What’s What With Wickham? (1 Viewer)

[PolarBear]

WHAT’S WHAT WITH WICKHAM?

This is my second thread on Jane Austen and the Napoleonic Wars. As in my previous thread “Jane Austen, Napoleon and the Guards” I shall be looking at British fears of a French invasion and the response to provide adequate defense for such a possibility. Specifically I will be looking at Pride and Prejudice (1813) and one of its characters, George Wickham. For collectors, the characters of Pride and Prejudice make up W. Britains first releases in The Jane Austen Collection. I will be illustrating the thread with stills from the 2005 motion picture of the novel and some of the new WB figures.

Here is a poster from the 2005 film. It shows the female members of the Bennet family near the village of Longbourn, their country property. The mother and the 5 single daughters are shown here:

Rear (left to right): Mary, Elizabeth, Mrs. Bennet
Front (left to right) : Jane, Kitty, Lydia

The 2005 film version of P&P has been set in 1797. This is a year after Austen began writing the novel which was originally titled First Impressions. Most other film versions have been set closer to the 1813 date of its publication. The earlier setting accounts for differences in the style of the clothing worn by the characters in the film from those of the WB figures which are more typical of the first two decades of the 19th C. This applies to both civilian and military dress.

The plot of the novel centers around finding husbands who can adequately support each of the daughters. This was a necessity in England at the time because property and wealth could only be passed down from a father to a male relative.

 

[PolarBear]

One source of husbands was the military. Fortunately for the Bennet family, a miltia regiment has arrived in the area at Meryton, about a mile from where they live. Here we see Mrs. Bennet and her 5 daughters on their way to Meryton to see the militia on parade.

 

[PolarBear]

The two youngest daughters, Kitty and Lydia, are excited about seeing a group of handsome young men in their scarlet uniforms.

Here is a still from the film showing Kitty and Lydia and the 2 figures by WB that represent them.

 

[PolarBear]

Here we see the militia parading through Meryton and the enthusiastic expression on Lydia’s face as they pass by in all their splendor.


Here is a passage from P&P in which Mrs. Bennet expresses to her husband the female infatuation with the soldiers:

“My dear Mr. Bennet, you must not expect such girls to have the sense of their father and mother. -- When they get to our age, I dare say they will not think about officers any more than we do. I remember the time when I liked a red coat myself very well -- and indeed, so I do still at my heart; and if a smart young colonel, with five or six thousand a year, should want one of my girls, I shall not say nay to him; and I thought Colonel Forster looked very becoming the other night at Sir William's in his regimentals.''

 

[PolarBear]

Here 4 of the sisters surround the dashing and handsome young Lt. George Wickham.

 

[PolarBear]

Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), the novel’s main protagonist, is at first taken with the young Lt. but later in the story learns that previously in his life, he has been a both a cad and a deceiver, guilty of ungentlemanly behavior.

Here is the WB figure of Elizabeth. You will note her later style of clothing from the 1805-15 period rather than the 1790s.( See also the WB Petticoat 60001 Lady in an Afternoon Dress 1805-15)

 

[PolarBear]

Lydia, her younger sister, lacking Elizabeth’s more mature wisdom, catches Wickham on the rebound and decides to run away and elope with him.

Here we see Lydia and Wickham in a carriage after they have been married and an illustration from a 19th C edition of the novel showing their elopement.

 

[PolarBear]

With that basic information I would like to turn now to look in more detail at George Wickham and what his character can tell us about the Napoleonic Era that formed the backdrop to Jane Austen’s novels.

First, it is important to understand the role of the militia in Britain during the Napoleonic Era. The militia had played an historic role in protecting the homeland since Anglo-Saxon times. The Militia Act of 1757 had set up local part-time forces with one or more infantry regiments assigned to each shire or county. Members from each county were selected by ballot from men between the ages of 18 and 45. (After 1803 the ages were changed to 17-55 to meet wartime manpower needs). Individuals who did not wish to serve could pay for a substitute. Service in the militia was for 5 years after mobilization, Occasionally men from the militias were drafted into service for the regular army. This occurred in support of Wellington’s campaign during the Peninsular War ( 1807-1814).

The late 18th C revolution in France with the desire among the French to spread revolutionary ideas throughout Europe and the subsequent rise of Napoleon caused an enlargement in British militia forces in response to the fear that Napoleon might try to invade England. In 1803, 100,000 men were raised and new legislation in 1808 called for a force of 200,000. For young men like George Wickham, a military career represented a means of increasing their status especially if they served as officers. The initial rank for officers was that of Ensign. The next step was that of lieutenant, Wickham’s rank. Each company usually had 2 lieutenants. Many of the younger militia members were unmarried and military service enhanced their chances of matrimony.

Here is a still of Wickham from the 2005 film:

 

[PolarBear]

Finally, here is the WB figure of George Wickham in his militia uniform.

His headdress is a black leather ‘belgic” or Waterloo shako, introduced about 1812 to replace the earlier stovepipe shako. It is decorated with a green plume likely signifying a light company. He wears a double breasted scarlet coat with blue facings. His officer’s rank is indicated by his shoulder wings, the gorget hanging from his neck, the crimson sash tied around his waist, and the regimental swagger stick under his left arm. He wears white breeches tucked into black leather “hussar” boots. His weapon is an officer’s sword.

A comparison with a still from the 2005 film showing the militia and a WB Redcoat from the 1790s demonstrate the more up to date uniform worn by Wickham. Note that both examples being compared wear the 1790s bicorne hat rather than shakos and that the style of their coats is more in keeping with the 18th C. I have also include a photo of an actual Napoleonic militia coat from the collection of a military museum in Canada.

I hope this thread has shed further light on the Napoleonic aspects of Britain’s Jane Austen Collection.

 

[damian]

Elizabeth (Keira Knightley), the novel’s main protagonist, is at first taken with the young Lt. but later in the story learns that previously in his life, he has been a both a cad and a deceiver, guilty of ungentlemanly behavior.

Here is the WB figure of Elizabeth. You will note her later style of clothing from the 1805-15 period rather than the 1790s.( See also the WB Petticoat 60001 Lady in an Afternoon Dress 1805-15)

What wonderful cheekbones.

 

[PolarBear]

What wonderful cheekbones.

Spoken like a true surgeon!

Randy

 

[Andanna]

Thank you. It helps me appreciate figures that otherwise - in the inflation of new offerings of figures and constant flood of information - would have gotten lost to me. But this thread is (again) very enlightening and reading it is time well spent.

Perhaps you should consider a podcast or vidcast. Britains would most likely be interested.

 

[REVWARBUFF]

Thanks again Randy for all your research and efforts to keep us up on the historical background of our toy soldiers.