Jane Austen/Pride and Prejudice

[Singforjoy04]

This is one of my favorite novels, but I've always had a question about her writing. I hope this is the right place for it. Anyway, why does Austen (and other 18th cent authors) blank out words, especially places? Two examples:

"she had never heard of him before his entrance into the -shire Militia"

"the ladies set out together from Gracechurch street for the town of - in Hertfordshire"

Why would she blank out some names but leave others in there?

Thanks for your help,

[verybaddmom]

these words that are blanked out were real places and people, or so i understand. often authors of that time would give the first initial and then blank out the rest to "protect" the identity or privacy of the person involved. im not entirely sure why she would do that for the places she did, really. maybe someone else could answer you better...

[Singforjoy04]

I can understand protecting the privacy, but it's odd that she does that for some places and not others. For instance, she mentions London and Brighton, which are both real places.

[mono]

I also have noticed that some, particularly classic, authors keep the names of towns or less relevant characters anonymous. I usually assumed that the famous town of "-" and "-shire," in novels is imaginary, and, perhaps, omitted in case there actually is a town by that name. Just a guess; good luck.

[Singforjoy04]

Yes, that's true. She does the same in Northanger Abby, where she is not talking about one person in particular, but still needs a name to make the sentence structure correct. I guess we'll never know the real answer! :)

[Black Flag]

I'm so glad that someone finally brought up the Jane Austen subject---anything really about Jane Austen is welcome. This used to be pretty much a "I hate Jane Austen and her phony-*** novels" kind of forum "back in the day" that is.
Call me a bloody romantic, but I've read and love all of her works. In fact, after reading Pride and Prejudice I was so enthralled with Elisabeth that I found myself trying to find out all I could about Jane Austen in order to get closer to Elisabeth. Kinda pathetic really :)

[Singforjoy04]

I've read and love all of her works.

I'm glad someone else is as happy with Austen's works as I am. I just finished Pride and Prejudice for the second or third time, and am halfway through Northanger Abbey. I'm trying to decide which to start next - Persuasion or Mansfield Park. What's your opinion?

[ajoe]

I can understand protecting the privacy, but it's odd that she does that for some places and not others. For instance, she mentions London and Brighton, which are both real places.

Well, I've always thought the only writers who put that ---- thing before the last 4 letters or so lived a long, long time ago, and they were so uncreative that they felt they couldn't "make up" a name for a city, and so to protect the city's privacy, they do that, and the reason London isn't ---- - ized is because it's well-known.

Man, I'm blabbering.

[Singforjoy04]

Hmmm... I don't think we can talk of Jane Austen as "uncreative". More likely, she just wanted to be careful that she didn't take credit for "making up" a name that already existed.

[ajoe]

Probably. With my lack of knowledge about literature and history (and anything else, for that matter), who am I to talk?

[Singforjoy04]

Oh, no. I'm sure that's not true. I'm sorry if that's what I implied. I haven't even graduated college yet; I still have a lot to learn. I'm just speaking from what I've read - I haven't done any research or anything.

[hugo_fan24601]

i found the same thing in victor hugos les miserables(les mis) i.e le curé bishop od D_