Pride And Prejudice By Jane Austen

Jane Austen’s time was known as the Regency period, the eighteenth century, and society’s classes had a certain etiquette to follow considering manners, courtships, and marriages. While the same was true to word for the levels of society, some subtle, or not so subtle, differences regarding these norms presented themselves throughout the 18th century. For example: arranged marriages, subtle flirting, courtship manners, and etiquettes. Thankfully, in this day and age, courtship isn’t as strict or controlled. If this is a good or bad depends on how desperate one or both parties are.

In the topic of courtships, a lady would never make the first move, and would only call upon a man unprovoked for a business matter. If stepping out of the boundaries of propriety, it would be susceptible to bring shame onto her family. Manners of requesting courtship and flirting, the gentleman would bring fresh wildflowers picked right from the field, sit in a drawing room with the intended to allow her to draw his silhouette or wind wool thread over the hand, or sing a duet in a pianoforte. A common flirting technique used by ladies would be to drop their handkerchief: either to have a man

The lady’s family or chaperones would be guarding like hawks, and it was considered damage-worthy of the lady’s reputation if the couple were to dine together alone. The only private chats they had access to were at parties, during the dances. Also, tipsy drinks would never be given to a lady. Watered down drinks, such as elderberries, and orange wine would be given to her instead. In addition, to relationships, women never had the chance to gain much of an upper hand. Of course, some worked the relationship behind the scenes through subtle manipulation, or simply be passive and await cues from her suitors or their families to advance the relationship. Those hasty ladies were considered