(by Victoria Grossack)
Are you at a loss, this holiday season,
at what to give your loved ones? Why not
take a look at the gifts in Jane Austen’s novels and see if they inspire you? And beware of the pitfalls, as not all gifts are
welcome from all givers.
One of the most frequently bestowed
gifts in Jane Austen is money. The amount may be small, such as the single
pound note given by Mrs. Norris to William Price in Mansfield Park (this amount is not given explicitly in the text,
but Jane Austen herself told her family that was the amount she meant). Or the sum may be enormous, as when Darcy
bribes Wickham to marry Lydia Bennet in Pride
& Prejudice. Today some people
turn their noses up at money, but in Jane Austen’s novels, recipients are
almost always appreciative.
Assuming you want to be more personal,
let’s consider other significant gifts in Austen’s novels.
The
pianoforte.
In Emma (spoiler alert), Frank
Churchill ‘anonymously’ gives Jane Fairfax a pianoforte to use during her stay
in Highbury. Of course, Miss Fairfax
knows who the donor is, but as she cannot say, the gift makes her vulnerable to
unkind rumors. On the other hand, it is
a pretty instrument, a generous gift, and she enjoys playing it
tremendously. What can one learn from
this? It’s always good to remember the
tastes of your recipients, and to give them what they lack in certain
situations. Still, do your best not to
cause mischief and inconvenience.
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