The Regency Interpreter on Pride and Prejudice, part 2

The Regency Interpreter, part 2

Regency InterpreterP&P copyA few years ago, my husband and I were able to attend a performance of Japanese Kabuki theater company. The performance was in Japanese, so the entire audience had headsets that allowed an interpreter in translate the performance for us. His little tidbits added so much to the performance and helped us enjoy it far more than we otherwise would have. I have found myself offering the same service to my family when we watch period movies, particularly Regency era ones. When my boys studied Pride and Prejudice in high school, I watched with them and explained an entire subtext that they were entirely unaware of. While they made some noises about appreciating it, I’m not sure how welcome my interpreting was to them.

But you, gracious readers, are an entirely different class all together! You share my joy and fascination with all things Regency. I cannot wait to sit down and watch Pride and Prejudice with you who will allow me to have my share of the conversation and not give me rolled eyes and pats on the head for it.

In case you missed Part 1, click here to find it.

Episode 1 part 3

In the opening sequence, we see Bingley walking Jane back to her friends, as any proper gentleman would  at the end of a dance. Though amiable, he he is not demonstrating any great favor, just showing his all around good manners. The same good manners are the reason he scolds Darcy for not dancing. Gentlemen were expected to dance with a variety of partners throughout the evening and Darcy’s refusal to do so is an insult to the entire community of Meryton and a display of notably bad manners.  The also explains Bingley’s irritation with him. Darcy’s concern about ‘giving consequence to young ladies’ was not unfounded though. He was so eligible a bachelor that he had to be very aware of raising expectations among single women.

The public laughter we hear next must have been further proof to Darcy of the very unacceptable country manners of Meryton.  In general, such public displays were considered unladylike and ill-befitting proper society.  Even the broad smiles worn by many of the young ladies bordered on too much of a display to be considered polite.

Back at home, as the assembly is recapped we see Lydia’s atrocious posture–a lady should always keep herself upright and not lounge about. However, Lydia is not exaggerating, the style of dancing they enjoyed was a strenuous exercise and to have danced all the dances mean that she would have been hopping, skipping and jumping about the assembly hall for several hours. Exhausting activity indeed.

That she and Kitty danced every dance is a mark of their popularity as typically men outnumbered women at these evens and many young ladies had to sit out, like Mary, for lack of partners. Mrs. Bennet’s ill-humored pronouncements regarding Mr. Darcy, though extreme sounding, were probably echoed throughout Meryton for his insults to the community.

Miss Bingley keeping house for her brother is a very significant role.  In keeping house, Miss Bingley will effectively run most of his social interaction and interaction in the community. Most social invitations for teas, dinners and parties will be made by her.  She will largely control who is admitted into Netherfield’s society and who is not . It seems Miss Bingley’s desire to allow Jane Bennet into that circle stems mostly from a desire to tease Mr. Darcy than true affection for Jane–a decision she will later come to regret.

The last sequence takes up to the garden to eavesdrop on a conversation between Jane and Lizzy. Notice how both of them are in the garden wearing white gowns and lace fichus. Wearing white was a mark of wealth, it indicated that the family could afford the servants and the soap necessary to keep such an impractical color clean. Lace covers at the neckline were worn during the day, though for evening necklines could plunge quite deeply and still be considered appropriate.

Episode 1 part 4

 

As we start part 4,  we see Lucas Lodge filled with guests for a party. Sir William tells the Bingley sisters of the easiness that they enjoy. Ironically, it is likely that this very boast continues to poison the Bingley sisters against Meryton, for without ceremony and formality, how is one to know their place and to make it known to others?  Such ceremony was the very foundation of society and to flaunt the lack of it might be considered very gauche indeed.

Though speculating about potential matches and gentlemen’s incomes was commonplace, Mrs. Bennet demonstrates a great want of manners in doing so so loudly, in a large gathering.  Such gossip was considered unseemly and certain should not take place where there might be an audience.  Poor Lizzy, looking on in such discomfort, clearly knows this only too well.

Colonel Forster mentions the warm welcome his militia regiment has received.  Often militia regiments were not so well received. Since the regiment would be in town only a short time, their ranks often took advantage of local merchants and local ladies. They were out of town before the consequences caught up with them.  Although the officer were supposed to come from landowning families, many times it was difficult to fill the lower ranks. Men like Wickham, who were not gentlemen, could purchase a place in cadre of militia officers and pass themselves off as a gentleman though they did not actually deserve the title. Wise families kept a wary eye on officers where their daughters were concerned.

Though Sir William’s offer to introduce the Bingley ladies at court is well intended it does brand him as a bit of a backward country fellow.  Though titled, he has little wealth and what he has came from keeping shop.  Clearly he takes pride in his status and his local community allows him to.  However, the Bingleys, with their far greater wealth are already admitted to far better society than Sir Lucas enjoys.

This is further evidenced by the presence of the presumable Lucas children at the gathering.  Children of this age would generally not be permitted in company. Their presence suggests Sir William and Lady Lucas are not very attentive to the proper upbringing of their children who are too young to be ‘out’ in society.

Lydia and Kitty, though, once again demonstrate their own lack of preparation to be in society when the refer to ‘Denny’ and ‘Saunderson’. A proper young lady would never drop the use of ‘Mr.’, especially not on such short acquaintance.  The degree of familiarity they demonstrate is most unbecoming. Lydia only compounds the dreadful scene with her rude demands of Mary to play a dance, overstepping her role as guest in the Lucas’s home.

Charlotte’s famous speech to Lizzy reflects a most practical and common approach to marriage the era. It is Lizzy, not Charlotte whose ideas border on ridiculous.

When Lizzy refuses to dance with Mr. Darcy, she effectively states she will not dance the entire evening.  In a private setting, if one refused one partner, she could not dance with anyone.  The same stricture was not applied in a public setting, like the previous assembly, when  young lady risked being approached by a young man to whom she had not been introduced.  Without a proper introduction, a young lady could not accept an invitation to dance. Moreover, the mixed company of a public ball made it possible for inappropriate partners to make invitations to dance, so a lady was allowed to refuse without giving up dancing all together.

Part four ends with the Bingley sisters inviting Jane to dine at Netherfield. Mrs. Bennet snatches the letter away from Jane and reads it.  While letters were commonly read aloud, it was considered very bad manners to read someone else’s mail yourself.  Often times letter writers would indicate through underlines or other marks parts of a letter which should not be read aloud. Reading aloud protected privacy for the author and the recipient of the letter. Clearly Mrs. Bennet does not have much concern for that in her home.  Not does she care for propriety when she instructs Jane to ride horseback to Netherfield.  A proper lady did not ride alone, she required an escort to protect her reputation.

Despite their fine manners and elegant table, the Bingley sisters also demonstrate little concern for good manners when they ply Jane with all manner of very personal questions, none of which are appropriate on so short an acquaintance.

I have probably waffled on long enough for now. So what do you think? What any of this new to you. Did I miss something just screaming for attention? Let me know in the comments!

Enhanced by Zemanta

19 comments on “The Regency Interpreter, part 2”

    1. Sophia Rose
      LOL! I love how you pulled out so many little things that would have been blatantly obvious to contemporaries, but that to us are more subtle things that we miss. The wearing ‘day whites’ to display wealth is a new one for me. Thanks for the fascinating movie break down, Maria.

        1. Maria Grace
          So glad I was able to pull in something new for you.

    1. Aurora
      I enjoyed reading your explanations (without rolling eyesjavascript:grin(‘:grin:’)). Thank you for writing it.

        1. Maria Grace
          It’s great to share it with someone who is actually interested in it all! LOL

    1. Erin
      That was very entertaining and I thoroughly enjoyed reading every bit of it! Keep it up! :-)

        1. Maria Grace
          Thanks, Erin, I will definitely continue this series.

    1. karana
      Some things I knew and some things I didn’t so you have just given me further fuel to pass it on when I am watching P&P with anyone…which no one in my house will do. I love Jane’s quote in summer disregarding my color choices, “A woman all in white is never overdressed” but I did not know not everyone could afford white. Thanks. Looking forward to more tidbits from you.

        1. Maria Grace
          Glad to have added to your trivia collection! :mrgreen:

    1. Stephanie L
      Several items here were new to me. The wearing of white is one for sure. Very interesting stuff! No eyerolling here, I always appreciate a better understanding :grin:

        1. Maria Grace
          Thanks so much Stephanie!

    1. Diana
      You do such an excellent job of explaining these things. Having done a lot of reading and research about the era, I have also found myself in the same position of explaining things when watching the films, but yes, you did share something new. I had previously read that refusing to dance always sidelined you for at least two sets (an hour) if not the whole evening. The differentiation between a private and public dance was new to me, but does make perfect sense. You are a fount of knowledge!

        1. Maria Grace
          Glad to know I’m not the only one who does this!

    1. Lúthien84
      There are numerous tidbits that I’m not aware of or that I know but didn’t interpret it that way. One such example is Miss Bingley’s motive to get to know Jane Bennet better is from a desire to tease Mr. Darcy than true affection for Jane. I thought the Bingley sisters tolerated Jane because she is the only female in Meryton society who is of their social standing and has a sweet temper that is agreeable to the Netherfield company.Then there is your comment on declining to dance in public assembly does not mean that the lady has to sit out the rest of the dances. I know this is true in a private setting but does the same rule not apply for public assembly?

        1. Maria Grace
          The difference between a public and private dance is pretty significant. In a public setting, anyone, no matter what their social class, who can afford a ticket may attend the dance. Thus lady my be confronted with gentlemen to which she is not officially introduce and to those who are beneath her. To be able to decline in a public setting is really necessity.In a private dance, everyone is assumed to be acquainted and to be of the same standing. Refusing a young man under those circumstance might be considered an insult and thus had more serious repercussions to the young lady.

            1. Lúthien84
              I see. Thanks for elaborating on this. Now it has entered my brain and I hope I won’t forget it or else I will challenge this point again at some other place. :grin:

    1. junewilliams7
      I love your posts! I always learn so much. Re a lady being able to refuse a partner at a public setting: what about Almack’s, or an assembly in Bath? You didn’t just pay money to be admitted to Almack’s; you also had to be approved by the patronesses. Were they considered public or private?Which questions did the Bingley sisters ask Jane that were too personal? I can imagine that sharp-tongued Lizzy might have said something if she had been there.Thank you for sharing your insight!

    1. junewilliams7
      I just thought of something you wrote in your earlier post. At the Meryton Assembly where Mrs. Bennet rudely spoke to Darcy without an introduction and then Darcy walked away, shouldn’t Lizzy have been embarrassed about her mother’s very bad manners? Should she have understood that Darcy was just trying to get away from an awkward situation?

    1. Kathy
      Thanks for another informative post! Without knowing many of these rules of society, for me, a modern reader, the youngest Bennet daughters just seem shallow and flighty, but not necessarily ill-bred — and Mrs. Bennet seems embarrassing and tactless but not overly mortifying. Before knowing these rules, Darcy’s and the Bingley sisters’ criticism of their comportment is a bit much, but seeing just how out of bounds they are by Regency standards makes it much clearer why their behavior gave them some cause for alarm. Likewise, I wonder if the Regency-era reader would have had some suspicion about Wickham as a potential evil-doer in the story, given the poor reputations of militias as you’ve described.

    1. Susan Adriani
      Maria, your post gave so much insight into Regency life and manners. Thanks so much!

5 comments

Skip to comment form

    • Anji on February 17, 2014 at 2:52 am
    • Reply

    Thanks for re-posting this, Maria. As someone who missed it first time around, it’s great to be able to catch up on things like this.

    I hadn’t been aware of the reputation that militia carried around with them. Mre Bennet remarks at a later date that she herself had been fond of a red coat in her youth so her upbringing must have been somewhat lax as well. It isn’t suprising then that her daughters, especially the two youngest, had no idea to be what they could be letting themselves in for.

    1. I found it interesting to learn about the militia’s reputation as well. I think it is amazing how much more I understand P&P knowing some of the history surrounding it.

    • Carol Settlage on February 17, 2014 at 10:14 am
    • Reply

    I too am really enjoying learning the mores of those times, which add so much to the story! Thank you for re-posting it! In Mansfield Park the comment is made, “A woman can never be too fine while she is all in white.” It was when Fanny was going to her first invited dinner at the Grants with Edmond. Is that connected to the wearing white you mentioned above, or was he just paying her a compliment?

    1. Yes it is connected. I actually have done this same Regency Interpreter on Mansfield park on m own website. I have a couple installments left to go one it, but I hope to bring it here eventually.

      In Fanny’s case, it was also a recognition of how she had risen in her uncle’s esteem. Until that point, she had dressed very drab compared to her cousins. To be given a white dress what in a way to raise her to a similar status as her cousins, Maria and Julia.

      Thanks for a great questions, Carol!

    • Sheila L. M. on February 21, 2014 at 7:32 pm
    • Reply

    I see the lace issue has now been addressed. Learning something new about wearing white…I thought it had to be worn by new debutantes or unmarried young ladies going out into public. However, it was a sign of wealth. So many of the historical romances interpret it as I have stated…seems these other authors also need to study up on mores, etc.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.