Regency Era Etiquette

The Use of Etiquette as a Disguise during the Regency England Era: Austen’s Interpretation of Misused Etiquette in Sense and Sensibility
Throughout the past few centuries, etiquette has evolved to meet the constantly changing standards of society. During the Regency Era in England, society brought forth clear-cut expectations of etiquette that branched out into almost every aspect of daily life, such as communication, dining, departure, arrival, and addressing someone. While nineteenth century standards provided guidelines of how to live a life in accordance to society’s expectations, the explicit anticipations imposed pressure upon men and woman to constantly uphold to these standards. Although, many people took advantage of etiquette as
However, the burden to uphold to the nineteenth century standards often caused society to misuse etiquette in unnatural ways to convince those around them of a confident disposition. Society often criticized those who demonstrated unnatural mannerisms, when in fact the misuse of etiquette resulted from societies irrational expectations. In The Writer's Guide to Everyday Life in Regency and Victorian England, Kristen Hughes taps into intensity the nineteenth century etiquette expectations and conveys “just how narrow the margins for error are concerning correct behavior” by elaborating on the importance of communication during Regency England Era time period (Hughes 174). In addition, Hughes illustrates the ways in which people presented themselves while communicating not only demonstrated a person’s level of mannerism but also greatly influenced societies’ perception of them. Likewise, In Jane Austen's Guide to Good Manners: Compliments, Charades & Horrible Blunders, [add first name] Ross reinforces the idea that “manners are indeed, the foundation of civilized society” by explaining that maintaining perfectly polished mannerism is essential in order to appeal to society’s expectations. In addition, by establishing etiquette as the most important
In terms of wrongly used etiquette, Willoughby perfectly illustrates this misuse by presenting himself in a way that meets the expectations of Regency England era etiquette according to the Dashwood women, especially Marianne. At his first impression, Willoughby presents himself in an aesthetically pleasing way that demonstrates proper etiquette; moreover, his presence instantly intrigues Elinor, Marianne, and Mrs. Dashwood, who conclude “his manly beauty and more than common gracefulness were instantly the theme of general admiration” (Austen 33). While his ingenious appearance on the surface flawlessly demonstrates mannerisms that fall in alignment with societies expectations, beneath the disguise of etiquette lies a whole different character. When describing his true morals, Colonel Brandon reveals how Willoughby impregnated the daughter of a women he previously loved, Eliza, and left her to fend for herself; therefore, he concludes Willoughby’s character when he states, “His character is now before you; expensive, dissipated, and worse than both” (Austen 148). Correspondingly, Austen also establishes character who reflects a similar, Lucy Steele, who uses unnatural mannerism to alter other perception of her.