• Home
  • Audio/Podcasts
  • Austensites
  • AV/E-Texts
  • History
  • Links
  • Novels
  • Original Sources/19th C. Texts
  • Social Customs During the Regency
  • Teacher/Student
  • Writer/Literature Resources

Jane Austen's World

This Jane Austen blog brings Jane Austen, her novels, and the Regency Period alive through food, dress, social customs, and other 19th C. historical details related to this topic.

Feeds:
Posts
Comments
« Librivox Revisited
Seen Across the Ether: Gardens and a Mansion »

Light in Cranford and Sense and Sensibility

May 11, 2008 by Vic

Until the mid-19th century, light was a precious commodity, and the cost of lighting a dark room well and to one’s satisfaction was an extravagance that few could afford. Recent film adaptations of Cranford and Sense and Sensibility point out precisely how light (or the need for it) affected people’s day and night routines. Near the start of Cranford, Mary Smith and the two Jenkyns sisters are shown huddled near the light of a single candle. To maximize their ability to read or do needlework in the evening, the three women sit near the fireplace in order to see better. Even so, there is barely enough light to work, and one can imagine how hot it must have been in such an enclosed environment on warm nights. This scene was not necessarily reserved for the poor or those who lived on a strict budget. In “Artificial Lighting Prior to 1800 and Its Social Effects”, W.T. O’Dea mentions the observations George Crabbe’s son made of a yeoman’s family:

The extent to which even the better class households were deprived of adequate illumination can be appreciated from description, such as one in the life of the Rev. George Crabbe. His son, the biographer, speaks of a visit to the house of his great-uncle at Parham in Suffolk in 1791. Although the great-uncle was of yeoman stock he enjoyed the not inconsiderable income of about eight hundred pounds per annum. On most occasions “The family and their visitors lived entirely in the old-fashioned kitchen along with the servants. My great-uncle occupied an armchair, or in attacks of gout, a couch on one side of a large open chimney. Mrs. Fovell sat at a small table, on which, in the evening, stood one small candle, in an iron candlestick, plying her needle by the feeble glimmer surrounded by her maids, all busy at the same employment…”

Appearances must be kept, as Mrs. Gaskell so aptly describes in her popular tale. When Miss Matty notices that one candle has become shorter than the other, she lights the taller one and snuffs out the short one. In this way, both ends are kept at around the same length. As soon as company arrives, both candles are lit, prompting Miss Pole to exclaim how bright it is as she enters.


Dr. Harrison’s first evening in Cranford is not only a solitary one, but he sits in virtual darkness. His maid of all work stops by holding a single candle, which illuminates her face and little else, for the rest of the room remains in pitch darkness. During the long days of summer, most working people went to bed at sunset and rose by day light. The poor also burned rushlights, which were much less expensive than a candle and gave off a good clear light. Gilbert White wrote in 1789 in The Natural History of Selborne that while a single candle cost a halfpenny and burned for only two hours, eleven rushlights that cost only a farthing would burn for around half an hour each. There was also the danger of fire. One had to be careful to work so close to an open flame with delicate cloths or paper, and take care not to burn the edges of one’s cap as one bent near the light.

The situation was different for the wealthy as shown in this image of the Dashwoods eating at Norland in Sense and Sensibility 2007. This extravagant use of candles for one family for one evening meal (probably exaggerated in the film) represents one month’s supply of lighting for a less economically secure family. The rich could also afford mirrors, which reflected light back into the rooms, and it was the custom to place candelabras near reflective surfaces for just that effect. The diningroom scene points out how far Mrs. Dashwood fell down the economic ladder when she faced having to live on an income of 500 pounds per year. Sense and Sensibility 1996 stays faithful to the family’s new economic situation. The ladies are shown sitting by a window sewing or doing their work, or outside if the weather permitted.

Windows were designed to let in maximum light, some of them reaching from floor to ceiling, or stretching the entire length of the room. Even when the windows were large, as was the case in Cleveland, the Palmers’ estate, the interiors would become quite dark on a rainy or overcast day. Furniture placement was also crucial, and groupings arranged in front of fireplaces or windows took maximum advantage of the light, whatever its source.

The choice for a room and its function depended on location and orientation. The morning room, I imagine, either faced east or south to take advantage of the earliest rays of the sun, but the best, most steady light, as every painter knows, comes from windows that face north. Lady Catherine de Bourgh, upon entering Longbourn observed to Mrs. Bennet: “This must be a most inconvenient sitting room for the evening, in summer; the windows are full west.” Lady Catherine makes a good point. Although such a room would take advantage of the waning sun, it would also become unbearably hot on a sunny summer’s day.


Working in poor light adversely affected eyesight. Mrs.Gaskell observed in the Life of Charlotte Bronte that by 1850 Charlotte’s weak eyesight “rendered her incapable of following any occupation but knitting by candle-light.” W. T. O’ Dea conjectured that “the absence of effective, inexpensive artificial illuminants after the day’s work was done must have had a profound influence not only on the quality of arts, crafts and handiwork but also on the persistence of illiteracy among the majority even after the introduction of printing.”

I shall end this post with a quote from Northanger Abbey, where Catherine Morland is exploring her guest chambers by the light of a single candle. She has just found a note and her imagination is working over time, but alas she will have to wait until morning to read its contents:

The dimness of the light her candle emitted made her turn to it with alarm; but there was no danger of its sudden extinction; it had yet some hours to burn; and that she might not have any greater difficulty in distinguishing the writing than what its ancient date might occasion, she hastily snuffed it. Alas! It was snuffed and extinguished in one. A lamp could not have expired with more awful effect. Catherine, for a few moments, was motionless with horror. It was done completely; not a remnant of light in the wick could give hope to the rekindling breath. Darkness impenetrable and immovable filled the room.

Find out more on the topic of lighting in my two other posts:

  • Traveling by Night
  • Lighting the Darkness

Source: “Artificial Lighting Prior to 1800 and Its Social Effects”, W.T. Odea, Folklore, Vol 62, No 2, (June, 1951), pp 312-324.

Share with others:

  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)

Like this:

Like Loading...

Related

Posted in jane austen | 6 Comments

6 Responses

  1. on May 11, 2008 at 12:46 tudorpot

    An interesting post, thank for the info re lighting. However, I’m not sure that you can blame poor lighting for an eye problem that was corrected with lenses. Corrective lenses change the refraction of light to deal with alterations in the lens of the eye.


  2. on May 11, 2008 at 13:40 Ms. Place

    Good point, and thank you for the correction. I’ll remove the Mary Smith statement, since in the novel her vision was improved with lenses.


  3. on May 12, 2008 at 16:35 eric3000

    Great post! I don’t remember another film before Cranford depicting quite how dark it was. And you mention large windows to get as much daylight as possible but, of course, glass was so expensive that I think many people still had fairly small windows compared to today.


  4. on May 13, 2008 at 08:48 Ms. Place

    Hi Eric, Persuasion with Amanda Root showed dark interiors lit only by candle light. Your comment about glass is very astute. One thing I have noticed is that during that era houses built in the cities were categorized as 2, 3, or 4 windows wide, as well as by how tall they were. You’ve given me a great idea for another post. Thanks.


  5. on May 13, 2008 at 12:39 eric3000

    Oh, yes, a post on windows would be good! I imagine the price of glass started to fall during the 19th century so more of the middle class could have had bigger windows but I wonder how many older Tudor-style building were retrofitted with larger windows.


  6. on May 18, 2008 at 22:36 onlyanovel

    Great post, Ms. Place. I read that candles at that time were made of either tallow, beeswax, or spermaceti (from, e.g. one like Moby-Dick).



Comments are closed.

  • Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

    Join 6,691 other followers

  • Follow Jane Austen's World on WordPress.com
  • Blog Stats

    • 14,692,363 hits
  • Editing Constancy: A Jane Austen Story

    Book cover of Editing Constancy

    Click on this link to read an excerpt of Gerard Charles Wilson’s most recent book. You can download the Kindle version of the book from Amazon.com

  • The Obituary of Charlotte Collins by Andrew Capes

    Click on image to read the story.

  • Comments

    “My idea of good company…is the company of clever, well-informed people, who have a great deal of conversation.” – Jane Austen, Persuasion

     

    Gentle readers: Please feel free to post your comments and continue the conversation!

    Regretfully, due to SPAMMERS, we will no longer accept comments on posts that were published over 30 days ago. In some instances, links will be removed from comments as well.

  • Administrators and Contributors

    Vic Sanborn, founder of this blog, is supported by a team of talented and knowledgeable writers about Jane Austen and the Regency era. They are:

    • Tony Grant,
    • Brenda Cox, and
    • Rachel Dodge.

    Click on their names to enter their own blogs.

    In addition, we thank the many experts and authors who frequently contribute their posts and opinions, and who continue to do so freely or at our request.

  • The Anne of Green Gables Devotional by Rachel Dodge, one of this blog’s writers!

    Find a book  description and order information on Rachel Dodge’s website. Click on this link.

    Find a review of the book by Brenda Cox, another JAW author, on her website. Click on this link.

  • Podcast Reviews: First Impressions-Why All the Austen Haters Are Wrong

    Image of Victorian woman listening to a podcast with earphonesIn this podcast series First Impressions (59 episodes so far), hosts Kristin and Maggie hilariously discuss the brilliance of Jane Austen and how her novels give us unparalleled insight into our own lives and characters. There’s no shame in loving (and obsessively re-reading) Austen’s novels, which are just as fresh and relevant as they were 200 years ago. Kristin and Maggie are here to give a big [lady] finger to any haters who say otherwise!

    Click here to enter the site.

  • Pin It!

    Follow Me on Pinterest
  • Top Posts

    • Social Customs During the Regency
      Social Customs During the Regency
    • Highclere Castle Floor Plan: The Real Downton Abbey
      Highclere Castle Floor Plan: The Real Downton Abbey
    • Awkward! The Regency Court Gown: Regency Fashion
      Awkward! The Regency Court Gown: Regency Fashion
    • Regency Fashion: Men's Breeches, Pantaloons, and Trousers
      Regency Fashion: Men's Breeches, Pantaloons, and Trousers
    • Men's hair styles at the turn of the 19th century
      Men's hair styles at the turn of the 19th century
    • You can watch Persuasion 2007 online
      You can watch Persuasion 2007 online
    • Regency Hygiene: The Bourdaloue
      Regency Hygiene: The Bourdaloue
    • Ladies Underdrawers in Regency Times: Regency Underwear
      Ladies Underdrawers in Regency Times: Regency Underwear
    • Pride and Prejudice Economics: Or Why a Single Man with a Fortune of £4,000 Per Year is a Desirable Husband
      Pride and Prejudice Economics: Or Why a Single Man with a Fortune of £4,000 Per Year is a Desirable Husband
    • The heaving Regency bosom, or was it? Some facts laid bare.
      The heaving Regency bosom, or was it? Some facts laid bare.
  • Recent Posts

    • New Beginnings at Chawton Cottage
    • A Day in Catherine Morland’s Bath
    • The Contents of a Lady’s Reticule: Part 2
    • The Contents of a Lady’s Reticule: Part 1
    • Merry Christmas to All: A Jane Austen Christmas
  • Bookmark

    Add to DeliciousAdd to DiggAdd to FaceBookAdd to Google BookmarkAdd to MySpaceAdd to NewsvineAdd to RedditAdd to StumbleUponAdd to TechnoratiAdd to Twitter
  • Links to Jane Austen Blogs

    Click here to enter the page. Topics include Regency fashion, historic foods, Jane Austen societies, British sites, related topics. Click on image.

  • Find Jane Austen on Google

  • This blog has no commercial purpose

    Any ads you see are placed here by Wordpress. I make no profit off my blog. I do receive books and DVDs for review.
  • Hello, my name is Vic and I live in Maryland, USA. I have adored Jane Austen almost all of my life. I am a proud lifetime member of the Jane Austen Society of North America. This blog is a personal blog written and edited by me. I do not accept any form of cash advertising, sponsorship, or paid topic insertions. However, I do accept and keep books, DVDs and CDs to review.

    If you would like to share a new site, or point out an error, please email me. (Yes, I am fallible. I'll own up to my mistakes and will make the corrections with a polite smile on my face.) Write me at

    gmailbw

    Thank you for visiting my blog. Your comments and suggestions are most welcome.

  • Copyright Statement

    © Vic Sanborn and Jane Austen's World, 2010. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Vic Sanborn and Jane Austen's World with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
  • Top Posts & Pages

    • Social Customs During the Regency
    • Highclere Castle Floor Plan: The Real Downton Abbey
    • Awkward! The Regency Court Gown: Regency Fashion
    • Regency Fashion: Men's Breeches, Pantaloons, and Trousers
    • Men's hair styles at the turn of the 19th century
    • You can watch Persuasion 2007 online
    • Regency Hygiene: The Bourdaloue
    • Ladies Underdrawers in Regency Times: Regency Underwear
    • Pride and Prejudice Economics: Or Why a Single Man with a Fortune of £4,000 Per Year is a Desirable Husband
    • The heaving Regency bosom, or was it? Some facts laid bare.
  • Page copy protected against web site content infringement by Copyscape

Blog at WordPress.com.

WPThemes.


Cancel
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
%d bloggers like this: