Georgian society in Jane Austen's novels facts for kids
Jane Austen's novels always show us what life was like in Georgian England. Her stories are set during the time of King George III. They give us a peek into the daily lives, joys, and challenges of people back then.
Austen's books cover many topics, like the social rules, the role of church leaders, and how men and women lived. They also show us about marriage and what wealthy families did for fun. She adds small details about daily life and old customs. This makes the English society of that time feel very real.
However, Jane Austen wrote from her own experience. She was a woman from the lower part of the English gentry, a well-off family with good connections. She was also very well educated for her time. She lived in a small village in the countryside around the late 1790s or early 1800s. Because of this, some big events of the Georgian era are not really in her novels. Things like the American Revolutionary War, the French Revolution, or the start of the Industrial Revolution are mostly missing. Her novels mainly show the life of the lower gentry in rural England at the turn of the 19th century.
Contents
What was Georgian Society like?
All of Jane Austen's novels take place in English Georgian society around 1800. The Georgian period is named after the kings George I, George II, George III, and George IV. Sometimes, the reign of William IV is also included.
This was a time of big changes and progress. It came before the Victorian era. During Jane Austen's life, Britain lost its American colonies. Then, people worried about the French Revolution. After that, Britain fought and beat the Napoleonic Empire. This period also set up the beginnings of the British Empire.
Socially, a new way of life began with the start of factories and machines, known as industrialization. This led to some social problems in the early 1800s. People were worried about the economic changes happening.
The arts also grew a lot during this time. Famous architects like Robert Adam and John Nash were active. New painting styles emerged with artists like J. M. W. Turner and John Constable. In literature, many famous writers like Samuel Johnson and poets like William Wordsworth were popular. It was also a time when more women could get an education. This led to many novels being written and read by women, including Jane Austen herself. Other women writers were Fanny Burney and Maria Edgeworth.
The Georgian period also saw people questioning old ideas. The first ideas of feminism appeared with Mary Wollstonecraft and her book A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. People also started to care more about slavery. This led to the end of the slave trade in 1807. Later, slavery was completely ended in the British Empire in 1833.
Jane Austen's Viewpoint
_hires.jpg)
Jane Austen did not aim to write history books. Her goal was not to give a full picture of England in the late 1700s. Her stories are often called "comic" because they have happy endings. They all happen in the society she knew: a small, rural gentry family. This family was quite well-off but not super rich. As she once wrote, she worked on a "little bit (two Inches wide) of Ivory." This meant she focused on a few families in a country village.
So, some important parts of Georgian society are not in Austen's novels. For example, the loss of the Thirteen Colonies and the American War of Independence are not mentioned. She was very young when these events happened.
The French Revolution also does not appear much in her books. However, her cousin, Eliza Hancock, comtesse de Feuillide, was married to a French aristocrat who was executed in 1794. This personal connection shows the revolution's impact.
The start of the British Empire is also mostly absent. But, the owners of Mansfield Park have a plantation in the Caribbean. Jane Austen's family also had ties to India. Her cousin Eliza and her mother came from there around 1786.
The Industrial Revolution began in England around the 1750s. Yet, it does not show up in Austen's life or her novels. She lived in the small rural village of Steventon. This kept her far from the new industrial world. She was part of the local gentry, and her father was the village parson. She lived a life that matched her place in society.
Austen's view was also that of a woman of her time. She was smart and observant, and she read a lot. But she lived in a society run by men. This made it hard for women to earn their own money. Women often had to rely on marriage for social status and financial safety. These ideas are very important in her novels.
Historical Background
King George III's Reign
The reign of George III lasted throughout Jane Austen's entire life. It started in 1760, before her parents married in 1764. It ended in 1820, after Austen died in 1817. Her last two novels, Persuasion and Northanger Abbey, were published after her death in 1818.
French Revolution's Impact
Jane Austen first learned about the French Revolution and its violence from her cousin, Eliza de Feuillide. Eliza was married to a French aristocrat. Eliza traveled between France and England from 1788 to 1792. Her husband was executed in 1794 during the revolution.
The memory of Eliza de Feuillide can be seen in some of Austen's early writings, like Love and Freindship (sic). This book was dedicated to "Madame la Comtesse de Feuillide."
The French Revolution also led to debates in England. Thinkers like Mary Wollstonecraft wrote about it. Austen, being a strong supporter of traditional ways, believed in the family as a source of stability during these troubled times.
Napoleonic Wars' Influence
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars in Europe. They began after the French Revolution in 1789. France, led by Napoleon, briefly controlled most of Europe. These wars lasted until Napoleon's final defeat in 1815. Britain was at war with France from 1803 to 1815, just two years before Austen died. These wars were huge, partly because many men were forced to join the army. Two of Jane Austen's brothers, Frank and Charles, served in the Royal Navy.
These wars explain why the military is important in Austen's novels. Some main characters are officers. Officers often attend social events, which affects the social life of a town. For example, in Sense and Sensibility, Marianne's suitor is Colonel Brandon. In Pride and Prejudice, Wickham is an officer. The youngest Bennet girls are very interested in the officers at a nearby training camp. In Persuasion, Frederick Wentworth is a naval officer who becomes rich and successful.
Social Ranks and Money
How Incomes Showed Social Status
02.jpg)
Jane Austen's novels show how different incomes meant different social statuses. These incomes are usually annual. If someone had a fortune, you could guess their income. Money invested in government funds usually paid 5% a year. So, Caroline Bingley's fortune of 20,000 pounds in Pride and Prejudice meant she had an income of 1,000 pounds a year. This was a lot of money and allowed her a comfortable life, including a carriage.
Austen's novels show a range of incomes, each meaning a very different lifestyle.
- 100 pounds a year: This was a very low income. A poor clergyman or a small shopkeeper might earn this. It was much better than a farm worker's pay, which could be as low as 25 pounds a year. With 100 pounds, you might afford one maid.
- 200 pounds a year: This was Jane Austen's parents' income four years after they married. It was barely enough, especially with children.
- 300 pounds a year: Colonel Brandon says this is a good sum for a single man but not enough to get married.
- 400 or 500 pounds a year: This was the amount needed to live like a member of the gentry. Mrs. Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility had 500 pounds. This allowed her daughters a decent life with two maids, but no carriage.
- 700 to 1,000 pounds a year: With this income, a carriage became possible. Jane Austen's father bought one when his income reached 700 pounds.
- 2,000 pounds a year: This was a very comfortable sum for a gentleman. Colonel Brandon had this income. Mr. Bennet also had 2,000 pounds, but with a wife and five daughters, he struggled to manage it well.
- 4,000 pounds and above: At this level, a gentleman did not need to worry about money. Henry Crawford, Mr. Bingley, and Mr. Darcy (who had 10,000 pounds a year) had such incomes. They owned large country estates, carriages, and often a house in London.
These large incomes were still much less than what very wealthy people had. For example, the Duke of Devonshire, who owned Chatsworth House, had 100,000 pounds a year.
Jane Austen's world mostly shows the lives of the wealthy. It does not show the difficult lives of most rural people, who were poor and uneducated.
The Gentry Class
Jane Austen's novels are set among the gentry, the social class she belonged to. Some of her heroines have no money, like in Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park. Others are very rich, like in Emma. But they all belong to the gentry.
What is a Gentleman?
In England, the idea of a "gentleman" was more flexible than that of a "nobleman" in France. A gentleman was known for his personal qualities and for owning land. He did not need to be from a noble family. The simple gentleman was below an Esquire, who was below a Knight, Baronet, Baron, Viscount, Earl, Marquess, and Duke. Only Barons and higher were part of the peerage (the highest nobility).
The Georgian gentleman set the stage for the Victorian gentleman. He followed a code of conduct based on self-control, good manners, and religion. During George III's reign, British people started to be known for being reserved and controlling their emotions.
Country Houses and Their Owners
The differences in wealth in Jane Austen's novels were huge. In real Georgian society, the Duke of Devonshire had 180 people working in his grand home, Chatsworth House. To feed them, five cattle and fifteen sheep were killed each week. Wealthy owners often used their kitchens to make soup for poor villagers in winter.
The 18th century was a time of great wealth in Britain. Noble families lived in amazing country houses like Blenheim Palace, Knole House, and Chatsworth House. These homes were as grand as the royal family's houses. Many large houses built at the start of the century were in the Palladian style, designed by architects like William Kent. This style became more free with Robert Adam. It is thought that Rosings Park and Mansfield Park, which Jane Austen describes as modern, might be like houses designed by Robert Adam.
Rich owners also spent a lot of time and money making their gardens beautiful. They wanted impressive views from their windows. The famous landscape artist "Capability" Brown was active then. He was known for saying certain lands had "a great capability of improvement." The beauty of English estates became a symbol of national identity.
This focus on beautiful landscapes is seen in Mansfield Park. Mr. Rushworth talks about wanting to improve his Sotherton house and its views.
After Capability Brown, Humphry Repton made the transition between houses and their gardens even smoother. He worked on Adlestrop House, where Jane Austen's cousins lived. He combined the manor grounds with the vicarage garden and even moved a stream to create a lovely view.
The beauty of English parks is often mentioned in Jane Austen's novels. She connects them with the poems of William Cowper, who wrote about the English countryside.
The Clergy (Church Leaders)
Clergymen in Jane Austen's Novels
Clergymen, or church leaders, are very important in Jane Austen's books. Her own father was a clergyman, as were her brothers James and Henry. The moral lessons her father taught are found throughout her novels.
Being a clergyman was a unique job back then. Any well-educated, moral man could become one. A special religious calling was not always needed. As Mary Crawford says in Mansfield Park, the job of a vicar often provided a good income without too much hard work. This meant a clergyman could start a family earlier than a naval officer, who might wait years to earn enough money.
Austen does not always show clergymen in a good light. Some are shown as flawed, while others are admirable.
- Mr. Elton in Emma is too focused on social climbing. He tries to marry Emma Woodhouse. After he marries, he and his wife act snobbish towards villagers.
- Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice is an example of what a clergyman should not be. He is overly polite to powerful people but rude to those he sees as weaker. He is also very narrow-minded.
- Henry Tilney in Northanger Abbey is often away from his parish. He takes holidays in Bath. This shows that some clergymen were not very dedicated to their duties.
- Edward Ferrars in Sense and Sensibility shows more dedication. He insists he always wanted to be a clergyman, even though his family preferred a military or law career.
How Clergymen Earned Money
A clergyman's income varied greatly depending on his living (the church position). A small, poor parish like Steventon might only pay about £100 a year. A good parish could be worth nearly £1,000. The right to appoint a clergyman to a living was often held by the local lord of the manor. This right could be bought, sold, or given away.
The clergyman's income came from two main sources: the tithe and the glebe.
- The Tithe: This was a tax that gave the clergyman one-tenth of all the crops and produce from the parish land. It had existed in England since the 9th century. The clergyman acted as the tax-collector. If a parish was a "rectory," like Delaford in Sense and Sensibility, the clergyman (called a rector) received the whole tithe. Jane Austen's father was the rector of Steventon. Collecting the tithe often took up a lot of a clergyman's time. Mr. Collins in Pride and Prejudice lists it as his first duty, even before writing sermons.
- The Glebe: This was a piece of land given to the church, often long ago. The clergyman of that parish received the income from this land. This meant the clergyman often had to be a farmer too. This farm work could take up a lot of time, reducing the time spent on religious duties.
What Women Did
Education for Girls
In Jane Austen's time, girls' boarding schools existed. Wealthy families often hired a governess to teach their daughters at home.
In Emma, Harriet Smith, who is from a modest background, goes to Mrs. Goddard's boarding school for a basic education. Emma Woodhouse, from a rich family, has her own governess, Miss Taylor. Lady Catherine de Bourgh in Pride and Prejudice is shocked that the five Bennet girls, who are gentry, did not have a governess.
Jane Austen herself, whose family was not richer than the Bennets, learned mostly from her father and brothers. She also used her father's large library.
Jobs for Women
Even with some progress in girls' education, there were few suitable jobs for women from good families. The main options were governess or schoolmistress. The idea of a woman having a profession and earning her own money was almost unheard of. As Mary Wollstonecraft wrote in 1792, many women felt unhappy because they could not work as doctors or manage businesses.
Jane Austen knew this well. As an unmarried woman, she tried to earn money by selling her novels. Her writing shows this situation. She rarely shows women doing anything other than household tasks. The only exceptions are those who teach. Jane Fairfax in Emma is a good example. She is smart and talented but her only future is to become a governess.
Lady Bertram in Mansfield Park is a perfect example of the ideal lady of the time. She is elegant and has a lot of free time, which Mary Wollstonecraft criticized.
Women's Legal Rights
The situation of women in Jane Austen's novels sometimes shows their lower status, both legally and financially.
According to the laws of the time, a man and woman became one person when they married. The woman's legal existence was "suspended." All her actions were done "under her husband's cover." This meant a husband could not make agreements with his wife. A married woman could not sue someone without her husband's agreement. Also, no one could sue a married woman except through her husband.
This lack of legal rights for married women was a big issue. A famous divorce case in the 1830s involved Caroline Norton and her husband. After leaving him, she found that all her earnings as a writer belonged to him. Despite this public case, it was not until 1882 that married women gained the right to control their own property.
What was an Accomplished Woman?
Skills and Talents
An "accomplished woman" was someone who had many skills and talents. These skills were meant to impress men. As Elizabeth Bennet says to Mr. Darcy in Pride and Prejudice, she is surprised he knows "any" accomplished women, because the list of requirements is so long.
The list of accomplishments was indeed long. Mr. Darcy and Miss Bingley agree that a woman should have "a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages." She also needed "a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions." Mr. Darcy adds "the improvement of her mind by extensive reading."
Why These Skills Mattered
Jane Austen's novels show why these accomplishments were important. Some, like embroidery, were useful for the home. Others, like knowing French, had little practical use, especially during a war with France. The main goal was to honor her future husband by being a refined lady.
Another reason was social life. In a time when hearing music was rare and costly, a musical woman could entertain guests with piano pieces or singing. She could also play music for dancing. Since there was no photography, women's drawing skills were important for making portraits of loved ones. For example, Emma draws a portrait of Harriet Smith. The only known portrait of Jane Austen herself was drawn by her sister Cassandra.
Other Roles for Women
A very important role for women in the Georgian period was having children. This was a major reason for England's population growth. Jane Austen knew this well, as she had many nieces and nephews. It was also a dangerous role, as three of her sisters-in-law died during childbirth. However, this aspect is not often shown in her novels. Most families in her books have few children compared to reality. The main focus of her great novels is usually before marriage.
Married women and young girls also spent a lot of time writing letters. This was almost the only way to get news from family members living in other parts of the country.
Daily Life
Women's Fashion
By the 1780s, tall hairstyles with feathers were going out of style. They were replaced by long, loose curls. Sometimes, hair was powdered for formal events. This new fashion allowed Willoughby to cut a lock of Marianne's hair in Sense and Sensibility.
Like at the French court, where Marie Antoinette made "pastoral" clothing popular, women wore wide-brimmed hats with ribbons. Jane Austen's cousin, Eliza de Feuillide, who knew about fashion at Versailles, explained these trends. Eliza also complained about the stiff fashions still worn at the English court. Dresses with hoop skirts and heavy silk fabrics were replaced by light muslin dresses. These dresses had petticoats to give them volume. This new style made women look more natural. It also became quite revealing, sometimes even scandalous.
Bath and London were the main fashion centers. When Jane Austen's characters talk about buying a dress, they mean buying the fabric. Then, they would take it to a dressmaker. The dressmaker would make the dress based on the latest London fashions. Fashion newspapers showed patterns for new dresses. Customers could ask for specific changes.
Homes and Interiors
The homes in Jane Austen's novels are all in southern England. Most are in places she knew personally. It was common in her time to see many different types of houses side by side. These houses came from different periods and had different statuses. The characters in her novels notice these differences.
Jane Austen's heroines live in various homes:
- Cottages (like Barton Cottage in Sense and Sensibility)
- Abbeys turned into large homes (like Northanger Abbey)
- Parks (mansions with large parks, like Mansfield Park)
- Courts (another type of mansion, like Sotherton Court)
- Halls (manors, like Uppercross Hall in Persuasion)
- Simple houses (like Longbourn House in Pride and Prejudice)
Catherine Morland is thrilled when she finds out Northanger is an abbey. She had hoped for something grand.
Some grand mansions had so many artworks that they were open to visitors as tourist attractions. In Austen's novels, only Pemberley and Sotherton Court are described this way.
The layout of these old grand homes was not always practical. Sotherton Court and Northanger Abbey had rooms that opened into each other. More modest but "modern" homes, like Longbourn, were better organized. Public rooms like dining rooms were on the ground floor. Private rooms like bedrooms were upstairs.
Inside the Homes
Interiors in Jane Austen's England varied greatly based on wealth and age. Walls were often covered with wallpaper. Wallpaper was cheaper than tapestries and became popular in the 18th century. Some beautiful wallpapers were imported from China. Wallpaper was a common decoration for the well-off. Edward Ferrars and Elinor, after marrying, look for wallpaper for their new home. Catherine Morland is disappointed to find wallpaper in her room at Northanger Abbey, expecting something more old and mysterious.
In fine 18th-century houses, wainscoting (wooden panels on the lower part of the wall) was popular. Only the upper part of the wall was papered. Paint, which was more expensive, was used in grand homes like Rosings Park. It allowed for contrasting colors, sometimes with gold accents.
Floors were often left bare if they were beautiful tile or wood. In the 18th century, handsome parquet floors might have a small Turkish rug in the center. New textile factories also made carpets that could cover the entire floor in reception rooms.
Windows varied too, from old leaded glass to modern sash windows. When Catherine Morland arrives at Northanger Abbey, she is upset to find that the reception rooms have modern windows with large, clear panes of glass. She had hoped for small, old, dirty windows.
Meals and Food
In Jane Austen's time, meals were eaten late. Breakfast was never before ten o'clock. This left time for activities before the first meal. Edward Ferrars in Sense and Sensibility walks to inspect his horses before breakfast.
After breakfast, there was no regular meal until dinner, which was never before three o'clock in the afternoon. However, light snacks like cold meats, cakes, and fruit were offered to visitors between these meals.
After dinner, tea was served around six or seven in the evening. This was a "high tea" with a light meal. The last meal of the day, supper, was eaten even later, around nine o'clock.
These times were already late for the early 18th century. Towards the end of the century, meal times became even later. Eating late was a sign of high social status. Jane Austen's characters show their social standing by eating later. At Barton Cottage, Mrs. Dashwood dines at four o'clock. General Tilney dines at six. The rich Caroline Bingley dines at half past six, and her supper is around midnight.
During dinner, guests were served two or three courses. All the dishes for a course were placed on the table at once. Guests helped themselves to what they wanted. These dishes could include soup, large pieces of meat or fish, poultry, vegetables, game, sauces, and cakes. After the first course, the table was cleared, and the second course was brought out. This course also had many dishes, both sweet and savory. Finally, dessert was served, with pastries, fruit, nuts, and dessert wines.
Having so many dishes required excellent housekeeping and cost a lot of money. The miserly Mrs. Norris in Mansfield Park was jealous of such abundance. She comforted herself by thinking some dishes must be cold. Frank Churchill and Emma Woodhouse in Emma had to stop their conversation during a meal because of a long wait between courses.
Country Life
Carriages and Travel
.png)
.jpg)
Carriages at this time traveled at an average speed of seven miles an hour. When General Tilney left Bath for Northanger, his "handsome, highly-fed four horses" traveled thirty miles at a steady pace. They stopped for a two-hour rest in between. Roads could be in poor condition, as Mrs. Norris noted between Mansfield and Sotherton. Sometimes, roads were even snowy. Only privileged people earning seven hundred to a thousand pounds a year could usually afford a carriage. Driving sporty gigs and curricles was mostly for fashionable, elite men.
See also
