The Art of “Making Love” Courtship in the World of Jane Austen
by Shannon Lopez
Our hearts have fluttered every time the handsome Mr. Darcy locked eyes with the young and spirited Elizabeth Bennet. We also could not help but "awww" and sigh with content when Anne Elliot received a passionate declaration of love written by the stoic Captain We n t w o r t h . T h e r e i s s o m e t h i n g irresistibly charming about the trials and
protocols of courtship in the classic works of Jane Austen. The manners, the rituals, and the oh-so elegant turn of phrase, they are all as intriguing as they are utterly foreign to those of us in the 21st century. So, in the spirit of the Month of Love let us explore the social rules and regulation of courtship in 19th century England or a Jane Austen put it, the art of "making love".
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