Positively Austen
The inspiration behind the collection.
This blog accompanies my recent collection, Positively Austen, in which I explore the things that stood out to me as I researched and gathered inspiration—the things that made me pause, ponder, and consider their significance.
Welcome to the world of Jane Austen. She lived from 1775 to 1817 and witnessed a fascinating period in British history—the Regency Period.
The Regency Period was a time of great change. From 1811 to 1820, Prince George served as Prince Regent on behalf of his father, King George III, who was very ill and mentally unfit to rule. At the age of 48, Prince George became Prince Regent, which is why this period became known as the Regency.
George had a very plain, strict upbringing and was deprived of many joys and pleasures. As an adult, however, much of his life was spent pursuing a lavish lifestyle of heavy drinking, womanising, and extravagant overspending.
When he became Prince Regent and had even more money at his disposal, his lifestyle and well-established habits did not change; they became significantly more excessive. Opulence and luxury are almost an understatement. He had the latest fashions, interior design, architecture, and landscaped gardens. He commissioned entire new streets to be built in London, built new houses, carried out extensive renovations to his residences, hosted enormous parties, and ate and drank to his heart's content.
This resulted in a ruler with a reputation for placing his own pleasures above all else. However, because he was the Prince Regent, the fashions, trends, and lavish social gatherings caught on and quickly spread throughout high society.
During this time, Britain was also at war with Napoleon, placing enormous financial strain on the country. At the same time, the Industrial Revolution was transforming society, resulting in widespread unemployment as factories increasingly required fewer workers.
The rich were squandering their money on extravagant home improvements and social events, while the poor were being made redundant and becoming poorer still (sound familiar?).
Why did Jane Austen choose love?
Jane Austen lived through these times; she witnessed the change in industry and how the gap between social classes was getting larger as time went on.
She wrote many of her most famous novels between 1796 and 1816. She came from a modest family, being the daughter of a clergyman and growing up in a rectory. She was between the two ends of the social scale, relying heavily on her family for financial security because she never married. Sadly, she passed away at the age of 41.
Jane Austen is best known for writing about love in all her novels, but she also explored how love could challenge social expectations and the idea of marrying primarily for financial security. Through her stories, she quietly suggests that women should have the right to decide on their own happiness and future.
As she witnessed the changes going on around her—the Industrial Revolution, the strains and pressures of war, a Prince Regent whose moral character was widely criticised, and the widening chasm between the rich and the poor—amongst all of this, she chose to write about love.
She didn’t write about politics.
She didn’t write about war.
She didn’t write about industry.
Instead, she chose to write about love.
Is it because she was a woman? Is love the only language women speak? Is it purely sentiment? Or was it an ingenious way of making some very strong points about the society of her time, set against the backdrop of beautiful storytelling?
I don't know. I am certainly not a literary scholar or an expert on Jane Austen's writings or the intentions behind her novels.
But I do know that I am utterly captivated by them.
As I was researching this collection—exploring Jane Austen's life and the period in history she lived through (which, rather pleasantly, included binge-watching Jane Austen period dramas)—I found myself thinking less about the storylines and characters, and more about the essence of these novels.
They all seem to point to one thing.
Love.
Why, after more than 200 years, are we still so captivated by these novels? They continue to be adapted for modern films and television, capturing the imagination of each new generation. What is it about these stories that continues to resonate with us?
What even is love, and why does it affect us so deeply?
Why do we long for love?
Why do some people spend their whole lives searching for it?
Why do some people fight for it?
What is love?
To be loved is to be liked. It is to be cared for, provided for, protected, and sheltered from harm. When you love someone, you want to make them happy. You want to bring them joy. You want to see them laugh and be filled with an abundance of life.
Love breeds joy.
Love gives us hope for the future.
Love gives life.
It makes me wonder whether love is the very reason life itself exists.
The love between a man and a woman is a beautiful thing and deserves to be protected. The capacity to love another human being more than yourself is something so powerful that it surpasses logic and our instinct for self-preservation. How can people be capable of such love when it could potentially come at their own expense?
Take the love a mother has for her child. It is so strong that she would gladly put herself at risk to protect them. The love of a parent is unmatched.
Surely love comes from something more than biology or physical attraction.
Could it be that love comes from something beyond ourselves? That it has been placed within us by something far greater?
The beauty that surrounds us
As I continued my research and reflection on love, another recurring theme began to emerge from Jane Austen's world and the Regency Period—the distinctive visual style that surrounded this era. That visual style remains instantly recognisable today.
It struck me that the surface pattern designs found across apparel and interiors during this period featured florals and botanicals - from romantic rose designs and stylised botanical motifs to carefully organised geometrics, simple stripes, and delicate ditsy florals. These patterns formed a beautiful backdrop to everyday life during the Regency Period.
In fact, one constant throughout centuries of pattern design has always been florals and botanicals. Why have patterns inspired by the natural world appeared so consistently throughout human history?
Some of the earliest recorded surface patterns drew inspiration from the natural world, particularly florals and botanicals. Even geometric shapes and designs can often be found in nature, such as the honeycomb.
Why are we so drawn to flowers and leaves?
Throughout human history, creation has been the muse and inspiration for people. Many have wanted to recreate what they see in nature—to translate the feeling or impression they experience when witnessing something in creation into a piece of art.
This began with simple flower and leaf patterns appearing on crockery. Our ancestors didn't just want plain bowls to eat from; they had an inherent desire to make something more beautiful and appealing to the eye. We have a desire to create, but perhaps most importantly, we have a desire to create something that brings satisfaction to both the eye and the soul.
I'm sure many of you will agree that when you look upon a particular scene, painting, or image that resonates with you, you're moved by it. You don't just think, "Oh, that's pretty." It makes you feel something. It can bring back a memory or evoke a distinct emotion.
Art has an effect on us when we witness it.
But what fascinates me is that, in many cases, the original inspiration behind human art is nature itself. It is creation.
What does nature embody?
Life.
Nature is a steadfast constant.
It continues to grow, even in the most unexpected and hostile environments. It appears year after year, growing and flourishing.
It is a symbol of life and, consequently, produces hope for the future.
When you plant a seed, you have the hope that it will germinate and grow in
to a plant. Then, when the time is right, it will flower and produce more seeds. I've heard many people speak about the power of gardening and sowing seeds, and how it has helped them through difficult seasons of life.
It has provided them with hope for the future—a hope that there even is a future. It encourages them to keep going, even when circumstances are tough.
Creation is a symbol of life and hope.
Love, life & hope
Firstly, I believe that love is the very reason life exists.
1 John 4:16 - “God is love.”
Secondly, that creation is a symbol of life.
John 1:3 - “Through Him all things were made”
What can we learn from this?
Is there anything to take away from these ponderings?
Maybe there is.
Maybe the reason we are still so captivated by Jane Austen's novels, and why we continue to be drawn to the patterns we find in creation, is because they remind us of something we all long for -
love,
life,
and hope.
Both love and creation remind us that there is hope for the future.
1 Corinthians 13:13 - “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
I hope you enjoy the new collection—Positively Austen.
If these reflections have resonated with you, I'd love to invite you to continue the journey.
I've created a free Weekly Guide to Love, Life & Hope—a gentle seven-day guide designed to help you slow down, notice the beauty around you, and reflect on the love, hope and joy woven into everyday life.
Featuring artwork from my Positively Austen collection, it includes simple daily reflections, Scripture and thoughtful prompts for quiet moments throughout the week.
If you'd like a copy, simply click the link below to find out more and download your free guide.
Warmly,
Megan x
Free Guide Download
Discover the full collection details - Positively Austen