading →

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The 19th Century Educational System (or Lack Thereof)

The 19th Century Educational System (or Lack Thereof) “Public” schools were founded through generous donations for the male children of the towns of Eton and Harrow, and they were originally open to all. The concept of the “grammar” school came … Continue reading →

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