Persuasion

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

1. What was the Georgian Period? What are some movements or characteristics associated with this period, and what events occurred during this time?

Teaching Suggestion: The Georgian Period ran from 1714 until 1837. It included the reigns of George I, II, III, and IV (hence the name used for this period), as well as the reign of William IV. Consider discussing the important political, social, and cultural shifts that characterized this period, including the Industrial Revolution and Romanticism (see below). The expansion of the British Empire was also an important characteristic of this period, as war and conquest turned Britain into one of the world’s principal powers.

• This article from English Heritage provides a readable and broad introduction to the Georgian Period.
• This article contains an overview of etiquette in Georgian society.

2. Jane Austen belongs to what is usually known as the Romantic Period of English literature. What are some works you have encountered from this period? Consider works by authors such as Sir Walter Scott, Mary Shelley, William Blake, and Lord Byron.