A modern day love story: Prince William and Kate Middleton
Why has this match fascinated the public?
• Society is still interested in many of the same things, the same universal themes : • Interest in royalty, people with status• A rich eligible bachelor • Marriage • Evaluating the worth of others
– “Kate Middleton’s mother may have been a cause of the split with Prince William….various newspapers reported that multiple social faux pas committed by Middleton’s mother…did nothing to endear her to the future king’s friends and family…reports suggest that William’s inner circle did not believe her to be sufficiently upper class” (peopledaily.com)
PRIDE AND PREJUDICEA BRIEF INTRODUCTION
– Austen began writing First Impressions in 1796– P & P is published in 1813– Transitional period, straddles two centuries
• Setting: rural county in Southern England• Character variety: social, educational and
economic statuses • Satire, comedy of manners, comedy of errors
Historical Context• 1789: Fall of Bastille: uprising of lower class against societal
institutions• 1792: Mary Wollstonecraft published A Vindication of the Rights of
Woman “to persuade women to endeavor to acquire strength, both of mind
and body, and to convince them that the soft phrases, susceptibility of the heart, delicacy of sentiment and refinement of taste are almost synonymous with epithets of weakness”
• 1793: Reign of Terror begins • 1794: Austen’s cousin in law beheaded• 1813: Pride and Prejudice published
• The Industrial Revolution: opportunities resulted in a more influential middle class – Revolutionary for individual rights– Rise of the novel, larger middle class, increase in literacy among
women, servants and middle class
Focal Point 1:
British Class System 18th and 19th Century • Aristocracy: nobility • Gentry: upper middle
class• Trade: middle class
Today • Royalty• Upper• Middle• Lower /Working
• The novelist, and especially Jane Austen, always cares [about social class] because it is the business of the novel to represent people - not exclusively, but prominently - in their social roles, and to be precise about the differences between them….Austen… goes in for fine distinctions, whether between degrees of quality of mind in her characters or the fine shades of difference in their social standing. But to say so much is not to contend that she approved of the bastions of privilege in her very hierarchical society, or resisted the changes towards freer movement between the classes that she saw happening around her….Austen was no snob, though she knew all about snobbery.
- Scholar Juliet McMaster
Focal Point 2:
Societal Decorum and Improprieties
• Social etiquette: – rude behavior is unacceptable, scrutinized– People who ignore or misinterpret social
expectations are viewed as ridiculous, ignorant – Those who observe social protocol are sensible,
well-bred, and classy• Look for Austen’s suggestions of social laws
that need revising
Focal Point 3: Marriage
• Especially important for an 18th century woman• There was an emphasis on men and women to
marry well and to marry a reputable partner, thus there are requirements for eligible marriage partners for upper classes.– Requirements included…?– Marital Expectations included…?
• How are Austen’s view towards marriage revealed? Satirical vs. hopeful?
Focal Point 4:Women
• Challenges?• Opportunities?• Limitations?• Legal rights?
• Economic dependence: women don’t inherit anything from their families
• Limited employment opportunities
• What happens to an unmarried women whose father dies?• To what degree is obsession with wealthy suitors understandable
and acceptable in this society? • Consider a feminist reading of this book
Estate Entailment
• To limit the passage of an estate to a specified line of heirs, preferably male relatives
• A predetermined order of succession where one’s (a man’s) property goes to next male relative
• Think of the succession to the throne in the British Monarchy: men inherit over women
• Mr. Bingley, Bennet family, Mr. Darcy– Who has an estate?
Bennet Order of Succession
Great Grandpa BennettI I
Grandpa Bennet Great Aunt Bennet I I
Our Mr. Bennet Mr. Collins II
------------------------------------------------------- I I I I I Jane Elizabeth Mary Kitty Lydia
Current Order of SuccessionThe British Monarch
1. Prince Charles of Wales– 2. Prince William of Wales– 3. Prince Harry of Wales4. Andrew Windsor: The Duke of York
5. - Princess Beatrice of York* 6. - Princess Eugenie of York*
7. Edward Windsor: The Earl of Wessex8. Anne Laurence: The Princess Royal
9. Peter Phillips10. Zara Phillips
* Virtually impossible
