Significance of setting in the novel

1. Main Locations in
Pride and Prejudice
Instructor: Bibi Halima
Bibi.halima@uow.edu.pk

2. Main Places
The novel, Pride and Prejudice, invites so many places to compose its real
form. In order to understand the wit and wisdom of writer, it is quite
important to look at the main locations of novel. The novel mainly revolves
around Bennet family but their connection to others cannot be digested withou
t considering setting.

3. Main Places
Some of the important places include:
1. Longbourn
2. Lucas Lodge
3. Meryton
4. Netherfield Park
5. Rosings Park
6. Hunsford Rectory
7. Hertfordshire
8. Ramsgate
9. Pemberly Estate in Derbyshire
10. Lambton
11. Brighton
12. Gretna Green
13. Newcastle

5. 1. Longbourn
Bennets’ Estate
• Located one mile from Meryton Village
• Estate of £2000 per year
• To “entail” means to leave the bulk of one’s wealth to the oldest male heir
• Main place of action happens within Bennet Family
• Mr. Collins’ visit and proposal to Elizabeth
• The Gardiner’s visit at Christmas time

6. Longbourn
The House of
Bennet sisters

7. 2. Lucas Lodge
• Home to Mr and Mrs Lucas and their two daughter i.e., Charlotte and Maria
• Situated one mile from Meryton Village in close proximity to Longbourn Estate
• Bennet sisters visit Lucas Lodge to gossip about Meryton Ball
“ He had removed with his family to a house about a mile from Meryton, ... where he could think with pleasure of his own i
mportance, and, unshackled by business, occupy himself solely in being civil to all the world.

8. Lucas Lodge
Mr Collins pursues his
courtship with Charlotte
here

9. 3. Meryton Village
An escape for Lydia and Kitty
• Bennet sisters’ aunt named Mrs Philips lives here
• Militia regiment is encamped
• First opening ball of the novel is held
• Assembly is located
• Elizabeth and Mr Wickham meets here for the first time
• Meryton happens as a refuge for Lydia and Kitty
• Longbourn Estate, Lucas Lodge and Netherfield Park are in close proximity to this
village

10. Meryton Village
The two youngest of
Bennet sisters love to
go Meryton
unsupervised
An imaginary town in
Hertfordshire

11. 4. Netherfield Park
Residence of Bingleys
• A grand mansion coveted by inhabitants of surroundings
• Located three miles from Longbourn
• Jane’s illness, her extended stay and Elizabeth’s visit happens here
• Third ball of the novel is held at Netherfield
• Bingleys leave the place to London and returns at the end of the novel

12. Netherfield Park
“My dear Mr. Bennet,“
said his lady to him one
day, "have you heard that
Netherfield Park is let at
last

13. 5. Rosings Park
Residence of Lady Catherine de Bourgh
• Mr Collins’ patroness and Mr Darcy’s aunt lives here
• Many dinner and tea parties are arranged
• Elizabeth meets Darcy and his cousin Colonel Fitzwilliam
• Darcy writes a letter for Elizabeth during his stay at Rosings Parl

14. Rosings Park
The grandeur of
Lady Catherine
de Bourgh

15. 6. Hunsford Rectory
Mr Collins Patronage
• The patronage is located in and belongs to owner of Rosings Park
• Mr Collins and his wife Charlotter Lucas lives here in four-bedroom home
• Elizabeth along with Mr Lucas and Maria Lucas visit them
• It has a parlour where the most famous (though ill-fated) Darcy’s first proposal for
Elizabeth happens
• Colonel Fitzwilliam visits Elizabeth frequently during her stay at Hunsford

16. Hunsford
“It has a staircase that
is eminently suitable for
a clergyman in [Mr
Collins'] position, being
neither too shallow, nor
too steep.“
Said Mr Collins

17. 7. Hertfordshire
One of the home counties in southern England
• Longbourn Estate,Netherfield park, Lucas Lodge and Meryton are located in
Hertfordshire
• Collins visits Hertfordshire from Hunsford

19. 8. Ramsgate
Sea-side Resort in Kent
• “My sister, who is more than ten years my junior, was left to the guardianship of my mother's nephew, Colonel
Fitzwilliam, and myself. About a year ago she was taken from school, and an establishment formed for her in Lo
ndon; and last summer she went with the lady who presided over it to Ramsgate; and thither also went Mr. Wic
kham, undoubtedly by design…”
• The place where:
 Georgiana stayed for summer
 Wickham convinces Georgiana to elope with him

20. Ramsgate

21. 9. Pemberly Estate
Mr Darcy’s family house in Derbyshire
• “At that moment she felt that to be mistress of Pemberly might be something”
• Elizabeth visits Pemberly with Gardiners and meets Mr Darcy unexpectedly
• It is symbolic of everything “good” i.e., beauty, tradition, intelligence and virture
• It is the reflection of Mr Darcy’s character i.e, well-formed, cannot-be-purchased, and polished
“Pemberly possesses a character and style of its own, representing freedom without excess, restrain without
austerity, and generosity without ostentation”
Walter Anderson

23. 10. Lambton
A way to Pemberly
• Pemberly is located near the fictional town of Lambton
• Elizabeth stays at inn of Lambton while with his uncle and aunt on tour to Derbyshire
• Elizabeth meets Georgiana for the first time
• Elizabeth receives the letter of Jane and gets to know about Lydia’s elopement

24. Lambton

25. 11. Brighton
A venture of Lydia
• Militia Regiment is shifted from Meryton to Brighton
• Lydia is invited by Mrs Forster to join her to go Brighton
• Lydia visits this place and elopes with Mr Wickham

26. Brighton

27. 12 . Gretna Green
A refuge for lovebirds and runaways
“I am going to Gretna Green, and if you cannot guess with who, I shall think you a simpleton”
• Lord Hardwicke’s Marriage Act (1753) declared that marriages between people under the age of twenty-one
required parental consent
• Elopers used to travel Scotland, where the age of consent for male for 14 and 12 for females
• Gretna Green was on the border and often the first village
• Since Lydia was only fifteen so they decided to go Gretna Green for getting officially married

29. 13. Newcastle
Lydia and Wickham’s eternal exile place
• Located in Northumberland in the Northeast
• Lydia and Wickham exiled to this place after getting married
• Wikham joins his commision in Newcastle and lives there afterwards

30. Newcastle

31. Study Questions
1. How important is the setting of novel, Pride and Prejudice?
2. Briefly discuss the setting and location of novel, Pride and Prejudice.
3. How Pemberly is the reflection of Mr Darcy’s character?
4. Why does Lydia mention to go Gretna Green in her letter?
5. Describe the key actions happen at Meryton.