Georgian Courtship (Radio Edit)
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Who are the hosts and guests in this episode?
Hello and welcome to You're Dead to Me, the Radio 4 comedy podcast that takes history seriously. My name is Greg Jenner. I'm a public historian, author and broadcaster. And today we are channelling our inner Colin Firths and emerging soaking wet from the lake of history to bring you a special guide to love and courtship in Georgian Britain. And to help us navigate this topic with sense and sensibility, we have two very special guests. In History Corner, she's a Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellow in History and History of Art at Oxford Brookes University, where she studies the history of gender and emotions in 18th and 19th century Britain. Indeed, she's the author of The Game of Love in Georgian England, Courtship, Emotions and Material Culture. Perfect for us is Dr Sally Holloway. Welcome, Sally.
Thank you very much. I'm happy to be here.
Welcome back, Cariad.
Oh, Mr. Jenner, what a pleasure it is to finally be invited to your salon. I blush indeed. My countenance is not so fair. And to meet Miss Sally as well, whose work I have admired from afar, I must confess. Tis more than one could ask for on such a fine and temperate morning.
Oh, I'm so excited. We're fully committed.
Yes, she is also a member of Jane Austen improv show Ostentatious and will speak like that at any opportunity.
I was going to say, this is a reflex for you, right? I mean, Ostentatious, a brilliant improv comedy troupe. That means I'm guessing you're already an expert on Georgian social mores.
I definitely wouldn't use the word expert, Mr Jenner, as kind as you are to my expert skills. No, no, I am more of a flitterer of such affections. I know a little bit, but definitely not as much as the excellent professor.
So, what do you know? This is where I have a go at guessing what our lovely listener will know about today's subject, and I'm willing to bet quite a lot listeners will have at least watched one Jane Austen adaptation. They get blooming everywhere. Maybe you swoon over Rickman and Winslet in Sense and Sensibility, or Colin Firth and his sexy see-through shirt in Pride and Prejudice, or perhaps you're one of the astonishing 82 million people who watched Bridgerton or the slightly fewer number of people who were charmed by Mr Malcolm's List still a very nice movie or maybe you fell for Anya Taylor-Joy's Emma or Dakota Johnson's sort of Fleabag style mugging in Persuasion there's Love and Friendship my favourite with the very funny Kate Beckinsale basically there's loads and loads of stuff this is one of the most romanticised eras in British history and I say romanticised in both meanings of the word but what were the real rules and rituals of courtship
In Georgian Britain, what did a man of good fortune do when in want of a wife? Well, today we are going to lay out a how-to dating guide. So we're going to crack on, and Dr Sally, basics first for our listeners who aren't entirely familiar with the Georgians as an era. Who, what, when, why, how? What are the Georgians?
So Georgian Britain, it's the period from about 1714 to 1830. It's when it's ruled by the Hanoverian kings, George I, II, III, IV. And we commonly refer to the era generally as the long 18th century. So it's a time of massive social and cultural change. And we're going to be talking about the typical journey that a so-called ordinary person might go on as they search for a spouse.
What defines the Georgian era and its courtship context?
If we're going to have a dating guide, we need to have a couple. So let's imagine our typical middle-class London living singleton, Cariad, what's his name?
Oh, Mr. Barnaby Sykes, surely.
Mr. Barnaby Sykes. And Barnaby is thinking of finding a wife. It's that time. And what do you think his motivation is for joining the marriage market, Cariad?
I can only imagine, dear Mr. Jenner, that he is looking to improve his circumstances somewhat. normally that's what it is in georgia i'm struggling to keep up the constant georgian voice because it's quite difficult to answer a question mr sykes well it depends what his parents do really doesn't it and what he needs to get to make sure he keeps where he is or moves upwards not entirely to do with love who's in his circle that he would think would be a good wife bearer of children and hopefully bring in some cash sally are we agreeing with cariad's analysis there for the middling sort i think
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Chapters
7 chapters
1
Who are the hosts and guests in this episode?
0:06–3:40
2
What defines the Georgian era and its courtship context?
3:40–5:32
3
Who is Barnaby Sykes and what motivates Georgian bachelors?
5:32–7:13
4
How did people meet and socialize for courtship in Georgian Britain?
7:13–8:07
5
What kinds of gifts were exchanged during Georgian courtship?
8:07–10:09
6
How important were love letters in Georgian courtship rituals?
10:09–12:37
7
What role did families and social expectations play in Georgian dating?
12:37–28:27
Speakers
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