Pride and Prejudice / Regency Era

The Regency Era

Multiple Choice

From what year to what year was the Regency Era?

• 1811 to 1820
• 1700 to 1800
• 1750 to 1850
• 1780 to 1880

1811-1820

1
2
3

George IV
The “naughty prince” of the time was King
George IV, who loved excess and luxury.

Highpoint of British
Sophistication
The regency period is considered to be the
most elegant and stylish period of English
history.

Why was it called ‘regency’?
George IV was ‘prince regent’, as in acting
King, as his father was still alive but ill and
considered incapable of leading the country.

Informally the period lasted longer and is used to categorise a
distinct period of fashion, literature and architectural style.

Multiple Choice

Why is the era called "Regency Period"?

• Because it was a regal period

• Because the queen was acting as king

• Because the rulers were a group called Regency

• Because the prince took the kings responsibilities

Dropdown

The Regency period is mostly known for

Select answer

, ​

Select answer

1
2
3

Competition with Napoleon
The king was determined to surpass
Napoleon (France) in luxury, style and excess.

Class Structure
The regency period had a very specific social
hierarchy, which we will look at more closely
soon.

Before and After the Regency
The regency period was preceded by the
Georgian period and succeeded by the
Victorian period, upon the reign of Queen
Victoria. Austen lived in Georgian and
Regent times.

Geography

‘Pride and Prejudice’ is set in the county of
Hertfordshire. However, many towns are
fictional in the text, such as Meryton,
Longbourn and Netherfield Park. Yet, they
are likely based on real locations in
England that Austen visited.

Labelling

Where do these cities go?

Drag labels to their correct position on the image

York

Brighton

London

Social

The social context of the regency period

The social hierarchy

-The royals were (and still are) at the top of the social hierarchy in England

-The nobility were at the top of the social class (just underneath royalty, for
example ladies, lords - having hereditary titles with involvement in
parliament)

-Knights were next in the pecking order (awarded a non-hereditary title by
the monarch)

-A baronet was next - they held a hereditary style of knighthood

-Then came the gentry (those of high social class, often through owning or
being born inheriting land that they could also rent out)

-Under the gentry were the clergy and navy/army officers. (They were
considered gentlemen but not of the same rank as the gentry)

-The working classes came next - they were broken up into farmers and
labourers - farmers generally held more respect than labourers.

Reorder

Reorder the following social classes from higher to lower class

• Royals

• Knights

• Gentry

• Naval officers

• Farmers

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2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Mr. Bennet's family estate, Longbourn House, is a residence and land located within the environs of the township of Meryton, in Hertfordshire, just north of London. From his family estate, Mr. Bennet derives an annual income of £2,000, which is a respectable income for a gentleman (but certainly not comparable to Mr Darcy's annual income of £10,000). Longbourn House also has an entailment upon it, meant to keep the estate in the sole possession of the family, down the male line, and from being divided-off amongst younger sons and any daughters; it is to passed-down amongst male heirs only.

For years, Mr. Bennet had the hope and intention of fathering a son who was to inherit the entire estate; which would see to the entail for another generation, and provide for his widow and any other children he might have. Additionally, Mr. Bennet did not get along with his then-closest living male relative and male heir, his distant cousin, Mr. Collins (Sr.), who is described as an "illiterate miser" (possibly some disagreement over the entail), and did not want the estate going to him. Sadly, after 23/24-years of marriage, Mr. Bennet remains the last male scion of the Bennet family, thus marking the end of the Bennet name with his death.

Multiple Choice

Why can't Mr. Bennet give one of his daughters their Estate?

• Mr. Bennet is bankrupt
• It is passed-down amongst male heirs only

• The daughters are not of age
• The estate is entailed.

Courtship, love and marriage

-You did not marry for love - marriage and love had very little to do with each other, though it did happen occasionally

-Marriage was about continuing family lines, securing financial stability and enhancing your social
status

-If you were not married by your mid-twenties you were actually late in the game. Women married as young as fifteen and sixteen years old, often having children by twenty.

-A woman was the property of her husband and father. If a proposal was to be had, the suitor would need to ‘apply’ to the father. It was ultimately not the mother’s decision.

-The courtship was an entire process, often semi-public. This was because the family was involved in
the whole process and the potential husband and wife were not actually allowed to be alone
together for very long.

Dropdown

Marriage in the 1800's is a ​ ​ ​

Select answer

​

Multiple Choice

At what age were the girls "late in the game" of marriage?

• 20

• 16

• 25
• 18

Multiple Choice

The courtship was an entire process...

• public

• private

• semi-public

Open Ended

What do you expect to happen in the book Pride and Prejudice?