Rules of a Regency Courtship - Random Bits of Fascination
 
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Rules of a Regency Courtship — 4 Comments

  1. Wow! The behavior between the sexes was strict and very confining. No wonder Mrs. Bennet was always in a dither when Elizabeth went out and about… alone. Was she really concerned about the propriety or the state of her clothes? Bingley’s sisters were aghast with both when Elizabeth walked the three miles to Netherfield alone. That was scandalous behavior. Poor Marianne… nearly every action with Willoughby was wrong, Wrong, WRONG. Bless her heart… her passions were stronger than her reason. She narrowly escaped that one. Thanks for these posts. I really enjoy them. Blessings, stay safe, and healthy.

  2. Your explanations do support the rules. They only had one chance to get it right…sadly. And, heavens forbid your parents were all about the business arrangement of the marriage! Thanks for sharing here.

  3. Jane Austen’s novels, in my opinion, reveal that there was some actually some lee-way with these “strict” rules, at least when out of London.

    Yes, it is made clear that Marianne is highly improper in her behaviour with Willoughby, particularly in writing to him and publicly offering her hand to him when at a gathering in town. However, Elizabeth Bennet is another story.

    Jane Austen highly admired her character Elizabeth (she called her “the most delightful creature who ever appeared in print”) and I don’t believe intended for her behaviour to be “really poor”.
    When she met Col. Fitzwilliam/Darcy she was walking in the country close to where she was staying and came upon them accidentally.

    Is it not therefore made clear by the novel itself that in this circumstance it was not improper to walk with them? Contemporary reviewers of the novel generally approved of Elizabeth (except some who thought she was too outspoken with Lady Catherine – see the annotated version of pride and prejudice along with references therein for this information).

    So, rules when out of doors and in the country seem to be more relaxed, at least when there is no reason to believe their meeting was a planned assignation.

  4. Pingback:Mr. Darcy, Wanna Go Steady?: Regency Rules of Courtship – Always Austen

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