Pride and Prejudice

The novel takes place in England during the Napoleonic Wars, sometime between roughly 1797 and 1815. The novel moves among places such as Hertfordshire, London, and Darcy’s estate at Pemberley in Derbyshire.

Jane Austen wrote Pride and Prejudice between 1797 and 1812, and it was published in 1813. The social world of the book reflects the customs of the English gentry in the early 19th century: formal balls, inherited estates, and strict class distinctions. At this time, women were pressured to marry well because they could not easily inherit property or support themselves independently.

Although the wider political world rarely appears directly in the story, England is technically at war with Napoleon throughout much of the novel. No mention is ever made of this historical context, so readers see a peaceful English countryside that is seemingly insulated from England’s war with France.