Significance of Location in Pride and Prejudice

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1 Significance of Location in Pride and Prejudice

2 Significance of Journeys
The majority of action within the story takes place indoors, centering around the Bennet household. Long journeys & short trips initiate change within the novel. The journeys bring people together and reveal their true feelings and character within. As such, most of the locations are symbols

3

4 A Guided Tour of Pride and Prejudice
We will review who lives where and major events at each location. Accordingly, we will identify what these locations might symbolize.

5 Residence of the Bennet family
Village of Longbourn Residence of the Bennet family

6 Longbourn Estate Facts Key Events
Located one mile from Meryton Village Estate of £2000 per year To “entail” means to leave the bulk of one’s wealth to the oldest male heir Key Events Main place of action within Bennet Family Mr. Collins’s visit and proposal to Elizabeth The Gardiners visit at Christmastime Jane gets engaged to Bingley

7 Netherfield Park Residence of the Bingleys

8 Netherfield Park Facts Key Events
Mansion coveted by inhabitants of surrounding villages Located three miles from the Longbourn Estate Key Events Jane’s illness & extended visit Mr. Bingley’s ball Departure of the Bingleys & Darcy to London Return to Netherfield to court Jane (and Lizzy)

9 Lucas Lodge “ He had removed with his family to a house about a mile from Meryton, ... where he could think with pleasure of his own importance, and, unshackled by business, occupy himself solely in being civil to all the world.”

10 Lucas Lodge Facts Key Events
Situated one mile from Meryton Village in close proximity to Longbourn Estate Characterized by its modest and humble appearance Key Events Miss Bennets visit to gossip about Meryton Ball Mr. Collins pursues his courtship of Charlotte Lucas

11 Meryton Village

12 Meryton Village Opening ball and assembly held here
Key Events Opening ball and assembly held here The Bennet sisters make several visits to Mrs. Phillips & the militia regiment

13 London Largest city in 1800 Loose morals in all levels of society
Prosperity and Squalor- Industrial Revolution Move to suburbs Actual street names

14 London Key Events: Mr. Bingley and entourage sojourn
Jane visits Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner Lydia and Wickham’s hideout

15 Search for Lydia & Wickham
In the end, Darcy manages to preserve the Bennet family honor.

16 Rosings The residence of Lady Catherine de Bourgh

17 Rosings Lady de Bourgh’s dinner parties
Darcy and Elizabeth see each other during park walks Elizabeth receives the letter from Darcy

18 Hunsford Mr. Collins’s Patronage Key Events:
Elizabeth visits Mr. Collins and Charlotte Mr. Darcy frequently visits Elizabeth Colonel Fitzwilliam rejects her Mr. Darcy proposes Mr. Collins’s Patronage

19 Elizabeth visits Charlotte
While visiting Charlotte and Mr. Collins at Hunsford, Elizabeth encounters Darcy at Rosings. This leads to Darcy’s first proposal to Elizabeth.

20 Jane Austen to Cassandra
Brighton “I assure you that I dread the idea of going to Brighton as much as you do, but I am not without hopes that something may happen to prevent it.” Jane Austen to Cassandra Popular British seaside resort

21 Brighton Key Events: Militia from –shire camps
Lydia visits and elopes with Wickham

22 Brighton Seaside bathing, seawater drinking
George III in Weymouth, George IV builds Royal Pavilion High Travel Costs

23 The Lake Country Rugged and scenic

24 The Lake Country One of England’s few mountainous regions

25 The Lake Country Called “the Lakes”
Made famous in early 1800s by William Wordsworth Gardiners & Elizabeth familiar with his poetry

26 Pemberley Lyme Park in the BBC version “At that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberley might be something!”

27 “Pemberley” Lyme Park in BBC version Seat of Legh family for 600 years
Built gradually Now English National Park

28 “Pemberley” Chatsworth in new movie version
Home of Duke & Duchess of Devonshire One of largest private homes in England Possibly Austen’s inspiration for Pemberley, mentioned in novel

29 “[Pemberley] possesses a character and a style of its own, representing freedom without excess, restraint without austerity, and generosity without ostentation.” -Walter Anderson

30 Pemberley More than an estate
Symbolic of “good” tradition beauty intelligence virtue Comparable to Darcy: established tradition that cannot be purchased or intimidated very good taste

31 Elizabeth visits Pemberley
Elizabeth’s affection for Darcy grows as they spend time together.

32 Gretna Green “I am going to Gretna Green, and if you cannot guess with who, I shall think you a simpleton...”

33 Gretna Green’s Reputation
Lord Hardwicke’s Marriage Act (1753) declared that marriages between people under 21 required parental consent. Elopers traveled to Scotland, where the age of consent was 14 for males and 12 for females. Gretna Green was on the border and often the first village they came to, and it thus became infamous.

34 Newcastle Located in Northumberland in the northeast
Lydia & Wickham essentially exiled here City of industry, new wealth St. Nicholas Cathedral Built in 1400s Lydia and Wickham