Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is set in 19th century England, during which she wrote the novel. More precisely, the events take place between 1795 and 1810. Austen provides an excellent social critique of her peers, exposing the damaging social norms.
Detailed answer:
The events of Pride and Prejudice take place in England in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The novel was written around the same period and reflected on Austen’s peers. This period corresponds to the Georgian era (1714-1830). It was named after the four successive kings of England, George I to George IV. The years between 1795 and 1837 are called the Regency period. In those days, a significant class disparity existed in society. There was a clear distinction between the upper and lower classes.
The family of the main character owned an estate. Mr. Bennet received an annual income of more than £2,000, which technically placed them in the upper class. A landed gentry was another way to refer to Mr. Bennet during Regency England. The term represents a class that owned land in the countryside and did not have to work.
But personal connections and family played a more significant role in social status than land and income. Mr. Bennet married someone of the lower class, as Mrs. Bennet’s father was merely an attorney. That is why the Bennets more likely belonged to the middle class. The topic of social status and prejudice associated with it forms one of the novel’s most important themes.