Episode 1
Lucy's romp through 300 years of love's rituals begins with the Georgian age, when the rules of courtship were being rewritten, and women and men made their own romantic choices.
Lucy Worsley presents a series about the 'invention' of British romance - our very own, surprisingly passionate, tradition of love.
Lucy's romp through three centuries of love's rituals begins with the Georgian age, when the rules of courtship were being rewritten. Traditionally, marriage had been as much about business as love. Now, a glamorisation of romantic love inspired women and men to make their own romantic choices - they could flirt in newly-built assembly rooms, or elope to Gretna Green as an act of romantic rebellion.
But the main force of change was the arrival of the novel - Samuel Richardson, Fanny Burney and Jane Austen didn't just map out women's changing desires, they made people seek out the feelings and emotions described in their own lives, permanently changing how the British feel.
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Clips
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Poor Mary
Duration: 02:37
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Peak hair
Duration: 01:32
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The spy who loves me
Duration: 01:03
Music Played
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Peter Skellern
Love Is the Sweetest Thing聽
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Peter Skellern
Love Is The Sweetest Thing
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The Count Basie Orchestra
Basie's Back in Town聽
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Peter Skellern
Love Is the Sweetest Thing聽
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Carl Davis
Pride & Prejudice Theme聽
Orchestra: The City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. -
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach
Rondo II
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Robby Poitevin聽
Forever Yours聽
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Michel Blavet
Flute Concerto in A Minor聽
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Daft Punk
Da Funk
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Ennio Morricone
Moments in Love聽
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Mando Diao
Chet Baker
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Todd Hannigan
Thicker Than Water
Lucy on Jane Austen's "Persuasion"
Jane Austen鈥檚 final completed novel, Persuasion (1818) is one of the most romantic books ever written. About losing love and unexpectedly finding it again, it鈥檚 the first book in the world to reveal the thoughts and feelings of a normal woman approaching middle age and regretting turnings not taken.聽聽
When the romance genre first emerged, it took place in faraway lands and its heroines were rich, beautiful and adventurous. But with Jane Austen romance was brought home to Georgian England, and unfolded in homes and locations her readers would have recognised from real life.
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Presenter | Lucy Worsley |
Executive Producer | Michael Poole |
Executive Producer | John Das |
Director | Sebastian Barfield |
Producer | Sebastian Barfield |
Broadcasts
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