Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
published 1813
I recently watched all the available Jane Austen
screen adaptations – twenty four of them – and re-read her novels, and then
watched some modern versions of Pride and Prejudice. This was so that I
could write several articles for the i newspaper - see here
and here
– and it was the best work assignment I
could ever have, I enjoyed it hugely.
Although Jane Austen has featured
on the blog in various ways, there have been very few actual straight
posts on the book – and they were on Northanger
Abbey, which I described as the slightest of the six main novels. So,
time to put things right. I started with Sense
and Sensibility recently, and now we are ready to move on…..
There has been so much written about this book and this
author, particularly in this year celebrating the 250th anniversary
of her birth, that I don’t pretend to do anything very academic. Writer Dolly
Alderton – whose new screen version of Pride and Prejudice will appear soon –
has promised she wants to ‘bring new
insights’, which inspired me to try to find my own new insights.
I have said a lot about the adaptations in the articles mentioned above, and would particularly recommend this one, here, on this book.
1) On the
day the article came out, I tweeted this:
Kitty’s coughing has no purpose except to annoy Mrs Bennet,
and I am wondering: was it a family joke? Something JA put in there because it
was what happened in her own family?
2) Miss
Bingley tries to warn Lizzy that she should be more careful about Mr Wickham. Not
enough is ever made of the fact that Miss Bingley (much hated in the book) is
correct and helpful and generous in sharing this, and Lizzie is wrong and rude.
3) In
general, parents in Jane Austen books make you wonder about the author’s relationships
with her own parents. Mr Bennet is a particularly contentious figure: there is
disapproval later, but in the early parts of the book it seems that both JA and Elizabeth B think he is clever and charming. Modern day readers do not find him so. And that’s
before we even get to his awful lack of thought for his daughters: quite happy,
apparently, to leave them to penury. He is very lucky indeed that in the end that
they look after themselves.
4) On the other hand, Mrs Bennet has been much mocked, but many of us are trying to rehabilitate her. At least she has some concern for her daughters’ future.
5) Then there
is Lady Catherine de Bourgh, who is rude, vulgar, offensive and absurd: she is a
much worse and more horrible person that Mrs Bennet. And yes people see that,
but still it seems that money and a title make that more forgiveable. She is
not the figure of fun that Mrs Bennet is. Mr Darcy should be apologizing to
Elizabeth for the inferiority of his connections.
6) I have
suggested elsewhere that these two characters
– Mrs B and Lady C - only share one
brief scene, and that therefore a really good idea for an adaptation would be
to have one actress doubling the parts, see what they make of them.
7) However Lady C has this excellent apercu:
There are few people in England, I suppose, who have more true enjoyment of music than myself, or a better natural taste. If I had ever learnt, I should have been a great proficient. [emphasis added]
We should all take this firm line on
matters that we never bothered to study. (Opera-singing in my case)
8) There
is a splendid online feature (at Popbitch) which is Baboon vs Badger
– celebrities are asked who would win in
a fight between these two creatures? The Clothes in Books equivalent is ‘If
you absolutely had to choose one, would you marry Mr Collins or Mr Wickham?’
This has produced wonderful debates in the comments, and pops up regularly.
The initial question was one posed by blogfriend
Birgitta to her literature students – read it in the comments on this
post. And it has emerged a few times since then. Have your say now!
9) I
recently went to see (again) the excellent improvised show Austentacious –
very funny and highly recommended. One of the actor/comedians is Rachel Parris,
and by happy chance I discovered that it is she who has written a novel from
Charlotte Lucas’s POV – in earlier posts I have said I knew this book was
coming but couldn’t remember any details. It is called Introducing Mrs
Collins, and is out in the autumn.
10)
If you must watch the 1940 Hollywood version of
Pride and Prejudice, with Laurence Olivier and Greer Garson (criticized in some
quarters - like, by me,
here, for its Gone with the Wind costumes and invented
scenes) there is one more thing to look for. The script was written in part by
literary novelist Aldous Huxley, and allegedly it was meant to ‘encourage
the USA to enter the Second World War’ – raging in Europe in 1940,
while the US stayed clear. Endless opportunities for analysis here: would
Americans feel ‘Greer Garson is 36, why is she playing 20 yo Elizabeth Bennet –
are all the young women off fighting the war? We must help’. Perhaps. (The USA entered the war in 1941, but we
believe this is more to do with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor). Feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments on how this worked.
11)
The money shot for P&P is traditionally
thought of as Mrs B and the five girls walking into Meriton in a line (or just
the four when they miss out a sister). They are an invading army looking for husbands. Watch out for that, and
their nice dresses and bonnets. But I like also to look out for the traditional
‘gardener in the background’, a rural yokel type - appears in versions of the other books too. By the time I’d watched them
all, I was starting to hallucinate and wonder if it was the same man (‘will
provide own wheelbarrow’).
As I said at the beginning,
there is finally going to be a new adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. When it
was mentioned many people said ‘not another! Why!’ - but really the remarkable thing is how few
there have been in the past 30 years since the Firth one: exactly one (Keira
Knightley). I think we’ll have to create a Pride&Prej bingo card, to see
which of these items pop up in it.
One day there may be a brave P&P version which would
make Mrs B sensible and really young (she should be under 40) and Mr Bennet a
selfish fool. And one that makes Mr Collins – portrayed as his actual age of 25
– a better choice than Wickham? That’s probably a step too far.
Whispering young women. NYPL
Trust you, Moira, to have some fresh insight on a novel like this, which is so well-known and has been written about, talked about, adapted, and more for such a long time. You make well-taken points, too, and it is interesting to see how some of these characters are seen differently as you really think about them. I'm quite sure, too, that modern perspectives show them in different lights to what Austen's contemporaries thought. I'm archiving this to go back over it (and over it).
ReplyDeleteOh thank you Margot for those kind words! It is the sign of a great writer that we can continue to get new things from her after all this time. She never fails!
DeleteSet it in the 1790s - clothes rather lovely and never revived. But I can't see any of the characters with powdered hair... Yes a Mr Collins at 25. Perhaps he grew up a bit.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was looking for illos I thought how nice the 1790s clothes were. But we are so used to the Regency look.
DeleteThe Mr Collins disussion has mileage!
Mention of the loveliness of 1790s clothes brought to mind a side issue - why are there no film/TV adaptations of Georgette Heyer’s novels? “The Talisman Ring”, set in 1793, would be a good one to start with, full of smugglers, Bow Street Runners, amateur detectives investigating a murder mystery …
DeleteSovay
I often think of that, it is very surprising isn't it? Lots of good plots there as well as parties and balls and nice dresses.
DeleteThe Keira Knightley P&P is set in the 1790's.
DeleteYes, a Heyer film or TV-series would be wonderful. And she has 32 romance novels to choose from, as opposed to Austen's six.
Clare
Yes, it was one of the many things I liked about the Keira K film. I liked that the dancing was 18C country dancing rather than cool regency style.
DeleteHeyer: I guess there must be a reason? Someone must have tried.
Quick online search reveals that there was a British film of "The Reluctant Widow" - released in 1949, not very good and didn't do well - and a German version of "Arabella", and that seems to be it. This has led to suggestions that Heyer refused to allow her work to be filmed but her biographer Jennifer Kloester says no, she was keen to sell film rights and believed some of her books would adapt well. So it's a mystery ... mind you, didn't Christopher Fowler include Heyer in his "Book of Forgotten Authors"? Maybe film-makers don't know about her, or think audiences won't.
DeleteSovay
Interesting. And yes, I think I remember being shocked that she was considered a Forgotten Author!
DeleteSo many interesting questions! I didn’t remember Caroline Bingley warning Lizzie not to trust Wickham. Not clear why she does so - one would think she’d prefer that Lizzie should go on thinking ill of Darcy and potentially making a fool of herself over Wickham - perhaps it really is the result of a kindly impulse. Her delivery of the warning doesn’t convey much helpfulness or generosity though - she opens by accosting Lizzie “with an expression of civil disdain”, closes by “turning away with a sneer”, and gets in a few digs in between, so Lizzie’s reaction is understandable.
ReplyDeleteThat slinky burnt-orange satin number is a bit unexpected! Lydia would probably love it.
Sovay
I think Caroline was just trying to be superior - but she was right. Imagine if Lizzie had listened and investigated further...
DeleteYes, I was very taken indeed with the orange one - makes a change from how we normally see them.
Another instance of pride and prejudice - Caroline making it clear that she is on familiar terms with the cream of society and Lizzie isn’t, Lizzie discounting the message due to personal dislike (and, to be fair, a not unreasonable distrust of Caroline’s motives).
DeleteSovay
Yes, good point that it's more P&P...
DeleteDuring the visit to Pemberley it is shown that Caroline Bingley doesn't know about Georgiana's planned elopement with Wickham, so all she has against him is that Darcy doesn't like him.
DeleteClare
Still fair enough - she knows and trusts Darcy. Caroline is odious, but she is still right, her instincts were right...
DeleteDid you actually watch “Pride and Prejudice: the Musical?” An interesting experience I don’t care to repeat. Also, did you watch the Hallmark version of “Sense and Sensibility?”
ReplyDeleteNo, I haven't seen the musical. There are so many updates and variants (as opposed to straight adaptations) that I had to make my own choices, so perhaps I didn't miss much.
DeleteThe 2024 S&S - I tried very hard to watch it but it was not available in the UK when I was collecting my versions, I could not find a way to see it. I think it is now watchable with a Hallmark subscription but I haven't pursued.
If the costumes for the 1940 film are “Gone with the Wind” leftovers they must have been extensively re-modelled - they don’t have the same look at all. I looked up the film in Edward Maeder’s “Hollywood and History”, according to which Adrian, the costume designer, persuaded the director to shift the period setting from the 1810s to the 1830s because a) he’d just finished working on another film set in the 1810s and wanted a change and b) he thought the 1830s styles more decorative and romantic.
ReplyDeleteAs to why anyone thought the film would encourage Americans to decide that entering WW2 would be a Good Thing, I’m drawing a blank …
Sovay
Very interesting about the costumes.
DeleteI'm hoping someone will come up with an encourage-the-Americans line even less likely than mine.
Maybe Hollywood thought that reminding us of the great English novels would make us appreciate a cultural heritage that should be defended? I can't think of any other reason.... The Trivia on IMDB was fun to read. One casting idea for Darcy and Elisabeth was Clark Gable and Norma Shearer!! A nicer idea was Vivien Leigh as Lizzie, although she might have brought GWTW to mind. The costumes were mentioned as well, and one tidbit was that the skirts were hard to fit into restroom stalls! The actresses might have preferred Regency costumes!
DeleteMy first thought was 'NO' for Vivian Leigh, but then I thought some more and, maybe.
DeleteVivien Leigh, if younger and not such a big star, could have been a pretty good Lydia. I imagine they might have tried to do Laurence Oliver as Darcy, and actually, now I've said that, I can see it working in 1940.
DeleteAlso I'm glad Sovay got to the "1830s, not 1860" costumes before I did. The only 1830s dress we see in GWTW is Scarlett's first wedding dress which was her mother's (although thinking about it, the O'Haras clearly had their daughters rather late on cos if Scarlett is 18 at that point, her mum would have been married in early to mid 1840s rather than early to mid 1830s....)
I am going to have to mull over the idea of Vivian Leigh as Lydia - surprising at first, but then it could be argued that Lydia has a lot in common with Scarlett.
Deletethanks for more costume input...
So many good points and such fun to argue, er, discuss them! About Lady C--I think she is also a figure of fun, but much more dignified than Mrs B so maybe she gets portrayed more seriously? Darcy was embarrassed by Lady C & Co, "a little ashamed" of his aunt. (Of course her station in life did make a difference to him, and probably to JA as well.) Maybe it was a kind of karma for his disdain towards the Bennet family! I don't think Mrs B should be made sensible, her flibbertigibbet-ness keeps things interesting. Besides, Darcy wouldn't be able to object to a sensible Mrs B, and then what would happen to the plot?
ReplyDeleteThat IS the fun isn't it?
DeleteI'm not convinced Lady C is dignified - she is crass and rude. And yes Mr D is slightly shame-faced, but not enough for someone who has been SO rude about Lizzie's relations.
and - I don't think Mrs B has to be made sensible, I think she IS sensible while also being flibberty gibbert. She sets out to get her girls into safety, and she succeeds. Her being willing to change her mind with the slightest change in circs is a very practical way of going on. And her shocking refusal to condemn Lydia - we would celebrate this in a modern family....
She does have a good grasp of the essentials!
DeleteMrs B does, I mean! I think Lady C could still have a dignified manner despite not being personally worthy of respect. She certainly took herself very seriously.
DeleteIn all her conversations, seen as silly, Mrs B doesn't underrate herself, she has self-confidence and she understands what's going on.
DeleteLady C is less sensible, with her idea that Mr D will marry her daughter...
Here's a MAD thought. Jennifer Saunders, semi-channeling Edina Monsoon, as Mrs Bennett. There are moments where Edina, as ridiculous and daft as she is, has moments of clarity and stepping up to do the right thing.
DeleteOh I love this - it has a feel of rightness about it.
DeleteActually, the more I think about it too, Edina Monsoon isn't too far off what Mrs Bennett could have been in the late 20th century with more emancipation. Enough business sense and natural/native smarts to get somewhere (somehow) but also too quick to jump on fads and life improvements and easily led along. But at the same time, when things really get tough, she stops being silly and steps up.
DeleteIt's genius - the more I think about it the more it works. And that relationship with her daughter - she does want to help her, but cannot imagine that Saffy wants education and so on, not just a man and nice clothes...
DeleteThe orange number is very interesting, and I wonder what the dye was.
ReplyDeleteI have imbibed (from school days) the 'Mrs Bennet is idiotic' line, but actually the fate of the girls if they didn't marry would be bleak, as you point out.
Yes - you realize that you don't see much in the way of orange clothing. It's gorgeous.
DeleteI'm sure changes in views on writers reflect the times we live in. Certainly at school we were never encouraged to think abou the economics.
So many aspects to discuss but at the moment I just have three: one is that although I prefer the Firth version, it seemed wrong that Elizabeth was so much more attractive than Jane . I think her vivacity might have made her *seem* more attractive but surely Jane is meant to be the family beauty; second, you managed to write a whole post without mentioning the (not in the book) wet shirt (which must have been intentional); three, I was planning to go see Austentacious in April and a friend bought us tickets to something else instead which I now regret; and four, at the library where I am a substitute once a month, the children are obsessed with a series called Who Would Win. Jaguar vs. Skunk is a typical title. https://www.scholastic.com/parents/books-and-reading/book-lists-and-recommendations/animals/book-list-for-who-would-win.html I thought the author was creative but maybe he stole the idea. I wangled my way to Adult Reference recently and hope I can stay there, although the questions are mostly about the printers, someone did once ask me how to find Jane Austen!
ReplyDeleteYes, Lizzie vs Jane (Bennet not Austen) is always interesting, because as you say, lizzie should be lively but not a beauty. I thought the 2005 film - Keira K and Rosamond Pike - did that well.
DeleteWet shirt got dealt with in one of my newspaper articles!
I hope Austentacious comes round again, I love it.
And I think there are widespread tropes of animal X vs animal Y, nobody has dibs on it: I chose the one that I had seen the day before writing this, as a specific example.
People who work in libraries always have great stories.
It's interesting, because I think that while Jennifer Ehle is a lovely Elizabeth, Susannah Harker is a genuinely beautiful Jane, so it's interesting (not surprising, though) that so many people seem to think JE was "too pretty" to be Elizabeth. It seems to me to be more of a chalk vs cheese thing, where they're both two such distinct types that they offset each other. Have you seen the drawing that they believe Jane Austen was referring to when she said she had seen the perfect Jane Bennett at an art exhibition? It's lovely and the sitter really does look rather like Susannah Harker!
Deletehttps://alwaysausten.com/2023/07/05/imagining-jane-austens-heroines-with-period-portraits/
DeleteSaid portrait appears near the top, the image of Mrs Quentin which Jane Austen is believed to have said was "Mrs Bingley to the life" or something like that. (ie Jane after marrying Bingley)
Yes they did a good job at making Lizzie and Jane B have very different styles of looks, which is called for by the text I think. I loved the way Jennifer Ehle looked watchful, and as though she was getting secret amusement from what was going on, but she wasn't as lively as I'd imagined her.
DeleteThat picture of Mrs Quentin is amazing and gorgeous, and yes just how we like to think of JB. Thanks for pointing it out.
Mrs Quentin is not a slim woman, and that is how Austen imagined Jane. In chapter VII of Volume III she says:
Delete"Jane, who was not so light, nor so much in the habit of running as Elizabeth, soon lagged behind, while her sister, panting for breath, came up with him,"
PS that was Clare
DeleteYes very good point, thank you
DeleteSlenderness doesn't seem to have been a requirement for beauty at this period - Harriet Smith, who is acknowledged as a beauty, is described as “short, plump, and fair, with a fine bloom, blue eyes, light hair, regular features, and a look of great sweetness“. She should be significantly better-looking than Emma, though on film this is rarely the case.
DeleteRosamund Pike would be my selection for loveliest Jane, but Susannah Harker not far behind.
Sovay
I love Toni Collette as an actress, but I don't think she was right as Harriet in the 1996 film.
DeleteTotally agree on Pike, she really brought something to the character of Jane. Harker was good, but less spirit.
The same very much applies to Mia Goth in the most recent film – Emma’s claim that most men would be glad to marry Harriet just for her looks has to have SOME plausibility! I think Louise Dylan in the Romola Garai version was closest to Harriet as she should be – still less attractive than Emma, but at least blonde and reasonably buxom.
DeleteI’m not sure Jane should have too much visible spirit – her reserve and quiet demeanour are what Darcy uses to justify his claim that he didn’t think she had any strong feeling for Bingley, and IIRC, Lizzie on reflection can see why he might have come to this conclusion (even though it seems a bit much that poor Jane should get it in the neck for showing too little emotion, whilst he simultaneously criticises the rest of the family for their LACK of reserve and decorum!).
Sovay
Yes. One of my friends, when I told her was writing about JA adaptations for the i newspaper, said her top tip was always look at who is playing Harriet and Miss Bates, and she has a point.
DeleteJane Bennet's not showing her emotions is always something to think about.
Darcy also thinks Jane smiles too much! Very hard to please that man. Jane probably had a very sweet smile, too.
DeleteWomen of that era simply couldn't win could they! Yes, Jane's smile would be lovely...
DeleteSo much to think about, Moira, and of course we are at one with the essential rightness of Mrs Bennet and the selfish fecklessness of Mr Bennet. Why hadn't he insured his life - surely the correct thing to do? As for the rest, I think I must reread P and P again. It has been a while ... Chrissie
ReplyDeleteAlways worth a re-read and always something new, whether a detail you hadn't noticed or a new view of something. And of course - I'd seen all these adaptations before recent re-readings, and there were alll kinds of things I thought had been made up by the screenwriters, and turned out to be in the books all along! Always salutory. I long ago learned never to criticize the accuracy of a screen version of anything unless you had read the book at the same time. eg preferring a plain dish to a ragout, which I did not remember...
DeletePS. And actually Mrs Bennet's family should have insisted that he did insure his life, because she will be be destitute too if he dies without an heir.
ReplyDeleteI'm seeing a new plotline where the question of the life insurance looms: might we be hurrying Mr B along to a cheery death in order to inherit? that classic GA plotline...
DeleteCharlotte Collins must have a household receipt book full of poisonous cleaning potions that could be “accidentally” stored in an unlabelled wine bottle. As things stand, with her and Mr Collins the only real beneficiaries if Mr B dies, it would be risky to make use of them – she’s too obvious a suspect if there’s any question of foul play – but the introduction of life insurance to the mix would open up a wider field …
DeleteSovay
Charlotte might often be tempted to use the poison on Mr Collins, but of course that would leave her out in the cold again!
DeleteThere are all kinds of possibilities aren't there?
DeleteIn defense of Mr Bennet, he did regret not having set aside money for his daughters. The beginning of Chapter 50 gives a little explanation, if not excuse, for the situation.
DeleteYes, well, regret doesn't get us very far does it? Is Lydia 15 or so? A couple more years to be sure Mrs B isn't going to get pregnant again still leaves ten years for him to do something about it.
DeleteNot totally destitute. "Five thousand pounds was settled by marriage articles on Mrs. Bennet and the children." (vol. iii, ch. viii) To rich people that was poverty, but to poor people it was riches.
DeleteClare
Yes, it is interesting the way JA spells out the sums of money, no maidenly reluctance. I love WH Auden claiming to be shocked by her reverence for 'the amorous effects of brass'.
DeleteAusten says that Mrs B "had no turn for economy" and was certain "for many years after Lydia's birth" that a son would come. (How she could be certain ...?) She could at least have nagged--er, persuaded--Mr B to start saving for the girls, but as it was, Mr B's "love of independence alone had prevented their exceeding their income." Sounds to me as if both parents contributed to the financial situation.
DeleteBut then - Mr B never listens to her, and if you take away all women's independence, you then can't be surprised that they don't participate fully....
DeleteMaybe the audience felt that if the British army handled promotions like they did with Mr Wickham, then they need all the help they can get.
ReplyDeleteExcellent! Exactly the kind of explanation I was hoping for
DeleteI'd go for marrying Wickham. At least I'd have access to weapons and a plausible excuse.
ReplyDeleteThat made me spit out my coffee. Brava!
DeleteIt sounds as though you will be taking quite a robust attitude to your marriage vows, and will probably get on better than Lydia did. I’m inclined to go for Mr Collins – apart from anything else, the peripatetic military lifestyle doesn’t appeal (though at least it offers the opportunity to leave one’s debts behind).
ReplyDeleteThere never seems to be any suggestion that the officers might be sent anywhere where there is actual fighting – as it might be, Spain or Portugal, to take part in the Peninsular War. If they have to move, it’s to the upcoming seaside resort of Brighton, or at worst, the frozen Northern wastes of Newcastle.
Sovay
That should have been appended to Shay's comment, of course ...
DeleteSovay
I'd back Shay against any Mr Wickham. She'd also be better at military action, a better officer.
DeleteShades of "Mrs Tim"!
DeleteHa! I could see your comment in the backend before coming here, and I was trying to guess which of the previous comments you were adding to! (plainly not syphilis or poison...)
DeleteTo be horribly medical about it, I'd marry Mr Collins as I reckon there's a much lower chance of catching syphilis compared with Mr Wickham.
ReplyDeleteYes, you probably could count on his being faithful, and it's a consideration....
DeleteDon't know if this is a real controversy, but there are differing opinions as to whether Mr Darcy is shy. I believe Colin Firth took that approach, but the book doesn't seem to bear it out.
ReplyDeleteI think there IS evidence for it in the book - the conversation at Rosings when he says he doesn't have the talent to converse with people he doesn't know (words to that effect). Whether Colin Firth made too much of this and distorted the character is, of course, debatable. I like his interpretation, and do feel that it works for Darcy, but that's just my opinion - and it is also just my opinion that Matthew McFadyen DID take it too far. (He played a great romantic hero. Just one that wasn't Darcy. IMHO.)
DeleteGreat discussion! I think he is shy, or introverted, of just finds it difficult. But as Lizzie says, the answer is to try harder. And that's true of many aspects of life, and down all the years between us and them.
DeleteI loved Matthew McFadyen, I thought he took Mr D in a different direction. But for me no-one will ever be definitive, each one is just a version.
The ideas and insights from pepple here have prompted me to re-read P&P. I am enjoying it more than ever .As for Who Would Win, I'd back Mrs Bennet against all-comers she might seem silly and irritating but she is practical, has good grasp of reality, makes the best of things so could manage in a pinch. And she has to put up with A Lot. In a Sliding Doors version of P&P she would take in lodgers, or even washing, to get through.
ReplyDeleteIt's so enjoyable to read all the comments and different views. And yes, Mrs B the Great Survivor I would say - she's very proud of the fact that the girls don't have to do any cooking, but if push came to shove she'd be rolling her sleeves up...
DeleteI wasn’t going to comment, because other people have said what I wanted to say. Re the Wickham/Collins debate, the latter would have been the best bet, because he has expectations. When he finally inherits Longbourn he could stay where he is and rent the estate out, but I’ll bet Charlotte makes him move to Longbourn, just to get away from Lady C! There will be plenty of room in the house and gardens to keep him busy and out of the way, while she manages everything and everyone just perfectly. Servants, villagers, tradesmen and the local gentry will all admire and respect her. As for Lady C, I wonder about her antecedents - she always reminds me of Julia Pargeter (mother of Nigel in the Archers), a haughty lady of the manor, who turned out to have a bit of a past, involving the stage, much admired legs, and a lot of male followers.
ReplyDeleteI stopped listening to the Archers too long ago, I am very taken with that idea. Now, any dirt on Linda Snell?
DeleteHow about a post on posh ladies who have hidden pasts?
DeleteSolid gold idea! I must start collecting. There's Cremorna Garden in Dorothy L Sayers' STrong Poison...
DeleteWas Cremorna Garden's past really hidden? Lord Peter recognized the name immediately, although he thought she was already dead!
DeleteI really am not going to exclude her on those grounds!
DeletePosh ladies with hidden pasts seems to be MUCH more of a thing in plays, I think. One only has to look at Lady Windermere's Fan (although I'm not sure if that lady with a hidden past is properly "posh") for example.
DeleteAnd Mrs Warren's Profession - again, not so posh or hidden, but still a good example.
Delete