Have you ever wondered what inspired your favorite classic novelist to write their stories? What was happening in their lives to inspire their famous works? What was happening in the world at the time that they wrote those stories you love?
Join Host Bree Carlile while she helps to answer some of the questions you have always had about your favorite classic novelists.
For the next few weeks we will talk about the life of Jane Austen. What inspired her to write Emma? What else was happening in the world at the time?
Come with us as we release one episode each Tuesday detailing the life and history at the time of your favorite authors.
Follow, rate, and review Bite at a Time Books Behind the Books where we go behind the scenes of what inspired your favorite authors to write your favorite classics. Available wherever you listen to podcasts.
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If you would also like to hear a story by the author we are currently featuring, check out the Bite at a Time Books daily podcast where we read one bite (chapter) a day of your favorite classics, wherever you listen to podcasts, right now we are reading Jane Eyre.
Information for today's episode came from Wikipedia, don't judge us, we just want to give you a brief glimpse into the life. Thanks!
Transcripts
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Welcome to Bite at a Time Books Behind the Story, where we answer the questions you have about your favorite classic authors.
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What inspired your favorite author to write their novels?
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What was going on in the world at the time?
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Follow along with Thus as we tell you what was happening in the world while your favorite authors wrote your favorite classics.
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My name is Brie Carlyle and I love to read and wanted to share my passion with listeners like you.
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All of the links for our show are in the Show Notes.
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Today we will be talking about the Regency Era and how it helped to inspire Emma.
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The Regency era in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was a period towards the end of the Georgian era, when King George III was deemed unfit to rule due to his illness and his son ruled as his proxy as Prince Regent.
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Upon George III's death in 1820, the Prince Regent became King George IV.
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The terms Regency or Regency era can refer to various periods of time.
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Some are longer than the formal Regency from 1811 to 1820.
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The period from 1795 to 1837, which includes the latter part of George III's reign and the reigns of his sons, George IV and William IV, is sometimes regarded as the Regency era.
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Characterized by distinctive trends in British architecture, literature, fashions, politics, and culture, the Regency is noted for its elegance and achievements in the fine arts and architecture.
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This area encompassed a time of great social, political and economic change.
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War was waged with Napoleon and on other fronts, affecting commerce both at home and internationally, as well as politics.
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However, despite the bloodshed and warfare, the Regency was also a period of great refinement and cultural achievement which shaped and altered the societal structure of Britain as a whole.
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One of the greatest patrons of the arts and architecture was the Prince Regent himself.
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The future George IV upperclass society flourished in a sort of mini renaissances of culture and refinement.
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As one of the greatest patrons of the arts, the Prince Regent ordered the costly building and refurbishing of the beautiful and exotic Brighton Pavilion, the ornate Carlton House, as well as many other public works and architecture.
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Naturally, this required dipping into the treasury and the Regent and later the King's exuberance, often outstripped his pocket at the people's expense.
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Society during that period was considerably stratified.
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In many ways, there was a dark counterpart to the beautiful and fashionable sectors of England at this time.
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In the dingyer, less affluent areas of London, thievery womanizing gambling, the existence of rookies and constant drinking ran rampant.
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The population boom, comprising an increase from just under a million in 18 one to one and a quarter million by 1820, created a wild, roiling, volatile, and vibrant scene.
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According to Robert Southey, the difference between the strata of society was vast.
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Indeed, the squalor that existed beneath the glamor and gloss of Regency society provided sharp contrast to the Prince Regent's social circle.
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Poverty was addressed only marginally.
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The formation of the Regency after the retirement of George III saw the end of a more pious and reserved society and gave birth of a more frivolous ostentatious one.
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This change was influenced by the Regent himself, who was kept entirely removed from the machinations of politics and military exploits.
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This did nothing to channel his energies in a more positive direction, thereby leaving him with the pursuit of pleasure as his only outlet, as well as his sole form of rebellion against what he saw as disapproval and censure in the form of his father.
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Driving these changes were not only money and rebellious, pampered youth, but also significant technological advancements.
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In 1814 the Times adopted steam printing.
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By this method it could now print one 10 sheets every hour, not 200 as before, a fivefold increase in production capability and demand.
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This development brought about the rise of the wildly popular fashionable novels, in which publishers spread the stories, rumors and flaunting of the rich and aristocratic not so secretly hinting at the specific identity of these individuals.
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The gap in the hierarchy of society was so great that those of the upper classes could be viewed by those below as wondrous and fantastical fiction, sometimes entirely out of reach yet tangibly there.
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In 1811, George Augustus Frederick, Prince of Wales, began his nineyear tenure as Regent and became known as the Prince Regent.
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This subperiod of the Georgian era began the formal Regency.
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The Duke of Wellington held off the French at Fuentes de Oneero and Alabriera in the Peninsular War.
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The Prince Regent held a feat at 09:00 p.m.
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June 19, 1811, at Carlton House in celebration of his assumption of the Regency.
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Ludi uprisings, Glasgow Weavers riot.
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In 1812, Prime Minister Spencer Perceval was assassinated in the House of Commons.
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The final shipment of the Elgin Marbles arrived in England.
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Sarah Siddons retired from the stage.
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Shipping and territory disputes started the War of 1812 between the United Kingdom and the United States.
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The British were victorious over French armies at the Battle of Salamanca.
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Gas Company, Gas Light and Coke Company founded.
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Charles Dickens, English writer and social critic of the Victorian era, was born on February 7, 1912.
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In 1813, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen was published.
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William Hedley's Puffing Billy and early steam locomotive ran on smooth rails.
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Quaker prison reformer Elizabeth Fry started her Ministry at Newgate Prison.
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Robert Southey became poet laureate in 1814.
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Invasion of France by allies led to the Treaty of Paris ended one of the Napoleonic Wars.
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Napoleon abdicated and was exiled to Elba.
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The Duke of Wellington was honored at Burlington House.
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In London.
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British soldiers burned the White House last River Thames.
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Frost Fare was held, which was the last time the river froze.
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Gas lighting introduced in London streets.
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In 1815, Napoleon I of France defeated by the 7th Coalition at the Battle of Waterloo.
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Napoleon was exiled to St.
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Helena.
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The English Corn laws restricted corn imports.
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Sir Humphrey Davy patented the minor safety lamp.
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John Loudon McAdam's road construction method adopted in 1816.
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Income tax abolished.
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A year without a summer followed a volcanic eruption in Indonesia.
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Mary Shelley wrote Frankenstein.
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William Cobbett published his newspaper as a pamphlet.
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The British returned Indonesia to the Dutch Regents Canal.
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Phase one of construction Beau Brummel escaped his creditors by fleeing to France.
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In 1817, Antonin Karim created a spectacular feast for the Prince Regent at the Royal Pavilion in Brighton.
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The death of Princess Charlotte, the Prince Regent's daughter from complications of childbirth.
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Changed obstetrical practices.
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Elgin Marbles showed at the British Museum.
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Captain Bly died in 1818.
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Queen Charlotte died at Q.
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Manchester cotton spinners went on strike.
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Riot in Stanhope County Durham between lead miners and the Bishop of Durham's.
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Men over whaledale game rights.
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Piccadilly Circus constructed in London.
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Frankenstein published.
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Emily Bronte born in 1819.
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Peterloo massacre Princess Alexandrina.
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Victoria.
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Future Queen Victoria was christened in Kensington Palace.
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Ivan Ho by Walter Scott was published.
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Sir Stamford Raffles, a British administrator founded Singapore first steampropelled vessel.
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The SS Savannah.
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Crossed the Atlantic and arrived in Liverpool from Savannah, Georgia in 1820.
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Death of George III and the accession of the Prince Regent as George IV.
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The House of Lords passed a bill to grant George IV a divorce from Queen Caroline.
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But because of public pressure the bill was dropped.
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John Constable began work on the Haywayne Cato Street conspiracy.
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Failed.
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Royal Astronomical Society founded Venus de Milo discovered.
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Thank you for joining Bite At A Time Books Behind The Story Today while we answered some of the questions you have about one of your favorite classic authors, all of the links for our show are in the show notes.
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Our show is part of the Bite Editime Books Productions network.
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If you would also like to hear a story by the author we are currently featuring, check out the Byte At A Time Books podcast.
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Wherever you listen to podcasts right now we are reading Emma again.
