I Could’ve Danced All Night

Have you ever watched a Jane Austen movie and wished we still danced like they did? I do all the time. A young lady had to know all the dance steps for the current dances if she wanted to attend a ball. These gatherings were the best way for young people to see friends, meet new acquaintances, and hopefully catch someone’s eye. According to The Jane Austen Handbook, there are 5 different kinds of dances:  the minuet, cotillion, quadrille, contredanse (country dance), and the reel.

Most of the dances I’m finding appear to be contredanses: gentlemen on one side, ladies on the other, facing each other. The lead couple works their way down the row.

   Same music                       
                       

        
             

Not all dances were so somber. They could also be noisy, crowded, sweaty, and awesome.     
                            

The music in the next one is more of a soundtrack and not a historically correct dancing tune but I still like it :)         

                                  

There are still groups that hold dances like these, usually Jane Austen societies or other historical reenactment groups. If you find one let me know!

Happy Reading!

Accomplished Women

“You all paint tables and embroider cushions. I never heard of a young lady but that people tell me she’s accomplished.” – Mr. Bingley, Pride and Prejudice, 2005

                 

• A thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages.
• She must improve her mind by extensive reading.
• She has to have something in her air and manner of walking.
• (Don’t forget the tables and cushions!)

These really are a faithful list of the qualities well-bred young women were expected to possess during Jane Austen’s time. Girls were either educated at home by their parents or a governess or sent away to school (think Jane Eyre, yikes!) They were taught to read, a little history and geography, an instrument such as the piano or harp, drawing, needlework, dancing, elegant handwriting, and languages (predominantly French, maybe Italian).

Some families, like Jane’s, encouraged their children to write stories and spend time enjoying the outdoors. But while to us these accomplishments seem of very little value, during the Regency, indeed even up until WWI (Downton anyone?), very little else was required of a young lady of good family. Her only options in life were as follows:

A) Marry as well as you can
B) Become a governess or schoolteacher(paid about 10 pounds per year)
C) Become a companion or lady’s maid
D) Become a writer, very scandalous!

Men didn’t have it much better either. If you were born a gentleman you could go into law, medicine, or the military. Of course there were farmers, tradesmen, shopkeepers, etc. But those professions were considered beneath the gentry.

A married woman was responsible for running her house, raising her children, and taking part in society. A gentlemen was responsible for managing his estate, manly activities (hunting, fishing, etc.) and being a benevolent landlord.

How do you stack up against a Regency lady? Unfortunately you have to register with the site to see your results but you can see what the criteria are and figure it out yourself. Be sure to tell us below. 
Once again, if you could go back, would you?

Happy Reading!

Nerd confession: I’m 7/10 because once I read Pride and Prejudice around age 10 I wanted to be the kind of girl who did all those things. I would be full 10 out of 10 if I just had a horse, better posture, and if dancing today was more like dancing back then.

A Lady’s Day

7:00 am – 7:30 Wake up, bathe, dress
7:30 – 9:00 meet with your housekeeper to discuss dinner and any concerns, make sure children are ready for the day
9:00 – 10:00 practice music
10:00 – 11:00 Breakfast
11:00 – 3:00 pm. Pay and receive calls, needlework (this time of day is "morning")
3:00-5:00 leisure time; write letters, play with children, read
5:00 – 6:00 dress for dinner
6:00 – 8:00 dinner (in the country dinner would be around 4-5)
8:00 – 11:00 spend time with family and guests (cards, dancing, reading, etc.)
11:00 retire for the evening

                  

Sources: 
The Jane Austen Handbook: A Sensible Yet Elegant Guide to Her World by Margaret C. Sullivan
Social Classes, Money, and Servants in Austen’s Society by Tracy Marks


I have to say their kind of day doesn’t sound too bad. But I suppose it might get boring after a while. Would you trade?

Happy Reading!

The Austen Awards Poll 1

 Everyone has their favorite novel, your favorite movie versions, your favorite heroine. But what about the character you hate the most? The most ridiculous proposal, the best declaration of love?

Enter the Austen Awards. There will be a poll posted in the top left hand corner of the blog where you can vote. Every few days the poll will change, so keep watching. I will do a post about the poll so you can get a good visual of who/what we’re talking about before you vote. At the end of the month we will have a formal Austen Awards Post announcing the winners. I hope you enjoy!

An Announcement: If you haven’t read all her novels or haven’t seen all the movies, but so far you have strong feelings about the person in your particular book, vote for them.

It took me a long time to figure out which of the polls should come first. Too early and I give major plot points away, but then again I can’t just give all of them the last week. So after much deliberation, I think this is a safe bet.

Which major character would you most like to be best friends with in real life?


A) Elinor Dashwood, emotionally reserved but loyal and sensible, good at keeping secrets

                                                   

B) Marianne Dashwood, passionate, melodramatic, melancholy, loves reading poetry

                                                     

C) Elizabeth Bennet, slightly prejudiced, loves to laugh, enjoys long walks in the mud

                                               

D) Fanny Price, quiet, highly moral, extremely patient, dislikes acting in plays

                                           

E) Catherine Morland, naïve, friendly, suspicious, loves a good book, will probably poke around your house uninvited

                                                    

F) Anne Elliot, faithful, regretful, likes good company and music, training for her first 5k

                                                 

G) Emma, witty, talented, friendly to the point of being nosy, can be a bit rude sometimes but she will try to find you a suitable spouse

                                                   


Happy Voting!

Nobility and Wealth in Jane Austen’s Time

Alternately titled “Nobody Cares about Lady Dalrymple Sir Walter, Go Read Your Snobby Book!”

Most of Austen’s characters are gentry, meaning they are old families with estates (some large, some small). There are a few characters with the title of “Sir” such as Sir William Lucas, a knight, and Sir Walter Elliot, who is a baronet. (He has a thing for titles and therefore falls all over himself to impress her ladyship, the Dowager Viscountess Dalrymple (viscount is two steps up from baronet). Guess who’s twitter he’d be following?)


                                             

(Sidenote: I wonder what Sir Walter would think of our Facebook “status” today? His would probably read. Sir Walter Elliot Is a real baronet. I actually have status. The rest of you shabby lowlifes have zero status and therefore should not be allowed on Facebook.)

Just in case you were wondering about the money matters found in whichever book you’re reading (or if you’re trying to figure out just how much 10,000 pounds a year actually is), a chart:

             

This comes from a very good essay about the economy of the Austen Novels, written in 1990 (which explains why “current” rates are shown for 1988). If you’re like me, a total nerd, you love finding out these kinds of things.

It sheds a lot of light on the situation of the Dashwood ladies and the kind of lifestyles some of the characters (Bertram and Ferrars) would live after the novel ends. But way to go Catherine and Emma, dang, that’s what I call a dowry. Also please note, Darcy is not actually an aristocrat, he’s just very, very well off.

Here’s another chart from the same essay, showing the cost of daily necessities:

                  

It makes sense that money and fortune would have been such a big deal to all the characters, especially the ladies who had to depend on the men (usually) to support them. It also tells a lot about Jane herself, and the lifestyle she chose by not marrying. Sometimes we fantasize about going back to a simpler time, with beautiful dresses and genteel manners, but based on the above, if you could go back, would you want to? In the immortal words of my friend Becca,

“I don't. As a woman no, I don't. As a wealthy man, certainly.”


What would you say?


Happy Reading!

Guest of Honor

I figured since this is Jane’s birthday that we should start by celebrating her life. The following is a brief summary.

                                              

Jane was born in 1775 to a family of, what would eventually be, 8 children. She and her sister Cassandra were very close and the only girls in the family. Her father was a parson and the family lived in Hampshire. Jane did go to a couple of boarding schools but was mostly educated at home. Her family were all great readers and Jane wrote many stories during her childhood. Jane was known for her lively mind, ready wit, and sharp edged humor, which she showed brilliantly in her writings.

Her sister Cassandra was engaged to be married but sadly her fiancée died of yellow fever in the West Indies. Cassandra decided not to marry, a decision that was later shared by Jane as well. Although she loved to flirt and dance and did know a young man named Thomas Lefroy there is little evidence of there being an actual understanding between them.

In 1801 her father retired and the family moved to Bath, which wasn’t Jane’s idea of a good time. She had already begun writing her early manuscripts of Sense and Sensibility (at that time called Elinor and Marianne) and Pride and Prejudice (First Impressions). At one time she accepted a proposal from a rich young gentleman by the name of Harris Bigg-Wither but thought better of it the next day. Her only motivation for marrying him would have been financial security for herself and her mother and sister. Upon her father’s death, her brothers all chipped in to help them but their circumstances were cause for worry. Their close friend Martha Lloyd moved in with them after her mother died. Finally in 1808 Jane’s brother Edward offered them a cottage in Chawton (a town in Hampshire).

                         

At the cottage Jane was free to write and enjoy the countryside. Sense and Sensibility was published in 1811 to good reviews, earning her 140 pounds (about $12,000). Like all of her works, it was published anonymously “by a lady”, and even members of the family didn’t know it was their Jane who was such a gem. She then revised First Impressions, and Pride and Prejudice sold for 110 pounds ($9,000). After that she began her other works in earnest. She was uncomfortable with fame, though her brothers often revealed it was their little sister who was composing the masterpieces. Her fame grew until even the Prince Regent himself, whom Jane did not approve of, had his librarian seek her out to tell her that she could dedicate her next novel to him. Jane, unhappily, obliged with Emma.

In 1815 she began work on The Elliots (Persuasion) which was to be her final completed novel. She began to show symptoms of a then uncurable disease (what we now know as Addison’s). Jane died in Cassandra’s arms on the morning of July 18, 1817 at the age of 41. She was buried in Winchester Cathedral. Persuasion was published along with Northanger Abbey in December of 1817 by her brother Henry. Before her death in 1845, Cassandra burnt most of Jane’s letters, saving only a few for family members to whom they were written.         

                 


Happy Birthday Jane!

What is The Jane (Austen) Event?

 Hello Everyone!

Welcome to the visitor page of The Jane Event. I’m assuming you’re here because you either A) Love Jane Austen, B) Want to read Jane Austen for the first time, or C) Someone is bugging you to check it out. No matter what the reason I’m glad you’re here.

First, allow me to explain what The Jane Event actually is. The idea is simple: Starting on December 16, begin reading the Jane Austen book of your choice. That’s pretty much it. This blog will be updated daily beginning on Dec. 16th with facts, ideas, pictures, and cool stuff from etsy, all pertaining to Jane Austen. So if you want to learn more feel free to check back.

Now there are a few guidelines, as follows:

1. Jane wrote 6 major novels. There are other things you could read (like Sandition) but the focus of this blog will be on her major works.

2. I’m putting the word out in advance so that you have plenty of time to get excited and gather your reading material. So now is the time to borrow, buy, or visit your local library to get the book of your choice.

3. Who should join in? Um, you and anyone you think would be interested. People who haven’t read a word of Austen before and those who’ve been reading her all their lives. Young, old, men, women, everyone! Seriously, it doesn’t matter what age you are or what continent you live on. Everyone is welcome. Please tell your friends and invite them to join in. It’s not a book club with a big time commitment. It’s you, reading a great book, and being able to learn more and discuss your thoughts with everyone else who participates.

4. Everyone is encouraged to comment and discuss any questions or observations they wish. My only request is that you keep it civil. If you are easily upset by people who don’t agree with your opinion of which Pride and Prejudice movie is the best version and you feel like arguing with them about it, please take your discussion somewhere else. Any rude comments will be deleted. No ganging up on people, no bashing, and NO WRITING IN ALL CAPS. Propriety people, propriety.

5. This event is for fun. I will begin updating the blog with several new posts every day beginning on December 16th and ending on January 15th. That’s a Month of Austen. It doesn’t matter how long it takes you to read it, everyone is usually busy this time of year. Just treat yourself when you can.

6. What kind of posts can you expect? Everything from etiquette and fashion of the Regency period to information on women in the early 1800s, quizzes, polls, movie info, How To’s, quotes, and links to other blogs you may find interesting.

7.After January 15th I will cease posting to this blog. It will remain on the web but it will not be active. Just keep that in mind.

8. No I am not a Jane expert. All the information I put here will either be from another source (which I will credit) or personal thoughts from myself and others about Jane Austen and her works.

I hope you’ll join in on the fun. This is one of my favorite times of year. Happy Reading!