What Would Jane Do?

Have you ever wondered why Jane Austen isn't counted among the Romantics of her era when she is now known now as the most romantic of writers? Julia and Katy take a deep dive into what Romantism was (poets such as Wordsworth and Byron) and discuss how Jane connected or criticised the literary movement of her era. In short, this episode is everything you need to know about Romanticism and were too afraid to ask!We end with our latest news about Jane Austen events and Julia's new book The Wordsworth Key which you can find here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wordsworth-Key-page-turning-historical-adventure-ebook/dp/B0DSZ94PDW/ or at your local bookseller.

Pistols at dawn? What would (and did) Jane Austen do about the practice of settling disputes with duels? Julia Golding and Kate Macfarlane romp through the history and laws of duelling, examine the famous cases in the period, including duels fought by women, and then turn to Jane's novels to find out what she thought on this subject. After a brief look at modern equivalents, we go on to give our review of the BBC TV series Miss Austen and the news about the balls to celebrate Jane Austen's 250th birthday this year (2025).

What would Jane do about crime and punishment? In this episode we delve into the history of crime and punishment in Jane Austen's era, discussing topics such as duelling, the lack of centralised law enforcement, and the discipline and punishment systems in the military, navy and elsewhere. The conversation also touches on the influence of class on crime and punishment, and the theme of crime in Jane Austen's novels. Is there any? Listen to find out!Kate also mentions the appeal at Chawton House library - you can find out more about that worthy cause at https://chawtonhouse.org. And if you are inspired to read Julia's book The Elgin Conspiracy, you can find it here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Elgin-Conspiracy-page-turning-historical-adventure-ebook/dp/B0D52JVXNG/

What did you think of Bridgerton Season 3? Julia Golding and Kate Macfarlane review the latest season but also put Lady Whistledown through her paces. They look at the real Lady Whistledown and the place for public scandalmongering. What was the role of gossip in Jane's world and where is it a major plot device in her novels? Stay tuned for Jane Austen news. janeausten.co.uk Then type 'Jane Austen Festival 2024'. The page has links to all events and a festival programme. https://austenvariations.com/gossip-and-scandal-in-jane-austens-world/

Julia Golding has been delving into the scandalous world of the Hell Fire Club for her new novel. This was a secret society that emerged out of the 18th century and had new admirers such as Jane's contemporary, Lord Byron. But what would Jane Austen make of this world of clubs and societies, usually the preserve of men? Julia and Kate Macfalane discuss. Were any open to women - and what were their alternatives. Which of her characters would belong to the Hell Fire Club?To buy Julia's book, go here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Persephone-Code-Julia-Golding-ebook/dp/B0CBYHBFRV/To enter the short story competition, go herehttps://janeaustenlf.org/writing-competition-entry-2024

In a world exclusive the What would Jane do? team interview the person who bought that shirt - yes, you can meet the person who won the auction and find out the plans for it going forward. In the same auction was the yellow pelisse worn in the 2020 Emma - find out where that is going as well.We also talk about Jane and celebrity culture, Byron, Nelson and much more.Here are the links we mention:Bringing a piece of television history to Calderdale | News Centre - Official news site of Calderdale CouncilBankfield Museum | Calderdale MuseumsAddressBankfield MuseumAkroyd ParkBoothtown RoadHalifaxHX3 6HGGet in touchEmail: museums@calderdale.gov.ukPhone: 01422352334Twitter: @BankfieldMuseumFacebook: /BankfieldMuseumThe Celebration - Sanditon Appreciation SocietyAnd to order Julia's new book - a Regency thriller called by her publishers 'Bridgerton meets The Da Vinci Code' please go here for Amazon or support your local bookshop.

In our seasonal round up of the year we take Jane Austen to confront that theme of the year - artificial intelligence. What are the parallels in her era? Would she embrace change or hate it? Learn about frame breaking and factory reform. Has technology always been coming for our jobs? And stay tuned for some excruciatingly funny Ai attempts at writing in the style of Jane Austen.To book Chawton House: https:/www.airbnb.com/chawtonhouseTo find out about becoming a Jane Austen festival Steward:Go to the Jane Austen festival website.

What would Jane do about 'Who do you think you are?'Today we have a very special guest, Caroline Jane Knight, descendent of Jane Austen's brother Edward. Caroline devotes much of her time to the legacy of her famous fifth great aunt, running the Jane Austen Literary Foundation and supporting Chawton House. Find out what it was like to grow up in the family's ancestral home - a Tudor mansion - what it takes to come to terms with losing that home, and the return to enjoying the family associations with Chawton. And what trait does Caroline share with Jane?Stay tuned for our Darcy and Wickham of the week - and our Jane Austen news.For more information about Caroline's workhttps://janeaustenlf.orghttps://chawtonhouse.orgFor the Jane Austen Festivalhttps://janeausten.co.uk/pages/festival-home-pageFor the Caroline Herschel play:https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/queen-of-the-night-caroline-herschel-tickets-643705298877?aff=ebdshpsearchautocomplete&keep_tld=1

On the 210th anniversary of the publication of Pride and Prejudice, Julia and Kate discuss first impressions (also the first title of P&P). We run through how first impressions were created in Regency England so if you wanted a quick guide to the society of Jane's era - here it is! We then discuss social mobility and what Jane made of that. Could Jane be understood as an author whose plots are about first impressions? We go on to draw out lessons for today, appoint a Darcy and Wickham of this episode, and then on to our Jane Austen news!

Recorded on Jane Austen's birthday Julia and Kate turn our attention to the giving and receiving of presents! First we stop by Georgian Christmas traditions and then think about how Jane's presents are like bombs going off in the narrative. Stay tuned for the news and the Darcy and Wickham of the week!

We've just come through a period of changing leaders, from the passing of Queen Elizabeth and the changing of Prime Ministers in the UK, to American midterm elections. What would Jane do when it comes to leaders? We look at the range of leaders in her time from royals to military, and then go on to think about her leading men (and ladies). Is the secret of why Mr Darcy is a character who gets into all our hearts because of his leadership qualities? Stay for Austen news including a new book from Julia Golding - a Middle Grade book, Jane Austen Investigates: The Convict's Canal, inspired by Pride and Prejudice. And Kate tells us about the return of balls and assemblies near you!

Were you delighted or outraged by the recent Netflix adaptation of Persuasion? Well then, this is the podcast for you to vent your views! Julia Golding and Kate Macfarlane take a look at the 18th century tradition of adaptations that Jane Austen herself would have known and in fact uses in her own writing. They then go on the discuss what was right (and wrong) about the 2022 Persuasion, comparing it to previous attempts in 2007 and 1995. Find out which one they think got it right. Do you agree? They then go on to discuss whether Sanditon is an adaptation, or indeed, anything to do with Jane Austen! Adaptations are at their most interesting when they have something new to say so they close by comparing Darcys. Stay tuned for Austen news.We love to hear from our listeners so if you have something you'd like to discuss, please get in touch at www.goldinggateway.com

Recent events have brought war back to the forefront of our minds. Jane Austen lived during a period of almost constant war. It was the background to her life with a huge proportion of the population,  including two of her brothers, in the armed services. What was war like in her day? Kate Macfarlane joins Julia Golding to discuss this. Kate has impressive expert knowledge thanks to her time with the 33rd Foot Regiment, a re-enactment group. This really is a must-listen if you want the nitty-gritty details explaining army life. Is it fair to say Jane didn't address the war in her novels and was out of touch with the political events of her day? Have a listen and see if you agree with our views on the subject and why Julia thinks Jane has something in common with the writer of Derry Girls. Kate gives the latest Jane Austen news.http://33rdfoot.co.uk https://janeaustens.house https://janeausten.co.uk/pages/festival/summer-ball-2022/

Who would you like to come to your bookclub? We are guessing many of us would pick Jane Austen. In this episode Julia Golding (Jane Austen Investigates) and Kate MacFarlane,  Jane Austen super fan, discuss what were the equivalent in Jane's day, where she got her reading material from, how publishing worked, and we even pause for some short tasters of the kind of books that were best sellers in her day. Prepare to have goosebumps with The Castle of Otranto and some impassioned poetry from Cowper that Marianne thought Edward Ferrars didn't do justice to! Stick around to find out how her characters would be have in bookclub. #JaneAusten #WWJD #Bookclub

Julia Golding and Kate Macfarlane take a light-hearted look at the questions of what kind of man you should aspire to be! Reviewing the models available in Jane Austen's era, from the 1770s fop to the Byronic heroes of the 1810, they discuss what qualities were expected of men. They then turn to Austen's works and see what she admired - and disliked - in men of her era. Why is there very little description of what people look like in her works? What would she make of our Romance Novel front cover model of bronzed chest and rippling hair? Which character would put in for plastic surgery? Finally, Julia and Kate turn to her for wisdom on today's issues of gender and sex, as well as the cancel culture. Is it time for a duel?

In this episode, Julia Golding is joined by Katherine MacFarlane, expert on Regency fashions thanks to her participation in the re-enactment world of the 33rd Foot. (There is also a version of this on YouTube if you want to see the visuals referred to during the discussion.) Where would Jane get her fashion news from and how were clothes bought and designed? Was there such a thing as fast fashion or 'the little black dress'? It is a wide ranging discussion in which they only have time to scratch the surface so here are some links from Kate to help with further exploration:Kate's Regiment:His Majesty's 33rd Foot, First Yorkshire West RidingHis Majesty's 33rd Regiment of Foot (33rdfoot.co.uk)For Regency Fashion of your own Badger Historic Costumes : Replica costumes - Museum Educhttps://www.historic-costumes.co.uklady who made Kate's capCrafty Baggage – Hand Made With Lovehttps://craftybaggage.co.uklady who made Kate's mustard dress from fabric she provided.HatsPeriod.co.uk | Quality Historical Headwearwww.hatsperiod.co.ukfor male and female headwear and for those in America:The name “Shocking Bad Hats” comes from a quote from the First Duke of Wellington, the hero of Waterloo and Prime Minister of Great Britain, 1828-1830. Upon leaving a session of Parliament, a journalist asked His Grace to give his impressions of the proceedings. His sole reply was, “I never saw so many shocking bad hats in my life!”About - Shocking Bad Hats shocking-bad-hats7.mybigcommerce.com/about/ Books: ‘Jane Austen in Fashion' -Penelope Byrde‘The Costume of Yorkshire' - George Walker‘The Pocket- a hidden history of women's lives, 1660-1900'- Barbara Burman and Ariane Fennetaux(I did not mention Pockets!! Or Gloves! OR Clocked Stockings!! Aaargh! Maybe next time.) And for your Christmas coffee table:‘Napoleon and the Empire of Fashion -1795 -1815' by Martin Lancaster and Cristina Barreto(This is expensive at £40.00 but SO worth it and beautiful- they have used their own collection of real Regency fashion to recreate fashion plates.)

It's a modern day epidemic on social media. Suggested by an audience member at the Jane Austen Festival in Bath, Julia Golding takes a look at oversharing in the era of Jane Austen, from letters, to memoirs, to roman à clef, to cartoons, her time was not without its places to spill the beans. Who is  the worst oversharer in Emma (there are lots of them!) and what is wrong with being too reticent? Have a listen and then add your thoughts.Also mentioned in this episode is Miss Austen by Gill Hornby and events at the Jane Austen House https://janeaustens.house

Julia Golding and Zoe Wheddon take the podcast to that most Jane Austen of cities: Bath! On the occasion of the Jane Austen Festival, they visit the main sights from Pump Room to Royal Crescent, reflecting on what Jane would make of the city as it is today and what it would have been like when she lived there.To see Julia and Zoe on location, you can watch the podcast here: https://youtu.be/QIy_FcTCp68

Hang on, there's no sport in Jane Austen surely? Can't remember that tennis match between Mr Bingley and Mr Darcy or Ann Elliott running laps with the Musgroves? True - but once you start looking, there is much more than you think! Zoe and Julia take a quick look at sport at the turn of the nineteenth century from boxing to battledore, and then trace its presence in Jane Austen's life and novels. Discover how she used sporty activities as a metaphor for things going on in the plot, and ponder if the Austen family not only did theatricals but played sport together. Next is the Lizzie and Lady Catherine of the month, followed by reviews and Austen news. Julia reviews Modern Persuasion (Amazon Prime) and Zoe brings news on some adaptation. Plus she highlights the Jane Austen Literacy Foundation's version of Sanditon that can be watched for free on YouTube.

Have you ever thought about casting Jane away on an island - Love Island to be exact? In this episode,  we have a look at the dating culture in Jane's day and compare it to our own version in Love Island and The Bachelor/Bachelorette. Which heroine would not find herself in a thong bikini by the pool and who would love the gossip? Why does Mr Collins deserve his own season of The Bachelor and can you imagine getting the rose from Mr Darcy? What about Captain Wentworth being pursued by the Musgroves? Another mini-Bachelor episode!We go on to our Darcy and Mr Collins of the month and then take on the most contentious issue of them all: which is our favourite adaption of P&P, choosing between 1980s BBC, 1995 BBC, 2004 Bride and Prejudice, 2005 film and a brief mention of P&P and Zombies. See if you agree our comments and selection.Links mentioned in the show:https://no1royalcrescent.org.ukhttps://www.yoshigoods.com/collections/jane-austen-bookworm-leather-handbags-purses-accessories

How would Jane Austen fit in with our modern #MeToo movement? It's an interesting question which led us, in this episode, to look at Jane Austen and the #MeToo, breaking it down into terms which make sense in her era: the context of feminist thought and sexual harassment in the late 18th and early 19th century. We discuss the shockingly unequal legal framework in which women lived, early feminists and empowered women such as Mary Wollstonecraft and Caroline Herschel, and then go on to discuss incidents in Jane's life and novels that illustrate #MeToo moments. Find out what Mr Collins got wrong, what Fanny got right, and who was the novelist's narcissistic sociopath! We go on to award our Lizzy and Lady Catherine of the month and review Janice Hadlow's The Other Bennet Sister (Pan).Links mentioned are: https://www.the-tls.co.uk/articles/jane-austen-family-slavery-essay-devoney-looser/https://blackwells.co.uk/bookshop/product/Jane-Austen-the-Secret-Radical-by-Helena-Kelly-author/9781785781889https://janeaustens.house

In this episode Julia Golding and Zoe Wheddon look at Jane Austen and childhood. We investigate how her era invented our modern idea of childhood as a time of innocence. But how was she raised? Did new ideas of Rousseau and natural education make it to the parsonage at Steventon? There were many children in her adult life and she was a much loved aunt to her brothers' children. What games and stories did she play with them? We then go on to look at her novels - there are more children than we first thought! Find out which ones play the most important parts.Stay listening to find out our Darcy and Mr Collins of the week and all the Jane Austen news!Books mentioned in this episode are:Julia Golding, illustrated by Kate Hindley, The Queen's WardrobeJulia Golding, Jane Austen Investigates: The Abbey MysteryJacobsen, Devynn and Dayton, Jane Austen Was HereTo links take you to Blackwells bookshop which does free shipping to the US - support the independents!

This week Zoe Wheddon and Julia Golding discuss what would Jane do about modern friendship, look back at Jane's  friendships in real life and in her fiction, as well as swap Jane Austen news and award this episode's Lizzy and Lady Catherine. Would Jane fit in with Taylor Swift's pack or a Facebook fan group? What role does messaging (or old fashioned letter writing) play in creating strong female networks of friends? And is it friendship rather than romance that is the key to understanding what is really going on in Jane's novels? Have a listen to find out.This episode mentions Zoe's new book, JaneAusten's Best Friend: The Life and Influence of Martha Lloyd  You can get 20% off and Free UK delivery if ordered from the Pen and Sword website at the moment (March 2021) using the code JABF. Also available from Amazon, Waterstones, WH Smith and www.bookshop.orgWe also mention the Jane Austen Festival in Bath. You can find out about the festival in September here.

*Contains mature content* In this episode, inspired by the Netflix series, Bridgerton, we discuss Jane Austen and sex. What did Jane know about it? What role does it play in her novels? Then we widen the discussion to look at the Georgian world on such matters as contraception, pornography and prostitution. We then discuss Bridgerton - the successes and failures in the series, talk a little about what might be in series 2, and round off with our Darcy and Wickham of the week and Jane Austen news.

Julia Golding and Zoe Wheddon discuss what would Jane do at Christmas. Find out about Regency traditions, turkeys, snapdragons and much more. We also award our Lizzie and Lady Catherine of the week and catch up on Jane Austen news in an episode recorded on her birthday.For details of the books recommended, here is a list: Jane Austen's Christmas by Maria Hubert, AJane Austen Christmas by Carlo DeVito and Regency Christmas Traditions, Jane Austen Christmas by Maria Grace and also of note is Jane and Me, My Austen Heritage by Caroline Jane Knight. Further afield, we mentioned Pigeon Tunnel by John Le Carre and Julia Quinn's Bridgerton series.

For the second season of What would Jane do? The author and original host, Julia Golding, is joined by Zoe Wheddon, teacher, researcher and writer. They discuss how Jane and her characters would respond to a pandemic, the nature of illness in the early nineteenth century and what treatments were available.Stick around to hear who is this week's Darcy (hooray!) and this week's Wickham (boo!), Jane Austen news and what we will be watching.

Ever wanted to time travel back to the theatre in Jane Austen's time? Find out in this podcast with world expert, Dr David Taylor of St Hugh's College, Oxford, what Jane Austen would have seen when she entered a theatre in the 1790s. Who was there and what did it look like? What plays were on offer? Which writers inspired her? Were there special effects and what were they like? Turning from this, we go on to discuss the influence on her work, particularly looking at Northanger Abbey and Mansfield Park. Finally we turn to the knotty question of which is the best dramatic adaptation of her novels in our age - and you may be surprised by David's answer!

What surprising room might Mr Darcy and guests retire to after dinner? What exactly was Admiral Croft looking at in the shop window in Bath? Where did Jane and Cassandra get their ideas from for their youthful collaboration on The History of England? You can find out the answers to these questions and much more when you listen to Dr David Taylor, St Hugh's College, Oxford, and expert on the political cartoon culture in Jane Austen's era. He can also tell you about how Austen's work has provided modern cartoonists with material for their satirical pictures.

A very special episode recorded on location at the Jane Austen House Museum in Chawton. Listen to Julia Golding in conversation with the museum director, Mary Guyatt and find out how Jane's last home became a museum open to the public. What was daily life like in this home for Jane, her mother and her sister Cassandra? Who made the breakfast and dealt with the tea? What objects in the house feature in her novels? What do visitors learn by coming here that they can't get from books or adaptations? And just how big was her writing desk? Finally, what would Jane have thought if she came today to find that 40,000 international visitors walk around her house each year.

Marvel or DC universe? Iron Man or Batman? Wonder Woman or Black Panther? Our cinema culture has for over a decade been dominated by our love of super heroes. Julia Golding explores how each era makes the heroes suited for its own day. She goes back to the novelists writing before Jane Austen to look at the big rivalry: Richardson Universe v Fielding Universe. Following their negotiation about the nature of the hero, Austen picks this up when she explores what it means to be a heroine in her early novel, Northanger Abbey. So are there any super heroes to be found in Jane Austen? There is indeed - and you'll be surprised by a guest appearance from General Zod (Man of Steel) if you stick around for the big battle at the end.

Questions about gender identity may seem to be characteristic of our time, but others have gone before us in challenging societal roles. From Harriet Freke in Maria Edgeworth's Belinda (1801) to the real life Chevalier d'Eon, men and women have been pushing the boundaries of what it means to be male and female. Where does Jane Austen come in this debate? How would she negotiate current questions about how we engage with our gendered social roles? We go from Lady Susan to Persuasion in our quest for some of the answers.

Are you a GoT fan and/or a Jane Austen one? Can you describe GoT and Jane Austen in 3 little words? Take the challenge and find out what would Jane Austen have made of the cult TV hit. Going back in time for an early nineteenth century perspective, Julia Golding takes a tour of the gothic in fiction and fact, touching on the scandalous hit of the 1790s, The Monk, and the gothic-lite of Ann Radcliffe. Next stop is Lord Byron and his GoT-worthy life. And what would a mash-up of Austen and Thrones have been like?

Julia Golding turns to Jane Austen for help with understanding how to handle social media. She first takes a look at the world of eighteenth century society, the networking via letters, and the public disasters that can fall in such a gossipy world. What can we learn today about keeping a balance between our private and public selves and who is handling it in our times with a discretion Jane Austen would've appreciated? Stay tuned to the end of the episode to find out!