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- Tags: regency
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Mrs. Elton’s Dress
Mrs. Elton claims that she must wear an ornate gown with excessive trimming because she is a bride, despite her modesty. This irony permeates all of her speech and actions, as she is always trying to appear humble while boasting. Her dress…
Fanny Price’s Writing Paper
The gift of writing paper is Edmund Bertram’s first act of kindness toward Fanny Price. When she arrives at the Bertram’s home, she is too shy to ask for paper to write to her brother, though she desperately misses her family. Edmund is the only…
Silver Knife
Susan’s silver fruit knife is a gift from her late sister, Mary. Susan treasures it for its sentimental value, but her younger sister Betsy is constantly taking it for its material value. The two sisters frequently fight over the knife, illustrating…
Tags: British literature, gift, Jane Austen, knife, Mansfield Park, novel of manners, regency, Romance, silver, tool
Fanny Price’s Dress
The Bertram’s give Fanny a new white dress on the occasion of her cousin Maria’s wedding. She next wears the dress to the Grant’s dinner party, the first dinner party she is invited to attend. The dress symbolizes her new status now that Maria and…
Tags: British literature, Clothing, Dress, gift, Jane Austen, Mansfield Park, novel of manners, regency, Romance, white
Amber Cross
Fanny’s brother William gives her an amber cross as a gift, but she is distressed about wearing it to his ball because she has no chain to wear it on. William could not afford the gold chain to wear it with, illustrating the struggle for both…
Georgiana’s Piano-Forte
Mr. Darcy gives his younger sister Georgiana a new piano-forte as a gift. This demonstrates his caring attentions as her guardian and Georgiana’s accomplishment. She practices much of the day and is regarded for her skill. Georgiana’s accomplishment…
The Bennet’s Carriage
The Bennets own a carriage, as befits the landed gentry, but the horses that pull it must also be used for field work, illustrating the family’s lack of wealth. Mrs. Bennet uses this to her advantage when she refuses to let Jane take the carriage to…
Lydia Bennet’s Bonnet
Lydia purchases her new bonnet while waiting for Jane and Elizabeth in Hartfordshire. Even though she, herself, does not like it and her wiser sisters insist it is ugly, she is happy to spend her money on it. She then needs to borrow money from her…
Marrianne Dashwood's Piano-Forte
Marrianne brings her piano-forte from Norland to their new cottage. Fanny Dashwood is disappointed that such a fine instrument should go to a family with such inferior wealth, but Marrianne has a special connection to the instrument. At various…
Harriet’s Box of Treasures
Harriet keeps a special wooden box with mementos from her days with Mr. Elton. She has a small piece of cloth that he discarded and the stump of a used pencil. The insignificance of the objects demonstrates the lack of real evidence of Mr. Elton’s…