Pride and Prejudice, Chapters 47 to 52

In this episode, we talk about the steps taken to find Lydia and Wickham, how much Darcy paid to get them married, the moral and social approach towards what Lydia has done, why Mrs Bennet thinks there will be a duel, the letter from Mr Collins, and Elizabeth’s changing feelings towards Darcy.

We discuss the character of George Wickham. Ellen talks about marriage settlements and marriage laws, and Harriet looks at how some modernisations of the book adapt the Lydia plot.

We also revisit the subject of enclosures, in response to some feedback, and talk about social inequality and how it’s not really addressed in Jane Austen’s work.

Things we mention:

 Books: 

• W.C. Sellar and R.J. Yeatman, 1066 and All That: A Memorable History of England (1930)
• Flora Thompson, Lark Rise to Candleford (1939)
• The works of Charles Dickens (1812 – 1870)
• Curtis Sittenfeld, Eligible (2016) 
• Claire LaZebnik, Epic Fail (2011) 
• Also two books Eszter included in her comment to us, but which we didn’t include in the recording:
  • Guy Shrubsole, Who Owns England? (2019)
  • Brett Christophers, The New Enclosure: The Appropriation of Public Land in Neoliberal Britain (2018) 

 Movies and television: 

• BBC, Pride and Prejudice (1995) – starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth
• Bestboy Pictures, Pride and Prejudice: A Latter Day Comedy (2003) – starring Kam Heskin and Orlando Seale 
• Pathé Pictures International, Bride and Prejudice (2004) – starring Aishwarya Rai and Martin Henderson 
• YouTube, Lizzie Bennet Diaries (2012) – starring Ashley Clements and Daniel Vincent Gordh

Creative commons music used

• Extract from Joseph Haydn, Piano Sonata No. 38. Performance by Ivan Ilić, recorded in Manchester in December, 2006. File originally from IMSLP.
• Extract from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Sonata No. 13 in B-Flat Major, iii. Allegretto Grazioso. File originally from Musopen.
• Extract from George Frideric Handel, Suite I, No. 2 in F Major, ii. Allegro. File originally from Musopen.
• Extract from Christoph Willibald Gluck, Orfeo ed Euridice. File from IMSLP. 
• Extract from Ludwig van Beethoven, Piano Sonata No. 28 in A major. File originally from Musopen.