Jane Austen and Food

This source, titled “Jane Austen and Food,” meticulously examines the role of food and dining within Jane Austen’s novels and her own life. It analyzes how meals structure domestic life, the social significance of food and hospitality, and the evolving customs of mealtimes and menus in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The author draws upon Austen’s novels, letters, family papers, and period cookbooks to illuminate the culinary landscape of her world, including specific dishes, ingredients, and the societal implications of food-related behaviors like greed or the refusal of nourishment. Ultimately, the book uses food as a lens to explore social dynamics, gender roles, and the moral values present in Austen’s works and era.

Jane Austen and Food: A Study Guide

Quiz:

According to the introduction, how does Jane Austen’s descriptive style differ from that of authors like Dickens regarding physical details such as meals?
The author argues that when Jane Austen mentions specific foodstuffs in her novels, what is the primary purpose beyond simply describing a scene? Provide an example from the text to support this claim.
What is the apparent paradox the author identifies regarding Jane Austen’s own attitude towards food in her letters compared to its presentation in her published fiction?
The author suggests that the novels Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion explore which theme related to social interaction and food? What contrasting theme is presented in Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park concerning food?
In Chapter One, what evidence is provided to illustrate the self-sufficiency of the Austen household concerning food during Jane’s upbringing?
How did Mrs. Austen’s views on potatoes as a food source for the village people contrast with a specific opinion expressed by a character in Mansfield Park?
Explain the significance of venison as a food mentioned in Jane Austen’s novels, according to the text. What social message did its presence on the table convey?
The author discusses “eating disorders” in some of Austen’s heroines. According to the text, what might motivate characters like Marianne and Fanny to reject food, beyond just the “cult of sensibility”?
How does the author use the characters of Mr. Hurst and General Tilney to illustrate negative aspects of male attitudes towards food within a patriarchal system?
In the chapter on Emma, how is food presented as more than just sustenance, evolving into a broader symbol within the novel?

Answer Key:

Jane Austen’s descriptive style is sparing of physical detail, rarely pausing for lengthy descriptions of things like meals. Unlike Dickens, who builds his world through extensive detail, Austen compliments the reader by allowing them to imagine these aspects for themselves.
The primary purpose of mentioning specific foodstuffs is to bring the speaker and their attitude towards other people into focus. For example, Mrs. Bennet’s comments on the soup and partridges reveal her social climbing aspirations and her desire for Darcy’s approval.
The paradox is that while Jane Austen writes with unselfconscious enjoyment about food in her personal letters, her heroines never talk or write about it in such a way. This is because such particularity on sensual pleasures or domestic details was seen as potentially “trivial-minded or vulgar” for female characters in fiction.
Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion explore the meaning of true hospitality and its potential changes. Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park are concerned with good and bad housekeepers, reflecting the interdependence of class and domestic duties for women at the time.
The Austen household was virtually self-sufficient in food, as Jane’s father was a gentleman farmer who worked his land. Evidence includes mentions of his successful sheep farming and the praise received for his mutton.
Mrs. Austen recommended potatoes to the village as a valuable and varied food source. In contrast, Dr. Grant in Mansfield Park makes a “scathing remark” about potatoes, comparing their flavor unfavorably to a moor park apricot, suggesting a lack of enthusiasm for them in some social circles.
Venison was a socially significant food, indicating either ownership of a large country estate with deer or connections to such estates. Prior to the eighteenth century, keeping deer implied a royal grant to “empark” land, making venison a symbol of high social standing and privilege.
Beyond the “cult of sensibility,” Marianne’s and Fanny’s rejection of food might be a response to feelings of rejection or neglect from their mothers at critical times in their lives, representing a form of control in a world where they have little power.
Mr. Hurst, who lives “only to eat, drink and play at cards,” and General Tilney, with his over-the-top household provisions, illustrate how men can use their relationship with food to create unpleasant domestic atmospheres and exert power over their families, showcasing excesses within the patriarchal system.
In Emma, food functions as a symbol or extended metaphor for human interdependence and the social commonwealth of Highbury. The giving and sharing of food, or the withholding of it, reveals characters’ social standing, moral worth, and their capacity for genuine care and philanthropy within their community.

Essay Format Questions:

Explore the ways in which Jane Austen uses descriptions (or the absence thereof) of meals and food-related activities to delineate character and social standing in one or more of her novels. Consider specific examples of characters and their attitudes towards food.
Analyze the “paradox” of Jane Austen’s personal enjoyment of discussing food in her letters versus its more limited and often symbolic portrayal in her fiction. What might account for this difference, and what does it reveal about her literary aims?
Discuss the argument that Jane Austen’s focus on food in her novels supports a feminist reading of her work. Consider the gendered aspects of eating habits, food provision, and the connection between food and female destiny presented in the text.
Compare and contrast the presentation of hospitality in two different Jane Austen novels. How do characters’ attitudes and practices related to food and entertaining reveal broader social values and individual moral qualities within those fictional worlds?
Examine the significance of food as a symbol of community and moral development in Emma. How does the act of giving, sharing, and even rejecting food contribute to the novel’s central themes and the heroine’s journey?

Glossary of Key Terms:

Domestic Economy: The management of household affairs and resources, particularly related to food preparation, housekeeping, and the provision of necessities.
Sensibility (Cult of): An eighteenth-century intellectual and cultural movement emphasizing feeling, emotion, and subjective experience as primary sources of knowledge and moral action. Often associated with heightened emotional responses and sometimes with physical manifestations of feeling, such as a loss of appetite in times of distress.
Patriarchal System: A social system in which men hold the primary power and predominate in roles of political leadership, moral authority, social privilege, and control of property.
Bon Vivant: A person who enjoys a sociable and luxurious lifestyle, with a particular fondness for good food and drink.
Housekeeping: The management and care of a household, including cleaning, organizing, cooking, and ensuring the smooth running of domestic affairs.
Hospitality: The friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, often involving the provision of food and drink.
Material Life: The aspects of life related to physical objects, possessions, and tangible realities, such as food, clothing, and dwellings.
Satire: The use of humor, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people’s stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues.
Proto-feminist: A term used to describe individuals or works from earlier periods whose ideas or actions foreshadowed or aligned with later feminist concerns about gender equality.
Philanthropy: The desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes or by actively working to improve their lives.

Briefing Document: Jane Austen and Food

This briefing document reviews the main themes and important ideas presented in the provided excerpts from “Jane Austen and Food.” The central argument of the book is that while Jane Austen’s novels are sparing in physical descriptions, particularly of food, the specific mentions of food, attitudes towards eating, housekeeping, and hospitality are crucial for defining character, illustrating moral worth, and exploring social and feminist themes within her fictional worlds.

Main Themes and Important Ideas:

1. Food as a Tool for Characterization and Social Commentary:

Austen rarely provides lengthy descriptions of meals for mere descriptive purposes. Instead, mentions of specific foods and the characters’ reactions to them serve to highlight their personalities, social standing, and attitudes towards others.
“Almost every other mention of a specific foodstuff occurs when one character is talking to another. Thus Mrs Bennet: ‘The soup was fifty times better than what we had at the Lucas’s last week; and even Mr Darcy acknowledged, that the partridges were remarkably well done’.” (P & P, 342) – This quote illustrates how food-related comments reveal Mrs. Bennet’s social climbing aspirations and her need for external validation, even from someone she initially dislikes.
Mr. Woodhouse’s anxieties around food, as seen in his cautious recommendations of apple tart and warnings against custard, underscore his valetudinarian nature and controlling tendencies.
Mary Crawford’s comment on Dr. Grant’s illness being linked to his refusal of pheasant reveals her sharp wit and perhaps a degree of cynicism.

2. The Paradox of Food in Austen’s Life and Fiction:

While Austen’s novels feature a narrator and heroines who generally maintain a ladylike aloofness from detailed discussions of food, her personal letters reveal a genuine and unselfconscious enjoyment of eating.
“Caroline, Anna and I have just been devouring some cold souse, and it would be difficult to say which enjoyed it most.’ (L, 6)
“At Devizes we had comfortable rooms and a good dinner, to which we sat down about five; amongst other things we had asparagus and a lobster, which made me wish for you, and some cheesecakes . . . ’ (L, 59)
The author argues that this discrepancy highlights societal expectations for women of the gentry, where expressing too much interest in sensual pleasures like food could be seen as “trivial-minded or vulgar.”

3. Domestic Economy, Housekeeping, and Hospitality as Moral Indicators:

The novel explores how attitudes towards housekeeping and hospitality reflect a character’s moral worth and social standing.
The self-sufficiency of the Austen household at Steventon Rectory demonstrates the practical realities of gentry life and likely influenced Austen’s understanding of domestic economy.
Mrs. Bennet’s pride in her daughters not being needed for tasks like making mince pies contrasts with Charlotte Lucas’s more practical domestic involvement, revealing different class perspectives on female roles.
The contrasting views of Mrs. Grant and Mary Crawford on the “sweets of housekeeping” highlight the divide between town and country life and differing levels of understanding of domestic responsibilities.
Sir John Middleton’s excessive and indiscriminate hospitality in Sense and Sensibility is presented as a key element of the social framework against which the heroines are tested. Emma Woodhouse’s journey involves learning to be a truly attentive and considerate hostess, moving beyond mere social credit.

4. Food and Gender Dynamics:

The book argues for a feminist reading of Austen’s use of food, noting the gendered patterns in eating habits and attitudes.
The observation that “in the published fiction, all the gluttons are men and all the (near-) anorexics women” suggests a commentary on societal pressures and control.
Female destiny is intrinsically linked to food, whether through providing it, avoiding it, or being shaped by it within a patriarchal system where male desires often dictate the terms.
The eating disorders (or restrictive eating) of characters like Marianne Dashwood and Fanny Price are interpreted not solely as manifestations of sensibility but also as responses to their disempowerment within a male-dominated society, offering a sense of control in a limited sphere.
Emma’s initial slighting of Jane Fairfax’s offered food is revealed to stem from jealousy and a perceived rivalry, illustrating how interpersonal dynamics can influence food-related interactions between women.

5. Mealtimes, Menus, and Manners Reflecting Social Change:

The text touches upon the evolution of mealtimes (the emergence of “lunch”), dining etiquette (taking wine together), and the significance of specific foods.
The satire in The Watsons regarding fashionable late dining hours highlights Austen’s critique of social pretension.
The presence (or absence) of silver cutlery and proper table settings indicates social status.
The association of specific dishes with national identity (roast beef with English patriotism, ragout with foreign sophistication) reveals underlying cultural debates.

6. Food as Symbolism in Emma:

Emma is presented as uniquely rich in food references, where food transcends mere realism to become a central symbol of human interdependence and the social commonwealth.
The act of giving and sharing food acts as an “extended metaphor for human interdependence, resonating through the entire text.”
The numerous named servants in Emma, across various households, contribute to this sense of a connected community where food production and consumption are shared.
Mr. Woodhouse’s peculiar anxieties around food and his controlling offers to guests reveal his character flaws, while Emma’s initial motivations as a hostess are shown to prioritize “credit” over genuine care.
The contrasting food-related behaviors of Robert Martin (offering walnuts) and Mr. Elton (boasting about his rich meals) effectively delineate their characters and suitability as partners for Harriet.
Mr. Knightley’s brewing of spruce beer is symbolic of his quintessential Englishness and upright character.
The various instances of Emma providing food, from broth to pork to arrowroot, mark her moral journey and growth towards true philanthropy.

7. Critique of Gluttony and Selfish Consumption:

The novel critically examines male characters who exhibit excessive greed and self-indulgence in their eating habits.
Characters like Mr. Collins, John Thorpe, General Tilney, and Dr. Grant are judged not only for their large appetites but also for how their preoccupation with food negatively impacts those around them, demonstrating a violation of the duty to avoid causing unnecessary suffering.
General Tilney and Dr. Grant’s demanding attitudes towards food and those who prepare it are seen as a manifestation of patriarchal excess and their expectation of entitlement.

Conclusion:

Through a detailed examination of food-related elements in Jane Austen’s novels and letters, this study reveals how Austen subtly yet powerfully employs food as a literary device. It serves not only to ground her fictional worlds in the realities of everyday life but, more importantly, to illuminate character, critique social norms, explore gender dynamics, and symbolize the complexities of human relationships and moral development. The act of eating and the practices surrounding food are consistently presented as significant indicators of individual character and the broader social fabric of Austen’s England.

Jane Austen: Food, Society, and Character in Her Novels

# How does Jane Austen use descriptions of food in her novels?

Jane Austen’s writing style is notably concise when it comes to physical descriptions, including food. Unlike authors like Dickens, she rarely provides lengthy descriptions of meals. Instead, specific mentions of food are often integrated into dialogue, serving to illuminate the speaker’s character and their attitude towards others. The narrator also generally refrains from detailing sensual pleasures like eating, maintaining a ladylike reserve. This scarcity of detailed food descriptions makes the instances where they do occur particularly significant, often serving a purpose beyond mere scene-setting.

# What does food reveal about character and social status in Austen’s novels?

Food plays a crucial role in defining character and illustrating moral worth in Jane Austen’s works. Attitudes towards eating, housekeeping, and hospitality are key indicators of an individual’s personality and social standing. For instance, a character’s appreciation for simple or elaborate fare, their generosity in offering food, or their preoccupation with meals can reveal their priorities and values. Furthermore, the types of food served and the manner in which meals are conducted often reflect a family’s wealth and social aspirations. Characters who excessively indulge in food or are overly concerned with the details of dining are often portrayed critically.

# How does Jane Austen’s own relationship with food, as seen in her letters, differ from its portrayal in her novels?

In her personal letters, Jane Austen writes with unselfconscious enjoyment about food, detailing meals and expressing her culinary preferences. This contrasts sharply with her published fiction, where her heroines and the narrator rarely discuss food in such a direct or appreciative manner. Austen seemed to believe that such detailed interest in food would make her characters appear trivial or vulgar. Therefore, while food was a part of her everyday life and a topic of interest in private, she strategically employed it in her novels to serve specific literary purposes, primarily related to character development and social commentary.

# What can be learned about domestic life and the role of women in Austen’s England through the lens of food?

Food is deeply intertwined with domestic economy in Austen’s novels, reflecting the self-sufficient nature of many households, particularly in rural settings. The ability to manage a household and provide food was a significant aspect of a woman’s role, especially for those aspiring to or within the gentry class. The novels explore the “sweets” and “vexations” of housekeeping, highlighting the responsibilities and expectations placed upon women in managing the household’s resources. Furthermore, the text suggests a feminist reading through its depiction of gendered attitudes towards food, with male characters often portrayed as gluttonous and some female characters exhibiting restrictive eating habits, potentially reflecting their limited control within a patriarchal society.

# How are mealtimes and dining customs depicted in the novels, and what do they signify?

Mealtimes in Austen’s novels are not merely about sustenance; they are significant social events that reflect the manners and customs of the time. The evolution of dining hours, the importance of being fashionable in meal timings, and the rituals surrounding meals, such as offering wine or engaging in polite conversation, are all depicted. These customs serve as a backdrop for social interactions, courtship, and the display of social graces. Disruptions to mealtimes or inappropriate behavior during meals can reveal social awkwardness, rudeness, or a character’s disregard for societal norms.

# What is the significance of specific foods mentioned in the novels, such as mutton, venison, or potatoes?

Certain foods in Austen’s novels carry symbolic weight. Mutton, for example, often appears as a generic term for meat or dinner itself, sometimes used humorously when a more elaborate meal is expected. Venison, associated with large country estates and the right to hunt, signifies high social status and connections. Potatoes, a relatively new crop at the time, are mentioned in the context of agricultural concerns and dietary changes, with varying levels of enthusiasm from different characters, reflecting contemporary attitudes towards this foodstuff. The specific mention and reception of these and other foods contribute to the novels’ social and cultural fabric.

# How does the novel Emma uniquely utilize food as a literary device?

Emma stands out among Austen’s novels for its abundant references to food. In this novel, food transcends its role as a marker of character or social status and becomes a central symbol of human interdependence and the social commonwealth of Highbury. The giving and sharing of food acts as an extended metaphor for care, affection, and the bonds within the community. Emma’s journey of moral development is closely linked to her understanding and practice of hospitality and charity, often expressed through her interactions with others involving food. The detailed mentions of meals, ingredients, and even recipes underscore the interconnectedness of the village life and Emma’s place within it.

# What social and moral commentaries does Jane Austen make through her portrayal of food and eating habits?

Through her depiction of food and eating, Jane Austen subtly critiques various aspects of her society. She highlights the importance of balance and moderation, contrasting characters who are greedy or self-indulgent with those who practice thoughtful generosity in providing for others. The novels also touch upon gender inequalities, particularly in the context of eating disorders and the pressures faced by young women. Furthermore, Austen examines the nature of true hospitality versus superficial displays of wealth and social standing through the way her characters offer and receive food. Ultimately, food serves as a lens through which Austen explores themes of social responsibility, moral integrity, and the complexities of human relationships within her social world.

Jane Austen: Food, Society, and Character

Jane Austen’s writing style is characterized by its sparing use of physical detail. Unlike authors such as Dickens, she does not provide lengthy descriptions of faces, clothes, rooms, or meals, instead allowing the reader to imagine these details. She even advised her niece against giving ‘too many particulars’ in her writing.

Despite this lack of elaborate description, her characters are frequently eating, as domestic life and social interactions often revolve around meals. However, the food itself is ‘rationed’ in her descriptions, with only a few specific details provided, which are then made to carry significant weight. For instance, in Sense and Sensibility, only Willoughby’s hurried lunch at an inn is described out of numerous meals taken by the characters. Jane Austen’s masterful use of such limited detail suggests that it holds significance that would be lost with excessive description.

The purpose of mentioning food in Jane Austen’s work goes beyond mere realism; it contributes to the text artistically. Almost every reference to a specific food item helps to illustrate character, both of the speaker and sometimes of the person being spoken to or about. This is because specific foods are almost always mentioned in dialogue, reported speech, or free indirect speech, with the meal at Pemberley being a rare exception where the narrator directly describes the food. Examples such as Mrs. Bennet discussing soup and partridges, Mr. Woodhouse offering tart, and Mary Crawford mentioning pheasant all serve to highlight the speakers’ attitudes and personalities.

One reason for this focus on food in speech is its economy and vividness in illustrating character. Another equally important reason is Jane Austen’s own distaste, as narrator and on behalf of her most esteemed characters, for discussing food at length. Characters who frequently mention food often reveal some form of vulgarity, triviality, or selfishness. Notably, characters favored by the author, including Emma (except when responding to her food-obsessed father or providing for others), never describe a meal that has been eaten or anticipated, and the narrator also maintains a ladylike distance from sensual pleasures.

This contrasts with Jane Austen’s personal letters, where she writes with unselfconscious enjoyment about food, detailing meals and her own culinary preferences. She also freely discusses fashion and clothes in her letters, subjects that would immediately mark a character in her novels as trivial or vulgar.

This dichotomy is partly attributed to Jane Austen’s own circumstances. Her family was comfortably off but still practiced economies, especially after her father’s death. They kept a cook, but Jane’s mother and later her sister Cassandra, with Jane’s assistance, managed the housekeeping, making such matters a frequent topic of their correspondence. Evidence of this interest is seen in Mrs. Austen’s contributions to Martha Lloyd’s recipe collection. While Jane Austen herself absorbed this housekeeping knowledge from an early age, her fiction generally aligns more with her nephew’s idea of gentility, where ladies were not directly involved in cookery. Mrs. Bennet’s boast in Pride and Prejudice about her daughters’ lack of culinary skills exemplifies this, although Mrs. Bennet is portrayed as a flawed maternal figure.

Jane Austen’s attitude towards housekeeping was somewhat ambivalent. While at times she found it tedious when she had other intellectual pursuits, she also took pride in her ability to manage a household and cater to her own tastes. Her letters reveal an interest in food prices and a keen awareness of the differences between households that practiced economy and those where expense was no object. While not snobbish or greedy, she found it ‘vulgar’ to be overly preoccupied with prices. She appreciated the elegance and luxury afforded by wealth, not so much for the material goods themselves, but for the freedom from constant contrivance.

Her fiction, in some ways, presents a more ‘refined’ world than her own immediate experience, aligning more with the Victorian ideal of gentility. There’s a sense of her looking towards the future societal norms while also valuing the best aspects of the older country ways of living.

Mealtimes and manners in Jane Austen’s society were more leisured and formal than today. Breakfast at Chawton was at nine, possibly early to allow Jane time for writing, while at Godmersham and in Mr. Gardiner’s London home, it was typically at ten. Tea, all of which came from China in her time, was either green or brown. The term ‘a dish of tea’ lingered on, being used by older or less refined characters. Breakfast preparation at Chawton likely involved toasting bread and boiling water, possibly with the ladies handling the china themselves.

The concept of luncheon was evolving during Jane Austen’s lifetime. She uses the words ‘nuncheon’ and ‘luncheon’ sparingly, and only in the context of meals taken at an inn, suggesting these terms were not commonly used for midday meals at home. Instead, refreshments offered at midday in a domestic setting were not typically given a specific name. Terms like ‘cold meat’ and ‘a great set-out’ were used instead, and the author often referred to ‘the cold repast’.

Dinner time gradually shifted later during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. The Austen family’s dinner hour moved from half past three in 1798 to five in 1808, reflecting this trend. The fashionability of a family could be judged by their dinner hour. Jane Austen satirized the snobbery associated with dining times in her Juvenilia and The Watsons, where the Watson family dined at three and their fashionable neighbor at eight.

Social etiquette governed meals. On formal occasions, the host and hostess sat at the head and foot of the table. In the host’s absence, a strict hierarchy determined the substitute. The separation of sexes after dinner, where women withdrew to the drawing-room while men remained in the dining-room, was a common practice.

Tea time typically occurred about three hours after dinner. It was a significant social event, often involving a ‘solemn procession’ of the tea-board and refreshments. Young ladies of the house often took on the duty of making and serving tea, which was seen as enhancing their charms. After tea, entertainment such as reading aloud, playing backgammon, cards, or music was common.

Supper became less common as a formal evening meal during the period Jane Austen was writing. While light refreshments might still be taken privately at the end of the day, offering supper to dinner guests was becoming a social misstep, as noted by Jane Austen herself regarding Pride and Prejudice. However, light suppers of tart and jelly or other simple fare were sometimes taken in a more informal setting. Emma arranges warm and comforting yet delicate suppers for her father’s guests.

Specific foodstuffs and dishes mentioned by Jane Austen provide insights into the culinary habits of the time. White soup was considered elegant and was often served at balls. Mrs. Austen contributed a recipe for a white sauce for boiled carp to Martha Lloyd’s collection. Pease-soup was a simpler dish, part of a family dinner at Steventon. Potatoes were not universally embraced, with Dr. Grant making a disparaging remark about them. Beef pudding was a dish of the time. Oysters were common and cheap at inns. Venison held social prestige, indicating connections to large country estates. Sallad often referred simply to lettuce or leaves. Asparagus was another mentioned vegetable. Sweet puddings included apricot and apple tarts, mince pies, and apple dumplings. Arrowroot was a relatively new ingredient used to make a dish for invalids.

Medicine and food were closely linked, with substances like hartshorn and aromatic vinegar used for ailments. Rhubarb was used medicinally.

Attitudes towards eating reveal character and moral worth in Austen’s novels. Taking too much interest in food could be seen as frivolous, selfish, or gross. Jane Austen’s most esteemed characters are rarely preoccupied with eating and drinking, doing so to live rather than living to eat. This aligns with the prevailing idea that for ladies, being ‘divine rather than sensual’ was preferable.

In her Juvenilia, there is more explicit focus on food, possibly because the young Austen was not yet censoring mundane details or because she found humor in the clash between enjoying food and the literary ideal of female incorporeality. The Juvenilia feature both women who refuse to eat and those who eat excessively. As her writing matured, Austen adopted a more delicate approach, but the theme of eating disorders in young women, particularly as a response to their disempowerment in a patriarchal society, is evident in characters like Marianne Dashwood, Fanny Price, and Jane Fairfax.

The heroines in her mature novels generally display indifference towards food, eating for health, sociability, or conformity, but never expressing particular pleasure in it. This aligns with the idea that for women of her social class, a lack of pronounced interest in food was a sign of refinement.

Characters who show excessive preoccupation with food, like General Tilney and Dr. Grant, are often portrayed negatively, revealing their epicurism, hypocrisy, and disregard for others. Dr. Grant’s gluttony is a key aspect of his character, and Mary Crawford recognizes the negative impact it has on his wife.

Providing food for others is presented as a commendable act in Jane Austen’s world, in contrast to the self-gratification of eating. This is evident in acts of charity, though Austen focuses more on the social contracts formed through housekeeping and hospitality.

Housekeeping is a significant theme, and Jane Austen draws clear distinctions between good and bad housekeepers, linking it to moral worth. The term ‘housekeeper’ could refer to the mistress of the house or a senior female servant. Characters like Mrs. Jennings are depicted as actively involved in domestic affairs. While a fascination with the minutiae of housekeeping is seen as slightly unworthy for heroines, a proper interest is necessary for domestic comfort. Mrs. Bennet’s pride in her large number of dinner parties is presented with irony, as true social security does not require such pronouncements. The contrasting approaches to housekeeping of Mrs. Price, Lady Bertram, and Mrs. Norris in Mansfield Park highlight their characters and moral standing. Mrs. Norris’s meddling in household affairs and her relationships with servants are portrayed negatively. Fanny Price, through her observations, learns the best way to manage a household. Mary Crawford’s indifference to farming, a precursor to housekeeping, further contrasts her with Fanny as a potential wife for Edmund. Housekeeping was a shared interest among women in Austen’s life, but in her novels, it often becomes a competitive matter of status.

Hospitality is another crucial theme, reflecting societal values and manners. Jane Austen uses hospitality to illustrate individual character and comment on the evolving social norms of her time. Her novels frequently feature characters inviting others into their homes, making the spirit of hospitality a subject of scrutiny. Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion particularly focus on this theme, exploring the meaning of true hospitality. Austen initially mocked exaggerated displays of sensibility in hospitality. Characters like Sir John Middleton in Sense and Sensibility are portrayed as excessively enthusiastic hosts, sometimes to the detriment of their guests. In her youth, hospitality was frequent, both in London and in country neighborhoods, driven by social interaction and the pursuit of marriage partners. Mansfield Park reflects a shift towards a more guarded form of hospitality, with an emphasis on protecting the sanctity of the home from undesirable guests, indicative of a bourgeois withdrawal into domesticity. Sanditon brings the discussion of hospitality into a commercial context, contrasting genuine, need-fulfilling hospitality with more business-like and less generous forms. Austen values hospitality motivated by warmth and concern for others.

Food as Symbol is a less overt but powerful aspect of Jane Austen’s writing. Specific foods can suggest deeper qualities about characters or situations. Mrs. Jennings’ detailed description of Delaford, focusing on food provisions, illustrates her practical and warm-hearted nature. The pyramids of hot-house fruit at Pemberley symbolize the rigid social hierarchy that Elizabeth and Darcy’s love must overcome, and the shared enjoyment of the fruit signifies their growing connection. In Mansfield Park, the pheasant’s eggs symbolize Fanny’s potential for growth nurtured within the Park’s environment. The contrast between a plain dish and a ragout in Pride and Prejudice serves to highlight Mr. Hurst’s worthlessness and Elizabeth’s simple English tastes, tapping into a contemporary debate about fashion and patriotism. Mr. Knightley is associated with Englishness and plainness, while Frank Churchill is linked to French aimability. In Emma, Mr. Woodhouse’s obsession with bland food symbolizes his fear of life and change, and the Christmas Eve dinner at Randalls represents an unnatural and discordant social gathering. The abundant but unspecified supper at the Westons’ ball emphasizes Miss Bates’s gratitude and the joyous atmosphere. The focus on food in Emma, including the vignettes of Highbury life, underscores themes of community, social interaction, and perhaps even economic realities. Some interpretations of Emma suggest that food can also be seen as a currency of power and servility. Ultimately, food in Emma, the most food-laden of Austen’s novels, serves multiple symbolic purposes.

In summary, Jane Austen masterfully uses the seemingly mundane topic of food to enrich her narratives, reveal character, comment on social customs, and even employ symbolic meaning, all within her characteristically economical and insightful prose.

Jane Austen and the Significance of Food in Her Novels

While Jane Austen’s novels are not known for lengthy descriptions of meals, food plays a significant role in her work, serving various artistic purposes beyond mere realism. According to Maggie Lane in “Jane Austen and Food,” no reference to food in Austen’s writing is without significance, often contributing to character illustration, plot development, and thematic enhancement.

Sparseness of Description, Significance of Detail: Austen’s style is characterized by its sparing use of physical detail, including descriptions of meals. Unlike authors like Dickens, she does not build up her world through detailed accounts of food. Instead, she provides just a few particulars about food, which are made to carry considerable weight. The limited descriptions suggest that any mention of food is deliberate and carries significance.

Food as a Tool for Characterization: A key function of food in Austen’s novels is to illustrate character. Specific foods are almost always mentioned in dialogue or reported speech, bringing the speaker and their attitude towards others into focus. For instance, Mrs. Bennet’s comment on the superiority of the soup at Netherfield compared to the Lucases’, or Mr. Woodhouse’s recommendations about tart and custard to Miss Bates, reveal aspects of their personalities.

Interestingly, characters who show too much interest in food are often portrayed as vulgar, trivial, or selfish. With the exception of Emma, who caters to her food-obsessed father, characters admired by the author rarely describe meals they have eaten or anticipate eating. This contrasts with Austen’s personal enjoyment of food, as evidenced in her letters, where she writes with “unselfconscious enjoyment” about meals.

Mealtimes, Menus, and Manners: The book explores the domestic framework of Austen’s characters’ lives, including mealtimes, menus, and manners. Although specific menus are rarely detailed, the text does mention various dishes. For example, Mr. Bingley’s ball in Pride and Prejudice is contingent on “white soup enough” being made, a soup with medieval French origins based on veal stock, cream, and almonds. Pease-soup is another dish mentioned, forming part of a family dinner in one of Austen’s letters.

The text also touches upon the evolution of meal terms. “Noonshine” was a term used by Austen in her letters and could be corrupted into “nuncheon,” which she uses to describe Willoughby’s hasty meal. The word “luncheon” appears only twice in her novels, both times referring to meals taken at an inn. In domestic settings, refreshments at midday were often offered without a specific name.

Food and Social Significance: Food in Jane Austen’s world carries social messages. Venison, for example, signifies connection to large country estates and social standing. Attitudes towards eating, housekeeping, and hospitality are examined as ways to assess individuals and form themes within the novels. Good and bad housekeepers are central to novels like Pride and Prejudice and Mansfield Park, particularly concerning heroines marrying above their station.

Greed and Gender: The book also explores “Greed and Gender” in Austen’s fiction, noting that in her published works, all the gluttons are men, while (near-) anorexics are women. This observation supports a feminist reading of her novels, as female destiny is often intimately connected with food.

Food as Symbol: Beyond its role in character and plot, food also functions as a symbol in Austen’s writing. In Sense and Sensibility, the detailed description of the fruit trees at Delaford can be interpreted as a symbol of the emotional and physical nourishment awaiting Elinor and Marianne. Similarly, the hot-house fruits at Pemberley signify Darcy’s elevated status.

Mansfield Park employs metaphorical food, where Fanny’s imagination or despair is “fed”. The presence of a butcher’s shop in a village is linked to emotional and physical nourishment. Willoughby’s simple lunch of cold beef and porter in Sense and Sensibility can be seen as a mark in his favor, associating him with honest English fare. In contrast, Mr. Hurst’s preference for a “ragout” in Pride and Prejudice aligns him with French sophistication and is used to subtly criticize him.

The Significance of Food in Emma: Emma stands out as the novel most laden with references to food, where it serves as an extended metaphor for human interdependence within the community of Highbury. The giving and sharing of food symbolize goodwill. The very first food mentioned is wedding-cake, which announces the theme of weddings and community bonds. Even Mr. Woodhouse’s anxieties surrounding food reveal his character. The novel uses food to illustrate kindness, as seen in Robert Martin bringing walnuts to Harriet, and to contrast characters, such as Mr. Elton’s self-centered conversation about food. Mr. Knightley’s preference for simple, indoor meals reflects his grounded nature. The abundance of food in Highbury also contrasts with the poverty seen in the visit to the poor cottager, highlighting social inequalities.

In conclusion, while Jane Austen’s descriptions of food are not elaborate, food is a pervasive and significant element in her novels. It acts as a subtle yet powerful tool for character development, plot progression, thematic exploration, and symbolic representation of social dynamics and moral values.

Austen’s England: Food, Hospitality, and Social Customs

Drawing on the provided source, Jane Austen’s novels offer a rich portrayal of the social customs prevalent in England during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. These customs, often intertwined with food and hospitality, reveal much about the characters, their motivations, and the societal values of the time.

Mealtimes and Their Significance:

Breakfast: The timing of breakfast varied, with a later hour often considered a sign of fashion. Even in middle-class households, breakfast might be at ten, while in more fashionable circles, it could be even later. The start of social events or visits could be linked to breakfast time.
Dinner: The dinner hour was a significant indicator of a family’s social standing and fashionability. It gradually shifted later during Jane Austen’s lifetime, and families that dined later were often seen as more fashionable. Even within families, shifts in the dinner hour were notable. The custom of changing attire, particularly for ladies, preceded dinner, marking the end of the ‘morning’.
Refreshments between meals: Formal occasions might involve “cold repasts” served during morning calls. More relaxed visits could include a “sandwich tray”. These unnamed midday refreshments lacked a fixed hour and were offered when guests appeared.
Tea: Tea time usually followed dinner and was a common occasion for social visits. While called ‘tea’, coffee was often also available. Light refreshments like cake, toast, or muffins might be served with tea, especially to those not invited for dinner.
Supper: Supper as a substantial evening meal was becoming less fashionable during the period in which Austen wrote. Offering a “hot supper” to dinner guests could even be seen as vulgar. By the time Pride and Prejudice was published, Austen herself noted that suppers at Longbourn might have been an outdated custom. However, supper retained its importance at private balls due to the late hours and energy expended in dancing, often including soup as a key component.

Dining Etiquette and Customs:

Entrance to the Dining Room: Customs regarding entering the dining room were in transition. Formerly, ladies entered first, followed by men. Later etiquette introduced the practice of gentlemen offering their arm to a lady. Emma’s dinner party illustrates a blend of these customs.
Seating Arrangements: At the table, the host and hostess typically sat at the head and foot. In their absence, a strict hierarchy determined the substitute. With the exception of principal guests, attendees generally chose their own seats.
Service of Food: The prevalent method of serving food during Austen’s time was the service à la française, where a variety of dishes were placed on the table at once. Servants would later clear these away and bring in another complete course. This differed significantly from the later service à la Russe with courses served individually by servants.
Drinking Wine: Wine was typically associated with the dessert course. A custom existed where gentlemen would propose a toast by filling their own and their female neighbor’s glasses.
Departure of Ladies: After dinner, the ladies would often withdraw from the dining room, leaving the men to their own conversation and drinks. Jane Austen notably does not depict scenes where no women are present.

Hospitality: A Reflection of Character and Society:

Country vs. Town Hospitality: The source contrasts country hospitality, often characterized by a more open and friendly approach, with town hospitality, which could be more formal and driven by social appearances.
Motivations for Hospitality: Hospitality could be offered for genuine kindness and social obligation, or for more self-serving reasons like social advancement or impressing others. Characters like Sir John Middleton embody a more enthusiastic, albeit sometimes overwhelming, form of country hospitality. In contrast, Elizabeth Elliot prioritizes social appearances over genuine hospitality in Bath.
Thematic Significance: Attitudes towards hospitality are used by Austen to define character and explore themes of social change and moral worth. Novels like Sense and Sensibility and Persuasion particularly examine the meaning of true hospitality and how it evolves.
Decline of Open Hospitality: Mansfield Park and Emma hint at a growing trend of domestic retreat and a more cautious approach to hospitality, driven by a desire for privacy and the sanctity of the home.
Critique of Inhospitable Behavior: Characters who fail in their duties as hosts, such as General Tilney in Northanger Abbey, are often presented negatively, with their lack of hospitality linked to other negative traits.

Social Visits and Gatherings:

Morning Calls: Women who were not occupied with pressing household duties often made ‘morning calls’ on their friends, typically between twelve and one o’clock.
Dinner Parties: Dinner parties could range from regular social events in some circles to more special occasions in others. The planning and execution of dinner parties, as seen with the Coles in Emma, could reveal social aspirations and insecurities.
Balls: Balls were important social events, providing opportunities for dancing, socializing, and forming connections. Private balls often included supper as an essential component.
Tea Parties: Invitations to ‘drink tea’ were common and could include light refreshments, offering a less formal way to socialize, sometimes for those not invited to dine.

Gender Roles and Social Customs:

Separate Spheres: The sexes often pursued their duties and pleasures independently during the morning, with social visits being primarily a female activity. Evenings brought the sexes together in more formal settings.
Women and Housekeeping: Housekeeping was a significant domain for women, and their attitudes towards it were used to assess their character. However, while a basic interest was necessary for domestic comfort, excessive preoccupation with petty details could be seen as slightly unworthy.

Social Hierarchy Reflected in Customs:

Food and Status: Certain foods, like venison, carried social prestige. The abundance and elegance of meals could be a way for individuals to assert their social standing.
Treatment of Servants: Social customs also extended to the treatment of servants, who were expected to serve but generally not partake in the food and drink enjoyed by their employers. Exceptions or complaints about the cost of provisioning servants highlight social inequalities.
Charity and Social Obligation: While charity towards the poor was considered an obligation, Austen’s focus tends to be on the social interactions within the gentry and middle classes. The stark contrast between the well-fed inhabitants of Highbury and the poverty of the lower classes, as depicted in Emma, subtly underscores social inequalities.

In summary, Jane Austen masterfully uses the details of social customs, particularly those related to food and hospitality, to paint a vivid picture of her society. These customs serve not only as background details but also as crucial tools for characterization, plot development, and insightful commentary on the evolving social landscape of her time. They highlight the importance of etiquette, the nuances of social interactions, and the underlying social hierarchies that shaped the lives of her characters.

Jane Austen’s Domestic World

Drawing on the provided source, domestic life is a fundamental element of Jane Austen’s novels, intricately woven into the fabric of her characters’ lives and the social fabric of the time. Her works offer a detailed glimpse into the management of households, the roles and responsibilities of family members, and the significance of everyday activities within the home.

Housekeeping: A Central Concern

The Management of the Household: In Jane Austen’s world, the running of a household was a primary concern, particularly for women. Whether undertaken by the mistress of the house or delegated to servants under her supervision, housekeeping involved significant organization, planning, and constant attention to detail. This included managing stores of food, directing servants, and ensuring the smooth operation of daily routines.
Female Roles in Housekeeping: For women of the gentry, proficiency in domestic economy was considered a vital skill and a source of pride. Jane Austen’s own life reflects this, as she and her sister Cassandra were involved in the practicalities of running the household, especially after their father’s death. Mrs Austen diligently performed her role as housekeeper, and saw it as her part in the marriage partnership. This expectation extended to their daughters, as it was considered essential training for their future roles as wives and mothers, regardless of their potential social standing.
Wealth and Housekeeping: The level of involvement in hands-on work varied with wealth. While wealthier households could afford cooks and housekeepers to manage the daily tasks, the mistress of the house still held the responsibility of presiding over and directing the household. Even in such establishments, understanding the intricacies of housekeeping was considered useful. In contrast, families with more limited incomes, like the Austens themselves, practiced constant economies, and the women of the household often played a more direct role in planning and supervising domestic duties.
Moral Implications of Housekeeping: Jane Austen uses attitudes towards housekeeping to define character and illustrate moral worth. Good housekeepers, like Charlotte Lucas, are often portrayed as sensible, contented, and fulfilling their responsibilities with cheerfulness. Conversely, poor housekeepers, such as Mrs Price, are often associated with helplessness and a lack of order. An excessive pride in one’s housekeeping, especially when stemming from social insecurity, as seen in Mrs Bennet, is also subject to Austen’s scrutiny.
Jane Austen’s Personal Perspective: Austen’s own experiences shaped her understanding of domestic life. Her letters reveal her familiarity with household tasks and her occasional enjoyment of “experimental housekeeping”. However, her fiction often presents characters who are “above ‘vulgar cares’” related to domestic minutiae, suggesting a nuanced perspective on the ideal level of engagement with such matters for women of a certain social standing.

Mealtimes as Domestic Rituals

As discussed in our previous conversation, mealtimes structured the day and held social significance. Within the domestic sphere, they were also essential rituals, reflecting the household’s organization and the provision of sustenance. The preparation and consumption of meals were central to daily life.

Family Dynamics and the Home

The Woman’s Sphere: The smooth running of the home was largely considered the woman’s responsibility. Even unmarried women were expected to be prepared to take on this role if needed. The temporary absence of the woman of the house could significantly disrupt the household, as highlighted by Mr Austen’s letter referring to his wife as his “housekeeper”.
Training for Domesticity: Mothers played a crucial role in training their daughters in the arts of domestic economy, seeing it as a vital contribution to their future families’ well-being.
Financial Constraints: Financial circumstances heavily influenced domestic arrangements, from the number of servants employed to the quality and variety of food served. The Austens’ move to Bath brought a heightened awareness of the cost of provisions and the need for careful budgeting, contrasting with the self-sufficiency of their life in Steventon.
Harmony and Discord: Austen portrays a range of domestic environments, from the harmonious cooperation of the Austen women in Southampton to the chaotic and uncomfortable household of Mrs Price. The character of the individuals within the home significantly shaped the atmosphere and well-being of the family.

Town vs. Country Domestic Life

Self-Sufficiency in the Country: Life in the country, as experienced by the Austens at Steventon, often involved a degree of self-sufficiency in food production. This placed a considerable burden on the housekeeper but also offered benefits in terms of economy and wholesomeness.
Reliance on Markets in Towns: Moving to a town like Bath necessitated a shift towards purchasing most food items from markets and shops. This change brought both conveniences and drawbacks, including the expense of buying everything and fluctuations in prices.
Differing Perspectives: Attitudes towards town and country domestic life varied. Some, like Cassandra Austen, missed the “amusement and so many comforts attending a Farm”, while others, like Mrs Allen, appreciated the ease of access to shops in town. Mary Crawford, raised in town, viewed country housekeeping with disdain.

Food as a Symbol in Domestic Life

As noted in our discussion of social customs, food and its provision often carried symbolic weight. Within the domestic context, the way food was managed, offered, and consumed could reveal character traits, social standing, and the underlying dynamics of family relationships. Hospitality, a key aspect of domestic life, was particularly telling in this regard.

In conclusion, domestic life forms a rich and multifaceted backdrop in Jane Austen’s novels. Through her detailed portrayal of housekeeping practices, family interactions, and the contrasting experiences of town and country living, Austen provides insightful commentary on the social expectations, gender roles, and moral values of her era. The seemingly mundane details of daily life within the home become significant lenses through which Austen explores broader themes of character, society, and the complexities of human relationships.

Jane Austen’s Mealtime Customs: A Social History

Drawing on the provided source and our conversation history, mealtime practices in Jane Austen’s era were significantly different from modern customs and held considerable social and cultural importance. Mealtimes punctuated the day and were often central to social interaction and domestic life.

Breakfast:

The breakfast hour varied depending on social standing and household routines. At Chawton, it was at nine o’clock, possibly to accommodate Jane Austen’s writing schedule. However, at Godmersham and in the London home of Mr. Gardiner, breakfast was typically at ten. Even travelers like Georgiana Darcy might have a ‘late breakfast’ upon arrival.
In contrast, an early breakfast might be served to travelers or when gentlemen were going hunting. On hunting mornings at Steventon, uncles would take a ‘hasty breakfast in the kitchen’.
Georgian breakfasts were generally dainty meals of various breads, cakes, and hot drinks. They differed from the more substantial breakfasts of previous generations (bread, ale, and cheese) and the later Victorian and Edwardian breakfasts with hot dishes.
Breakfast was often served in a breakfast-parlour, if a grand house possessed one, rather than the dining room, and eaten off fine china. General Tilney boasts about his breakfast set in Northanger Abbey.
Common breakfast fare included ‘ordinary comforts of tea and toast’ which suited the elegance of the age. However, more substantial options like boiled eggs and pork chops might be available at inns or for travelers. Parson Woodforde’s inn breakfast included chocolate, tea, hot rolls, toast, bread and butter, honey, tongue, and ham. Jane Austen herself enjoyed rolls for breakfast in Bath.
Toast was typically made by the consumers themselves in front of the fire. Making breakfast at Chawton likely involved toasting bread and boiling water for tea.

Midday Sustenance (Lunch/Nuncheon/Noonshine):

As dinner times shifted later, a need for midday sustenance arose. Terms like ‘lunch’, ‘luncheon’, ‘nuncheon’, and ‘noonshine’ emerged to describe this snack or light meal taken between breakfast and dinner.
Dr. Johnson defined ‘lunch’ or ‘lunch-eon’ as ‘as much food as one’s hand can hold’. ‘Nuncheon’ derived from ‘noonshine’ and meant a snack taken at noon. Jane Austen used ‘noonshine’ in her letters.
Jane Austen uses ‘nuncheon’ once in Sense and Sensibility to describe Willoughby’s hasty meal of cold beef and porter at an inn. ‘Luncheon’ is also used only once, in Pride and Prejudice, for a cold meal of salad, cucumber, and cold meat at an inn.
Interestingly, Austen never uses these terms for food taken at home at midday. In a domestic context, refreshments would be offered without a specific name.
On formal occasions, a ‘collation’ with ‘abundance and elegance’ might be prepared. More relaxed visits might involve a ‘sandwich tray’ or unspecified food brought in on a tray.
These midday refreshments were often cold and eaten in the room the family used for sitting in the morning, not necessarily the dining room. The time was flexible, offered when guests appeared.
Even without visitors, families would have some refreshment, though Austen rarely mentions it. Examples include ‘cold meat’ eaten between church services.
Drinks at midday might include porter (at an inn), spruce beer, mead, beer, or fruit cordial.

Dinner:

Originally a midday meal, dinner became later and later in the 18th and early 19th centuries, eventually settling around six or seven for fashionable society. This shift was driven by social pretension.
The dinner hour became a marker of a family’s fashionability. Jane Austen was aware of this snobbery from her early writings.
The earliest dinner hour in Austen’s fiction is four o’clock (Barton Cottage and the Woodhouse household), while later ones are half past four (Mansfield Parsonage), five (Northanger Abbey and Mrs. Jennings’s London home), and half past six (Netherfield). Longbourn’s dinner was at four, highlighting the difference between country and town hours.
A complete change of costume, at least for ladies, signified the end of the ‘morning’ and preceded dinner. The fashionable Bingley sisters took an hour and a half to dress.
Dinner service was typically ‘à la française’ during this period. This involved multiple courses served simultaneously on the table, with a large variety of dishes ‘smoking before our eyes and our noses’. Diners helped themselves and their neighbors.
Cookery books provided diagrams for arranging dishes attractively. Key elements often included large joints of meat, fowl, soup at one end, and fish at the other.
After the first course, there was a significant interval while servants cleared and brought in the second course, also with many dishes, emphasizing lighter savories and sweet items.
Clean plates and utensils were provided as needed. Leftovers were used for subsequent meals.
Ordinary family dinners consisted of just one course, although with a variety of dishes. Examples include Parson Woodforde’s dinner of rabbits, mutton, goose, and puddings, and the Austens’ London dinner of soup, fish, bouillee, partridges, and apple tart.
Dinners with company often involved two full courses, as Mrs. Bennet aspired to when entertaining Bingley and Darcy.
The phrase ‘to eat one’s mutton with someone’ was a common, somewhat informal invitation to dinner, even if the meal was expected to be more elaborate.
Knowing whether there would be one or two courses was important for diners to pace themselves. The phrase ‘You see your dinner’ indicated a single course.
Manners at the table were important, though Austen’s novels offer fewer explicit details than conduct books of the time. Guests generally chose their own places, except for the principal male and female guests.

Dessert:

After the main courses, the tablecloth was removed, and ‘the dessert’ was set out. This differed from the modern understanding of dessert, comprising dried fruits, nuts, sweet and spicy confections, often made with expensive imported ingredients. Mrs. Jennings offers Marianne sweetmeats, olives, and dried cherries as a typical dessert.
Wine was typically served with the dessert. The servant and tablecloth might be dismissed at this stage.
A custom of gentlemen proposing toasts to their female neighbors by offering wine together was becoming obsolete during Jane Austen’s time.

Afternoon Tea/Coffee:

The period between dinner and tea was known as the afternoon.
Tea, often accompanied by coffee, was typically served in the evening, marking a social gathering that could last the rest of the evening.
The serving of tea was a ‘solemn procession’ often headed by the butler.
Making tea was often the duty of the young ladies of the house. Jane made tea and Elizabeth poured coffee at Longbourn.
Little sustenance was usually served with tea and coffee after a large dinner, but cake, toast, or muffins might be offered. This was particularly welcoming for guests invited only ‘to drink tea’.
The evening after tea was often spent in social activities like playing and singing, or card games. Impromptu dancing might also occur.

Supper:

Supper, the last meal of the day, diminished from a substantial repast to a tray of light refreshments as dinner became later.
Older, more old-fashioned characters like Mr. Woodhouse and Mrs. Goddard were more attached to the idea of supper. Mrs. Goddard served a goose at supper.
Offering a ‘hot supper’ to evening visitors could be seen as a sign of vulgarity by the time Pride and Prejudice was published. Jane Austen herself noted that there ‘might as well have been no suppers at Longbourn’.
Light refreshments on a tray became common for supper. Elegant ‘petit soupee trays’ were a new invention for this purpose.
At Hartfield, supper might be served on a smaller table in the drawing-room. Some grander houses, like Northanger Abbey, had a designated supper-room, which could be seen as pretentious.
Supper for a small party might consist of items like tart and jelly. Emma at Hartfield ensured suppers were warm and comforting for her father’s guests but still elegant.
Suppers at private balls remained substantial and essential due to the late hours and dancing. Soup was a key component of ball suppers. Mr. Bingley insisted on ‘white soup enough’ for his ball.

Meals at Inns:

Meals taken at inns, as noted in the context of luncheon, were often more practical and less elaborate in the ordering, focusing on quick sustenance.

Artistic Use of Food in Dialogue:

Jane Austen rarely describes meals in detail through the narrator’s voice. Instead, specific foods are almost always mentioned in dialogue or reported speech, serving to illustrate the speaker’s character and their attitude towards others. Examples include Mrs. Bennet’s comments on the soup and partridges, Mr. Woodhouse’s advice on tart and custard, and Mary Crawford’s remark about Dr. Grant and the pheasant.

Heroines and Food:

Interestingly, Jane Austen’s heroines rarely express pleasure in food or anticipate meals with excitement. They eat to maintain health, for social reasons, or to conform to social norms. Their indifference to food can sometimes be a mark of their refinement.

In essence, mealtime practices in Jane Austen’s novels reflect a structured social order with evolving customs. The timing, content, and manner of taking meals were all imbued with social meaning, and Austen skillfully uses these details to enrich her portrayal of characters and their interactions within the domestic sphere.

By Amjad Izhar
Contact: amjad.izhar@gmail.com
https://amjadizhar.blog

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Jane Austen and Food