Etiquette in Pride and Prejudice

Don’t watch this video. It’s not good. Check the comments. It doesn’t take an English teacher to see a pattern. This video sucks. Hi, I’m an English teacher. And I made this video to help my students try to get some background knowledge about the time period and geographical area in the novel so they could understand aspects of that novel better, such as the satire, for example. Austen was satirizing the class system and the rules around if. She was also criticizing the patriarchal system. So, I needed to give my high school students some idea of what it was like then and there. In England, in the 1800’s. In the country. An alien world to my students. I have been made aware that there are sound problems in the video. If you are sensitive to fluctuations in sound levels such that you are caused to leave replies telling me about it, you may want to avoid watching this video. In fact, I advise that. I should also like to point out that women could own property and I said otherwise, incorrectly, in the video because I am an English teacher and not a 19th century property law teacher. I’m not even saying I’m a good English teacher. I’m just saying that’s why I said something wrong in the video and it sounds absurd to those who know that type of thing. I don’t know that type of thing. Clearly. I should also point out that my terminology for the geographical area of the setting is incorrect. I did my best to be correct, but, I failed, apparently. I believe I was using the terminology that Austen used in the novel. For example, on the first page of Chapter 1, Mrs. Bennett refers to “England“ as in the place where she was. “Why, my dear, you must know, Mrs. Long says that Netherfield is taken by a young man of large fortune from the north of England; that he came down on Monday in a chaise and four to see the place...“ Then, in Chapter 50, the narrator states, “The satisfaction of prevailing on one of the most worthless young men in Great Britain to be her husband might then have rested in its proper place.“ I feel like I can be excused for not getting the name of “The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom“ (Wikipedia) wrong. I apologize. Today, I would call it the U.K. or just England because I keep forgetting. My sincerest apologies to you. I will just keep trying to be better one day at a time. For all asking me to correct these deficiencies in the video, I must risk your disappointment because I’m not going to do it. I don’t teach this class or use this video anymore. I’d rather simply delete it. But, some people still find it helpful, despite all of its many appalling, embarrassing, and really just shameful flaws. Take it as it is, or don’t. That choice is yours. My choice is to accept it as it is, a testament to my flawed kindness. I spent my own time and money making this video. It’s amateurish because I’m an amateur at it. I know. I can see it and hear it. But, I have other classes I teach now and we are very busy. In my free time I like to do whatever I want and that doesn’t include re-editing a free video on the internet. I did, however, feel like writing a thousand and five hundred words about this video and why I think it’s embarrassing for some of you to be so rude to a guy who took his own time to try to help. Like, seriously. What did I do to some of you to deserve such scorn and condescension? I know it’s YouTube but you’re watching a freaking video by a high school English teacher about Etiquette in Pride and Prejudice. Like, take a breath, step back, and ask yourself if a total stranger actually deserves to feel stupid for attempting to give his kids a hand, if possible. Anyway. I’m glad that some people still find it helpful so I will leave the video. Please don’t watch it, though. It’s not very good, has false information, and it’s hard to hear sometimes. This video describes the etiquette in the novel and should help readers understand why people do the things they do. Video clips show selected scenes to help illustrate the ideas.