Background and Historical References for Pride and Prejudice
Strictly speaking, the Regency is the period 1811-1820 when King George III was declared incapacitated (due to insanity), and the Prince of Wales (later George IV) acted as Regent. However, the term is often loosely used to cover the Directoire and Empire periods as well (one reason to do this is that these periods seem to group together as a unit socially -- for example the period of about 1795-1820 is when women's clothing styles were somewhat classically-influenced and relatively less cumbersome in basic outline. Some historians of architecture and antique furniture dealers also seem to use "Regency" as a loose term for everything between 18th-century and Victorian. While "Regency" is the word which best describes Jane Austen's writing career in purely chronological terms, this word has not traditionally been used to label a literary era (there is no conventionally-recognized "Regency" school of writers).
Whig or Tory: A brief explanation of political parties
Politics in the late eighteenth century England could be broadly divided into two diametrically opposed camps - Whigs and Tories. What separated them? Broadly defined, The Tories believed in the divine right of Kings to rule - that they were ordained by God. Whigs believed that the King was there at the request and goodwill of the ruling families of the country so could only continue to rule at their approval.
Despite their philosophical differences both parties were firmly entrenched in the political system of patronage and nepotism which meant seats in the lower house were essentially gained through patron's who were peers. An analysis of MP's in the late eighteenth century there were few actual 'commoners'and as one wit put it, it was a collection of younger brothers. This was for two reasons, first because suffrage was limited to property owning classes (and naturally only men) so not everyone was able to vote where they pleased. Secondly and more insidiously constituencies were also not fairly divided up by property so a disproportionate number of seats were held by a few influential men. There were somewhere around 300 boroughs affected by this patronage, they were known as Rotten or Pocket boroughs. Essentially it was not until the 1832 Reform that this system was reformed.
Politics was a family concern and marriages between children allied families for greater political influence. Lady Melbourne, one of the most famous political hostesses of her time was anxious to ally her family with the powerful and influential Whig family, the Cavendish's (dukes of Devonshire). She succeeded in marrying two of her sons into that family.
Marriage in Regency England
To get married during the Regency period you needed either to have a license, or the reading of the Banns to be legally married. There were three ways of doing this;
1 - Banns--read on 3 consecutive Sundays or Holy Days during Divine Service, immediately before the Offertory. Any minor needed to provide proof of parent's or guardian's consent. At least one of the marrying couple had to be resident in the parish which they wished to be married in; the banns of the other party were read in his/her parish of residence, and a certificate provided from the clergyman stating it was properly done. Banns were good for 3 months. The wedding had to take place in the church between 8 am and noon. Wording:
"I publish the Banns of marriage between Groom's Name of--his local parish--and Bride's Name of--her local parish. If any of you know cause or just impediment why these two persons should not be joined together in Holy matrimony, ye are to declare it. This is the first [second, third] time of asking."
If persons marrying came from separate parishes, the Banns were asked in both. The curate of one parish could not solemnize Matrimony without a certificate from the curate of the other stating the Banns had been "thrice asked".
2 - Common/Ordinary License - This could be obtained from any bishop or archbishop and meant the Banns need not be read - and so there was not the delay of two weeks. The same provisions as above applied for minors. A sworn statement was given that there was no impediment [parties were not related to one another in the prohibited degrees, proof of deceased spouse given]. The marriage was required to take place in church or chapel where one party has already lived for 4 weeks. It was also good for 3 months from date of issue. Cost of license: 10 shillings.
3 - Special License - Obtained from Doctors Commons in London, from the Archbishop of Canterbury or his representative. The difference between this and the Ordinary license was that it granted the right of the couple to marry at any convenient time or place. All other requirements were the same. Names of both parties were given at the time of the application. Cost: In 1808 a Stamp Duty was imposed on the actual paper, vellum or parchment the license was printed upon, of £4. In 1815, the duty increased to £5.
Fleet Marriages
When you read about Fleet Marriages, these were an earlier form of marriage which was stopped in 1753. From 1694 to 1754 it is estimated that some 2-300,000 of these marriages were performed. These were legally binding marriages (in both Common and Ecclesiastical Law) that took advantage of a loophole in Common Law which allowed people to be married by a simple exchange of vows. Fleet Prison was the best known place where these marriages could be performed, hence the name. They were attractive to people because they were legally binding, could be made without attracting the attention of others through the calling of the Banns or other notice, and they could be made without the any authority's consent (such as parents, masters etc). They were also cheaper than regular church marriages. Hardwicke's Marriage Act of 1753 put an end to them. The greatest concern had been for the issue of inheritance. Thus the new act specified that only marriages conducted in the Church of England by Banns or license and before witnesses were legal for people over the age of 21. Those under the age of 21 needed parental consent.
Scottish marriages
As Scotland was still governed by different laws it was still possible to contract marriages - 'over the anvil' on Scottish territory. A couple with neither parental approval nor of age could be married legally under Scottish law, thus the popular elopement to Gretna Green.
Marriage to Deceased Wife's sister
The prohibition on marrying your brother's wife comes from an Old Testament text: "If a man shall take his brother's wife, it is an impurity: he hath uncovered his brother's nakedness; they shall be childless." (Leviticus xx,21.) Now you might well notice that this could easily mean don't take your brother's wife _while he is alive_, but the medieval church interpreted it to mean that people could not marry their deceased spouse's sibling, at all and because the church did grant dispensations from the prohibition. There was no outright civil ban on these marriages in England although they were certainly discouraged, until the The Marriage Act of 1835. Up until this date these marriages were considered voidable (meaning either party could use the relationship as a reason to annul the marriage - or indeed anyone else might do so if they felt so moved) but were not void. The case of Charles Austen, the younger brother of Jane Austen is an example of this. In 1814 his first wife, Frances Palmer, died in childbirth. Being a naval officer, he left his surviving three daughters in the care of his wife's older sister Harriet. In 1817, Charles was returned to shore for several years (he did not get another ship until 1826.) In 1820, he and Harriet were married, and remained married for 32 years, until his death in 1852; Harriet died in 1869. They had 4 children, three sons and a daughter. After his marriage, Charles continued to rise in the navy without prejudice because of his marriage; in fact he captained several different ships, was named a Companion of the Bath in 1840, became a rear-admiral in 1846, and was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the East India and China Station in 1850. By then, of course, his marriage with Harriet had been officially sanctioned by the 1835 Marriage Act which closed the possibility of it being challenged under Canonical Law and made void. While it doesn't appear either her father or Charles' father opposed the marriage, it is suggested that the couple did go to France to be married.
In case you are unable to read the styles they are -Top row - left to right - The Oriental, the Mathematical,the Osbaldston
second line - Napolean, American, Mailcoach
third line - Trone d'amour, The Irish, Ballroom
Fourth line - Horse collar, Hunting, Maharata
botttom line - Gordion knot, Barrel knot
Men’s Fashion
The Dandies were no prissy class of gentlemen, or mincing walkers as their elegant forebears, the Macaroni's, had been. They were the well dressed, witty and elegant men of a new generation. Led by George 'Beau' Brummell. They are mostly remembered now for their sartorial dress, but in fact the group of men were also known at the time for their wit, amiability and loyalty.
The Neckcloth, under the influence of Beau Brummell the finely arranged cravat became the sign of the truly fashionable man.
The Duke of Wellington was nicknamed 'the Dandy' by his men for his satorial elegance on the field, and was known to dress for his battles in grey greatcoat with a cape and a white cravat. This was unusual for the time as military men generally used a black stock. Napoleon, who respected the Duke and attempted to imitate his style, changed his own black stock for a white cravat on the day of the battle at Waterloo, not apparently with an increase in his fortunes.
White linen was the traditional material for neckcloths, however after the Beau's flight to France other colours became acceptable.
Starch was an essential element in neckcloths until the 1820's when the styles such as 'The Byron' were draped and softer. This style did not really gain popularity until the 1830's.
The Neckclothitania (pictured to the right) was published in 1818 and showed some of the popular styles of the day. It was published as partly as a satirical document, but it provided information on the styles that were actually affected at the time. Styles such as the Mail Coach were so bulky as to be almost ridiculous and completely at odd's with Brummell's original ideals. He did not affect extremes of fashion, but believed that style was essential in the quality of ones linen rather than the extremity of it. Another difference by 1818 was the colours were becoming fashionable in neckcloths, in Brummell's day, the only acceptable colour for man's neck-cloth was blanc d'innocence virginale , the purest white.
His collar was copied and grew to extreme heights that covered the ears and were held away from the neck by whale bone stiffeners, and meant men could no longer turn their heads to see, but had to turn their entire bodies. It did however spawn an industry of publications and experts who taught men of fashion how to tie their cravats.
There were, of course, cravat styles for members of certain clubs, The Whip, the Barouche, the Defiance and the 'Four-in-Hand'. The Four-in-Hand is the basis of the style of neck tie that every man now wears.
Women’s Fashion
The period from the mid 1790's to about 1820 (which included all of Jane Austen's adult life) seems to have been pretty much the only one between the middle ages and the 20th century when women's clothing styles, in the predominantly Protestant and Catholic countries of Europe, were neither corseted or tightly-fitted from the waist up; nor hoop-skirted, crinolined, heavily full-skirted, or bustled below. Later (Victorian) authors such as Charlotte Brontë and Mrs. Gaskell sneered at the "scanty petticoats" of this period, but to our eyes these clothes generally seem much less burdensome (and much more like something somebody would actually wear in real life, instead of at a costume party) than the styles of the Victorian era.
In other words, because the basic pattern/design of women's Regency clothing styles wasn't conspicuously anti-functional, an upper- or middle-class woman could often choose to wear clothes that were not very restrictive, and still look decent and somewhat fashionable -- something which was not true of the Victorian period or most of the eighteenth century. However, this doesn't mean that the Regency styles -- to some degree practical in their basic outline or construction -- were free from the possibility of significant adornment and elaboration (which sometimes could result in impractical fashion excesses). It was also true that Regency hemlines weren't any shorter than several inches above the ankle at most, and were usually longer -- which was not very convenient for walking through mud (as Elizabeth Bennet discovered when she walked to Netherfield to visit her sick sister Jane...).
The high-waisted Regency styles (or "short-bodied", as they were called at the time) focused attention away from the natural waist, and so counteracted against the tendency to constrict the natural waist which manifested itself in the fashionable women's clothes of almost all other periods from the 16th century until the beginning of World War I (and especially strongly during most of the 18th and 19th centuries, in the periods which surrounded the Regency).