Of Dragons and Dowries
In Dancing with Dragons Margaret Dashwood, lacking a responsible family, has a dowry provided by a kindly estate dragon. But what exactly was a dowry and how did it work?
Continue reading →Tag Archives: marriage
Honeymoons and Bridal Visits
Today when we think of weddings, we often conceive of a honeymoon as well. In Austen’s day, couple did travel after their wedding, but their trips often served a very different purpose.
Continue reading →Marriage Annulments in Jane Austen’s World
Marriage was a serious business in the regency. Divorce was nearly impossible to obtain, but what about annulments? What happened if a young person ‘married in haste’ but then repented of his or her decision? Annulment, when possible, was the best option to end a marriage since it did not carry the social stigma of a divorce (which was nearly impossible to obtain). Unlike a divorce, an annulment voided a marriage, making it as if it … Continue reading →
To Love, Honor and OBEY in Jane Austen’s World
Though nearly all of Jane Austen’s works end with a love match and a wedding, she does not represent the prevailing attitudes about love and marriage of the day. What did regency marriages look like? Marrying for Love was Unlikely While love might have been on the minds of regency era couples, they generally expected it to come AFTER marriage (if at all), rather than before. For most, practical considerations were the backbone of most … Continue reading →
Hardwicke Marriage Act in Jane Austen’s World
The Hardwicke Marriage Act laid out the path to the altar for regency couples Engagements in the regency era were generally brief, often only a few weeks long. Why the hurry? Since premarital sex was common and the birth of illegitimate children problematic for inheritance, parents preferred to see couples married sooner rather than later. Reading the banns or acquiring a license and having the marriage performed required a minimum of fifteen days to accomplish. If there was property or fortune involved, … Continue reading →