A Regency Guide to Courtship
Courtship and marriage were serious steps for middle class men and women, usually not embarked upon until their middle to late twenties, older for men and younger for women.
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What’s wrong with a little romance?
So what’s wrong with a little romance? According to a regency era perspective, nearly everything. It’s Valentine’s Day and there’s romance in the air. What’s wrong with a little romance, right? Especially in the pages of a good book. A regency romance; the hero and heroine looking longingly into each other’s eye, declaring their deepest love for one another. She weeps as she lets him know how she was waiting for this moment, as everyone … 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 →
Conduct during Courtships in Jane Austen’s World
Nothing, especially courtships were straightforward in Jane Austen’s World. Squelching, not encouraging courtship Many of the rules governing conduct in courtship helped squelch the possibilities of romantic passion. These included forbidding the use of Christian names, paying compliments, driving in carriages alone together, correspondence, and any kind of intimate contact. If a couple was observed violating any of them, onlookers would immediately assume a proposal had been offered and accepted. Even mild displays of friendliness could … Continue reading →