Pride and Prejudice social Background?

Question: Pride and Prejudice social Background!?

I need help finding information on etiquette, manners, social hierarchy, marriage, role of women, jobs etc at the time of the novel!.

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Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

This book is set during the Regency period, around 1810!. Women were very much second class citizens, and only men could inherit land and property!. This is why Mrs Bennet, with 5 daughters, is so eager to marry them off, they can't inherit the estate on the death of their father, it must by law go to the closest male relative, who is the odious Mr Collins!.

Although both Mr Darcy and Elizabet Bennet come from good families, his is higher ranked than hers, which is why he has to do so much souls searching!. To marry so far beneath him in those days would be social suicide!.

Women of their rank would not work!. Only lower class women would work, as servants or farm hands!. Those from the middle classes or aristocracy were expected to be basically amusing baby machines, educated in needlework and playing a musical instrument!. They were of course expected to remain virgins until their wedding night, and one wayward daughter could destroy the good name of an entire family!.

Gentlemen were expected to behave with courtesy toward such women at all times but lower peasant class women could cheerfully be treated as whores and usually were!.

Marriage among the wealthy classes was frequently arranged, remember Darcy was promised to someone as a child simply to keep the aristocratic line going!. Lady Catherine de Burgh was probably based on similar women that Jane Austen had met!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

can i suggest getting a pride and prejudice guide book
letts or york notes
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