I, like many of you wonderful readers, love Jane Austen’s novels (Northanger Abbey is my favourite novel, and I reread it at least once a year) and the wider Regency period. It is an easier period to follow as there are a lot of visible cues when you are looking at art (or watching a period drama) and there are also written clues (Prinny/Prince Regent is always the give-away, of course). However, that often leads to a very romantic view of the period. This week’s Book Bite is a book that takes us into the harder realities of Jane Austen’s world, particularly for women, and I think it is a much-needed companion. Let’s get into The Dark Side of Jane Austen’s World by Angela Youngman!
Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
The Dark Side of Jane Austen’s World, Angela Youngman
Jane Austen’s novels are read all over the globe, and adaptations of her works have graced both film and TV screens. Although sometimes criticised for being detached from the real world, providing nothing more than light-hearted plot-driven story lines, the reality is very different.
Jane was aware of the evils of society, of the problems faced by women whether single or married. Underneath the entertaining story lines are much darker aspects of Regency and Georgian life. Staying single resulted in serious problems for young women; there were very few alternatives open to them, while marriage itself resulted in other risks. The threats of poverty or becoming a victim of crime were also an issue. Indeed, Jane’s aunt spent months in prison and faced the threat of transportation for theft. Other problems society faced included those posed by opium addiction, poor medical standards, and a lack of property leaving young men and women struggling to survive. Many sought solutions in India, leading to the creation of ‘fishing fleets’ with girls sent to marry total unknowns. Meanwhile, the issues of slavery brought more problems, and social disorder was rife.
Jane Austen created classic stories that have endured the test of time, reflecting society in all its aspects, faults, values both good and bad. This is Jane Austen as you have never seen her before.
Why You Should Read This…
The Regency Period is considered by many to be a delightful and peaceful period when people made calls, attended balls, and drank tea but it was so much more than that. Youngman explores the more difficult elements of life in Jane Austen’s England (and beyond) and easily demonstrates that it was not as idyllic as many like to believe.
I really appreciated that she spent quite a bit of time discussing the potential difficulties that girls and women could and would face in their lives, from when they were young and often offered very meagre educations compared to their brothers and when they were older and attempting to find a husband (or navigating spinsterhood). While it seems like it might be a downer, I think that it is important to look at history as a whole instead of compartmentalising to see what we want. (Austen was writing about fairly ideal situations in most cases, not the average experience.)
I also think that it is important to look at topics like slavery during this period, and Youngman handles it tactfully without sugarcoating it. It is a dark and upsetting element of the period, and it cannot be ignored because we don’t like it.
This book is a great companion to Austen’s works, as it shows what could happen to these characters and what is happening socially, culturally, and politically that greatly affected these stories! It is also quite a quick read and easy to understand.
Is The Dark Side of Jane Austen’s World on your to-read list?
Cheers,
The Historian
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