Social Beliefs In Regency Society In The Regency Era

Castiglione's The Courtier presents a set of female and male indications for being ideal or well-rounded persons, spread across four books of what was to become a Renaissance-specific manual for achieving the human etiquette ideal. A parallel is to be traced between these precepts that were drawn five centuries ago, and the current situation.

As a result of these social classes, different ranks had designated attire that was regulated by Parliament (“Elizabethan Era”). Sumptuary laws regulated how extravagantly people of the various classes could dress (“Daily Life”). The wealthier classes indulged in meat while the lower classes ate eggs, bread, and dairy (“Daily Life”). None of the classes drank water due to impurity (“Daily Life”). Instead, they drank wine, flat beer, or weak ale (“Daily Life”). In the lower class, families were seen as working units (“Daily Life”). The son usually took after the father’s career (“Daily Life”). Wealthier families had enough money to pay servants to do work for them (“Daily Life”). These servants lived with the family (“Daily Life”).

The only way young women could find economic security in early 19th century England was through marriage. Personal wealth was important for a man looking for a wife as well. It was clear in the novel that Catherine’s inherent wealth was an important factor in deciding if John Thorpe, one of Catherine’s love interests, wanted to marry her. Austen describes Catherine’s family as average, or middle class, as she describes Catherine’s father as, “a clergyman, without being neglected, or poor, and a very respectable man” (15). Although Catherine is described in this way, John assumes her wealth because of her connections with the Allen family.

Not exclusively were there noteworthy varieties among Native, African, and European ladies, yet there were contrasts inside each gathering. Local American ladies enveloped maybe the wealthiest social variety. But Africans, too, spoke to different languages and social group. Among European ladies, too, refinements emerged. Between first and second era pilgrims, there were significant contrasts in personal satisfaction, particularly in the southern provinces. Past that, ethnic, religious, and local contrasts demonstrated effective determinants of ladies' lawful and financial circumstances. And by the mid-eighteenth century, class both in developing urban communities and in the estate districts of the south had ended up as imperative as whatever other element that molded ladies'

Wealth is the average picture of the good life. Many in this world stride to become wealthy and live a luxurious life. Being wealthy determines a certain lifestyle considering the way you live and even where you live. If you were to look up wealth in a dictionary it would say wealth is an abundance of money. Gatsby the main character of the book The Great Gatsby written by F. Scott Fitzgerald just so happens to be living the wealthy lifestyle. In the book it shows many different types of lifestyles during this era. Another character that goes by the name Tom Buchanon lives on a large property. They describe his home as “more elaborate than I expected, a cheerful red-and-white Georgian Colonial mansion…” (Fitzgerald 6). Which at this time is rare to own. His house is large and elegant he had a large inheritance of money that he used for the “look” of his family. Then to see the other side of the world there was a place called the “valley of ashes” that has no wealth at all this is where Wilson and Myrtle lived. It was explained as “....a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys….” (Fitzgerald 23). This is how Fitzgerald describes the poor side of town. The valley of ashes is the dirty and poor industrial zone back then. There were many ties between the different groups back then of West Egg and East Egg.

The first two sentences, as opening lines of the book, indicate the significance of gender roles in the novel. The quotations serve to illustrate that the economics in the 19th century was very generous towards men and the fact that wealthy single men are obligated to be wanted by women who are in the same neighborhood to cover their insecurity. This gender insecurity causes women regardless their wealth to seek husbands to rely on. It is the reason that even though women, as well as men, own the right to inherit money, they refuse to live independently. Men inherit a fascinating lifestyle that is more beneficial than having a lump sum of money. Austen in the novel told readers precisely who has inherited what: The Miss Bingleys are worth £20,000 while their brother has an annual four or five. Miss Darcy’s fortune is £30,000, her brother’s £10,000 per annum. And Mrs. Bennet has a total of £4,000 while her husband

The three major categories that have been mentioned, respect, leadership, and social image, were the ways that a person with a high ranking of social order would act in public and within their own homes. The Book of The Courtier by Baldassar Castiglione was the base of the modern day books on proper etiquette; yet, the rules are now not only for the rich but also for the

Since many people were jostling to get into upper society, certain rules regarding etiquette and dress

The Renaissance Era was widely influenced by many of the playwrights and literary geniuses of this time. The way people spoke, acted, or treated others was incredibly different from our societal “norms”. For each citizen there was a certain level of maturity, poise, and etiquette expected of them.The three social classes consisted of the Clergy( or the church), the nobles and ruling class, and the peasants, merchants, and townspeople. People of the Renaissance era valued extremely different ideas of behavior , romantically, at the table, or even just as everyday common courtesy.

Manners were also very important in the Regency era. Woman were judged on how they behaved in public and one little mistake could cause extreme embarrassment. They were expected to “possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions”v.

Wealth served a major role between the classes and placement of citizens within them. The queen or the monarch was the richest and flaunted her wealth with items and luxuries such as jewelry and gold (“The Social Structure in Elizabethan England”). The

Their limited education consisted of needlework, fine handwriting, singing, dancing, playing piano, and reading (3). Marriage at this time was the only thing that could give a woman any sense of security. If their fathers were to die, it was custom that only the eldest son could inherit the money and property. Unfortunately, if the family did not have a male son the land would be given to the closet male relative, which left the women in a very delicate position. Austen show’s readers this aspect of her society by having the Bennet sisters in the same situation. Without a male sibling their land and home will be entailed to a Mr. Collins. If Mr. Bennet were to die, his five daughters and his wife would be left homeless or at the charity of others because Mr. Collins would not have it in his heart to let them reside in the house with him. Their only way to escape this fate would be to get married. However, there was many obstacles that middle class young women had to deal with that kept young suitors uninterested. One was their social station. The society of this time was so stratified that even one class could be broken down into more distinctions of rank (2). The people did not often marry outside of their social rank, which left middle class women with middle class men. Unfortunately, money also played a big part in the determination of whether

Alongside Isabella, Catherine begins to learn the ways of the world, though never losing her simplicity or honesty. She discovers that countless people are defined by their wealth and status. Many of the characters that Catherine interacts with are preoccupied with material possessions, such as General Tilney, father of Henry and Eleanor. The General wants nothing more than for his children to marry into wealthy families and continually asks Catherine to compare his own home and gardens to those of Mr. Allen, “With a triumphant smile of self-satisfaction, the General wished he could do the same, for her never entered his (gardens), without being vexed in some way or other, by its falling short of his plan” (167). Austen points out how General Tilney must compare himself to someone inferior to him in order to boast to Catherine about his own majestic gardens. During her stay in Bath, Catherine discovers the intricacies and ennui’s of high society and marriage. She learns that it is not proper for a woman to be seen riding in an open carriage with a man who she is not engaged to and that often, women marry for money, rarely for love. Money often determines social and economic class. Class in 1798 England is central to the overriding marriage concerns which govern society. In order for Catherine to maintain her reputation and in time, attract a man to be her husband, she must learn to read the character

Over the years, society has created and recreated different ideas of what is considered socially acceptable and what customs to follow on a daily basis. These ideas are constantly changing and renewing themselves, making even last year’s behavioral habits seem crude. For instance, life in Elizabethan England contrasted with how life is now because people acted differently, dressed differently, spoke differently, and in a general, broader sense, they lived differently. Because people grow and change and learn from their previous mistakes, Elizabethan customs are practically obsolete due to their lack of effectiveness or rather the lack of need for them to continue.

A significant aspect of daily life and household management for 18th Century are rooted in a social hierarchy. Within a residence, there are members of the family and hired service staff, which could range in magnitude contingent upon financial means and a physical necessity for proper operation and management. Though men serve significant roles, women and girls execute significant and extensive duties during the day-to-day domestic chores. In homes of humble means, women were to fulfill the expected daily tasks, typically delegated amongst several employed workers in a larger service structure. The status of the family and the position of the job