Forensic Speech Outline

Introduction:

Attention getter: Have you ever spent a night being deeply absorbed in reading one of Jane Austen’s fascinating works? Can you remember tracing the narration revealing the unique atmosphere of the 19^th century British society? Do you often feel overwhelmed by the vivid imagery of a church full of guests throwing rose petals as a happy couple passing the aisle? If so, you might be curious to compare your perception of the world of Jane Austen’s novels with the reality of the past. It is claimed, there are three distinct stages you can follow to get a clear idea of how marriage was contracted in Georgian Britain.

Credibility: Historians Roy and Lesley Adkins, who did thorough research on the 19^th century British customs, report that ‘marriage in Georgian Britain was rarely the stuff of great romances’ like the well-known novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’.

Relevance: I would like my audience to reflect on the way the time spirit of the 19^th century reveals through the manners and prejudices of the society in Georgian Britain.

Thesis: The major steps of contracting Georgian marriage are finding an ideal partner, preparing and celebrating Georgian nuptials.

Preview: First I am going to talk about the procedure of choosing the right partner in the 19^th century, then I will discuss the Georgian engagement and finally I will explore the Georgian wedding ceremony.

Body:

Claim 1: The first step of contracting marriage is finding an ideal partner during the Georgian period.

Evidence:

Ø Superstitions, love, finances, and convenience all played a part in finding a partner. As Roy and Lesley Adkins noted, on St. Agnes’ Eve (21 January), the advice was to ‘take a row of pins, and pull out every one, one after another, saying a Paternoster on sticking a pin in your sleeve, and you will dream of him, or her you shall marry’ (Source 2: Adkins, R.).

Ø Marriage always had an economic component. Since middle- and low-class men couldn’t afford servants, they had to pay for the services or … marry a woman who would not only run the house, but also warm her husband’s bed and care for children. Besides, flaunting a lower-class mistress for prosperous men was preferable to marrying outside of one’s social sphere (Source 5: Caine, B.).

Transition: Keeping these points in mind about finding Mr. or Miss Right in the Georgian period, let’s turn to the preparations for Georgian nuptials.

Claim 2: The second step of contracting marriage is preparing for the wedding in the Georgian style.

Evidence:

Ø Weddings were public affairs from the start. Hardwicke’s Marriage Act of 1753 made it much more difficult to marry without parental consent. As Cheryl Bolen, an acclaimed author of Regency-set historical novels, pointed out, ‘What was always an option for star-crossed lovers is elopement – over the border into Scottish Gretna Green, where the law on marriage was less restrictive’ (Source 4: Bolen, Ch.).

Ø During the Georgian period British people reserved the great traditions. However, strange it may be, engagement rings were not diamonds in those days; it might be given as a token of affection - Edward in Jane Austen’s ‘Sense and Sensibility’ wears such a ring made from his fiancée’s hair. Invitations were handwritten personal letters inviting friends and relatives to attend the ceremony (Source 1: Abbott, R.).

Transition: Now that we’ve seen how Georgian couples prepared for the big day, let’s look at the way they celebrated the occasion.

Claim 3: The third step of contracting marriage is celebrating Georgian nuptials.

Evidence:

Ø The majority of the ton strove for a wedding ceremony in St. George’s Parish Church, which, according to Roy and Lesley Adkins, was considered ‘as a fashionable church almost from its beginning in 1725. In 1816, St. Georges was the location of 1,063 weddings, or about three a day’ (Source 3: Adkins, R.).

Ø The notion of a white wedding gown wasn’t widespread during the early 19^th century. Most women were married in their Sunday best. As for the wedding ring, it was absolutely necessary in a Church-of England marriage, but it might be made of any metal, and of any size. Honeymooning in foreign climes was out of the question for most newly-weds (Source 6: Moore, W.).

Conclusion:

Review and relevance: In conclusion, marriage took place for several reasons: perhaps a couple was in love, or it was a marriage of convenience to produce heirs, combine finances and families, or escape from poverty and loneliness. Anyway, it was a lifelong commitment, and so choosing a companion required great care. Now that you know a little more about Georgian marriage, I hope you have a better idea of how the wedding customs and traditions of Georgian Britain bring out the order of the past day and why happiness in marriage, in the words of Jane Austen, was ‘entirely a matter of chance’.

Bibliography:

1. Abbott, R. (2001). Jane Austen a beginner’s guide. London: Hodder and Stoughton.

2. Adkins, R. & L. Adkins (2013). A survivor’s guide to Georgian marriage. BBC History Magazine. 14 (7) 51 – 55.

3. Adkins, R. & L. Adkins (2013). Eavesdropping on Jane Austen’s England: how our ancestors lived two centuries ago. London: Little, Brown.

4. Bolen, Ch. (2011). Courting and marriage in the Regency. The Quizzing Glass. 6 25 – 27.

5. Caine, B. (1997). English Feminism 1780 – 1980. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

6. Moore, W. (2009). Wedlock: how Georgian Britain’s worst husband met his match. London: The Orion Publishing Group Ltd Orion House.

Дата добавления: 2015-11-16