The Lifestyle and Habits of Jane Austen's Characters

Process

 1.  Before you begin your research of the 19th century, you must choose from the following list, which character from Pride and Prejudice you would like to create a profile/resume for. Remember to ask yourself these questions when choosing your character: Man or woman, married or single, rich or poor. These factors heavily influence lifestyle and habits in Regency England!

•Mr. Bennet
•Mrs. Bennet
•Jane
•Elizabeth
•Mary
•Kitty
•Lydia
•Mr. Bingley
•Mr. Collins
•Mr. Darcy
•Lady Catherine
*Either refer to your book or the following link, to assist you in choosing the right character.

 2.  Now you can begin your research into your character and find out what his or her interests are.  The following are websites about the time period of Jane Austen, and are categorized according to the different characteristics of this era.

 Location of Towns and Cities in Regency England: http://www.georgianindex.net/horse_and_carriage/coaching.html

Regency Dress: http://sensibility.com/vintageimages/1800s/

Food: http://chinet.com/~laura/html/recipes.html

Activities in Regency England: http://www.georgianindex.net/cards/cardp.html

Dancing: http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?ammem/musdi:@field%28DOCID+@lit%28M16810%29%29

Etiquette: http://chuma.cas.usf.edu/~runge/MasonJA1.html

 Life as a Gentleman: http://www.jasa.net.au/london/clubs.htm

Balls: http://www.jasa.net.au/pp/dancing.htm#maincontent
 

3.  Now it's time for you to create a profile/resume of your character.  The following link provides you with the appropriate information to create a resume: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/719/01/

 You will realize that not all of your character's information for a resume is mentioned in the novel Pride and Prejudice.  This is when your creativity kicks in.  You have the opportunity to continue the making of your character, but keep in mind the character that is depicted in the novel and do not stray too far away from the character that Jane Austen created.  Include hobbies, interests, job experiences, etc. that fit the character from the novel. Whereas a job profile limits you to certain areas in the character profile you can be more flexible. Grab our interest! Make us feel like we know your character well after reading the profile.

4.  Now that you know your character in depth, it is time for you to present yourself as your character.  You will only speak from the perspective of your character and answer only to your character's name.  You will be asked to present your profile/resume to the class. If possible bring with you a physical object that represents your character best.  This may include a kind of food, clothing, a picture, a deck of cards, etc.  Be creative and think like your character!  Your presentation should last no longer than 10 minutes.