The

Regency era The Regency era of British history is commonly understood as the years between and 1837, although the official regency for which it is named only spanned the years 1811 to 1820. King George III first suffered debilitating illness in the lat ...

in the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

is the period between 1811 and 1820, when

King George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...

was deemed unfit to rule and his son, later

George IV George IV (George Augustus Frederick; 12 August 1762 – 26 June 1830) was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland and King of Hanover from 29 January 1820 until his death in 1830. At the time of his accession to the throne, h ...

, was instated to be his proxy as

prince regent A prince regent or princess regent is a prince or princess who, due to their position in the line of succession, rules a monarchy as regent in the stead of a monarch, e.g., as a result of the sovereign's incapacity (minority or illness) or ab ...

. It was a decade of particular manners and fashions and overlaps with the

Napoleonic period The Napoleonic era is a period in the history of France and history of Europe, Europe. It is generally classified as including the fourth and final stage of the French Revolution, the first being the National Assembly (French Revoluti ...

in Europe. Regency novels are of two main types: * Classic Regency fiction, or fiction actually written during the

- ''The works of

Jane Austen Jane Austen ( ; 16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for #List of works, her six novels, which implicitly interpret, critique, and comment on the English landed gentry at the end of the 18th century ...

Sir Walter Scott Sir Walter Scott, 1st Baronet (15 August 1771 – 21 September 1832), was a Scottish novelist, poet and historian. Many of his works remain classics of European literature, European and Scottish literature, notably the novels ''Ivanhoe'' (18 ...

, Susan Ferrier, and

Maria Edgeworth Maria Edgeworth (1 January 1768 – 22 May 1849) was a prolific Anglo-Irish novelist of adults' and children's literature. She was one of the first realist writers in children's literature and a significant figure in the evolution of the novel i ...

would fall into this category.'' * Modern Regency fiction, or later fiction set within the Regency era. - ''These include

romance novel A romance or romantic novel is a genre fiction novel that primarily focuses on the relationship and Romance (love), romantic love between two people, typically with an emotionally satisfying and optimistic ending. Authors who have contributed ...

s (called "

Regency romance Regency romances are a subgenre of romance novels set during the period of the British Regency (1811–1820) or early 19th century. Rather than simply being versions of contemporary romance stories transported to a historical setting, Regency r ...

s"),

historical fiction Historical fiction is a literary genre in which a fictional plot takes place in the Setting (narrative), setting of particular real past events, historical events. Although the term is commonly used as a synonym for historical fiction literatur ...

detective fiction Detective fiction is a subgenre of crime fiction and mystery fiction in which an criminal investigation, investigator or a detective—whether professional, amateur or retired—investigates a crime, often murder. The detective genre began around ...

, and military fiction''. In both cases the setting is typically Regency England, although the settings can sometimes be extended to the European continent or to the various British colonies of the same time period. Traits often found in both types include a highly developed sense of social standing on the part of the characters, emphasis on "manners" and class issues, and the emergence of modern social thought amongst the upper classes of England.

Classic Regency fiction

This includes works which were actually written between 1811 and 1820, during the Regency era, which is well known for romantic fiction, including the works of

Percy Bysshe Shelley Percy Bysshe Shelley ( ; 4 August 1792 – 8 July 1822) was an English writer who is considered one of the major English Romantic poets. A radical in his poetry as well as in his political and social views, Shelley did not achieve fame durin ...

, Susan Ferrier,

, E. T. A. Hoffmann, and

, who is perhaps the best-known author from this period, with many of her novels having been adapted into film in recent years. All of these writers published most of their best-known works during this period. While not novelists, the poetry of writers such as

Lord Byron George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron (22 January 1788 – 19 April 1824) was an English poet. He is one of the major figures of the Romantic movement, and is regarded as being among the greatest poets of the United Kingdom. Among his best-kno ...

William Blake William Blake (28 November 1757 – 12 August 1827) was an English poet, painter, and printmaker. Largely unrecognised during his life, Blake has become a seminal figure in the history of the Romantic poetry, poetry and visual art of the Roma ...

William Wordsworth William Wordsworth (7 April 177023 April 1850) was an English Romantic poetry, Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romanticism, Romantic Age in English literature with their joint publication ''Lyrical Balla ...

, and

John Keats John Keats (31 October 1795 – 23 February 1821) was an English poet of the second generation of Romantic poets, along with Lord Byron and Percy Bysshe Shelley. His poems had been in publication for less than four years when he died of tub ...

are worth mentioning, as most of their best-known works were also written during the Regency. Many of these classic Regency writers are also associated with

Romanticism Romanticism (also known as the Romantic movement or Romantic era) was an artistic and intellectual movement that originated in Europe towards the end of the 18th century. The purpose of the movement was to advocate for the importance of subjec ...

, which is an artistic and intellectual movement that originated in Western Europe in the late 18th century. Romanticism expressed a revolt against the aristocratic, social, and political norms of the Enlightenment period which preceded it. Works during this period stressed strong emotion as a source of aesthetic experience, placing new emphasis on such emotions as anxiety, horror, and the awe experienced when confronting the sublimity of nature. All of these themes are evident in the best-known classic Regency works. A marriage based on love was rarely an option for most women in the British Regency, as securing a steady and sufficient income was the first consideration for both the woman and her family. This is most likely why this period yielded so many examples of literary romance: it gave many women the opportunity to live vicariously through the novel's heroine, who generally married someone she loved deeply.

Mary Shelley Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley ( , ; ; 30 August 1797 – 1 February 1851) was an English novelist who wrote the Gothic novel ''Frankenstein, Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' (1818), which is considered an History of science fiction# ...

's ''

Frankenstein ''Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus'' is an 1818 Gothic novel written by English author Mary Shelley. ''Frankenstein'' tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a Sapience, sapient Frankenstein's monster, crea ...

'' was published in 1818, also falling within the Regency era. Some consider it to be the single piece of British literature that best reflects the interests and concerns of the time, specifically the fascination with and fear of the science and technological advances of the times. It is a classic example of horror fiction.

Modern Regency fiction

Fiction set in the Regency period grew in popularity during the late 20th century, leading to an increased number of novels in all of the categories. Authors generally attempt to write in a more British style, even if they are American, and they tend to favor slightly more formal or historical language. Despite painstaking detail of historical accuracy, some criticize modern Regency novels for the behavior of the protagonists being more reflective of modern times than of the early 1800s.

Historical semi-fiction

This includes modern works based in the Regency that do not fall into any of the other categories, and may include historical characters such as the Prince Regent, or other notable historical figures during the Regency era. They may even be fiction based on a true story, where true events are expanded into a narrative that contains elements of fiction. It may also feature notable historical occurrences during the Regency, such as the slave trade to the Americas and the barbary slave trade of Europeans in northern Africa. Many north African slave narratives were written during this time, some of which have been adapted into modern novels set in the Regency, such as author Tahir Shah's ''

Timbuctoo ''Timbuctoo'' is a series of 25 children's books, written and illustrated by Roger Hargreaves, better known for his ''Mr. Men'' and ''Little Miss'' series. It was published from 1978 to 1979, with selected reprints in 1993 and 1999. The books ...

'', an historical romance based on the real-life story of Robert Adams and set primarily in Regency England.

Military fiction

The

Napoleonic Wars {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Napoleonic Wars , partof = the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars , image = Napoleonic Wars (revision).jpg , caption = Left to right, top to bottom:Battl ...

were a series of wars that were declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815, coinciding almost exactly with the Regency Era. They include the War between Britain and France, which lasted from 1803 to 1814. Military fiction set in the Regency generally includes characters from British troops who were involved in this war. Well-known authors include

Bernard Cornwell Bernard Cornwell (born 23 February 1944) is an English author of historical novels and a history of the Waterloo Campaign. He is best known for his long-running series of novels about Napoleonic Wars rifleman Richard Sharpe. He has also writ ...

, C.S. Forester, and

Patrick O'Brian Patrick O'Brian (12 December 1914 – 2 January 2000), born Richard Patrick Russ, was an English novelist and translator, best known for his Aubrey–Maturin series. These sea novels are set in the Royal Navy during the Napoleonic Wars and ...

Mysteries

These include

mystery novel Mystery is a fiction genre where the nature of an event, usually a murder or other crime, remains mysterious until the end of the story. Often within a closed circle of suspects, each suspect is usually provided with a credible motive and a re ...

s set in Regency-era England, some of which have been written as a series, such as Kate Ross's four-book series featuring the character Julian Kestrel. Other well-known authors include: Stephanie Barron, Carrie Bebris, Ashley Gardner, and Rosemary Stevens.

Romances

The Regency period, overlapping as it does with the Napoleonic War period in Europe, offers the opportunity for high drama, with wounded heroes, mystery, and adventure, and thus would help to explain the popularity of Regency romance novels in particular. Well-known authors include: Mary Balogh, Jo Beverley, Nancy Butler, Marion Chesney,

Georgette Heyer Georgette Heyer (; 16 August 1902 – 4 July 1974) was an English novelist and short-story writer, in both the Regency romance and detective fiction genres. Her writing career began in 1921, when she turned a story conceived for her ail ...

, Lisa Kleypas, Stephanie Laurens, Sorcha MacMurrough, Amanda McCabe Barbara Metzger,

Julia Quinn Julie Pottinger (née Cotler; born January 12, 1970), better known by her pen name, Julia Quinn, is an American author. Her novels have been translated into 41 languages and have appeared on The New York Times Bestseller List, ''The New York Times ...

, and Joan Smith. Many readers and writers of Regency romance make a distinction between "traditional Regency romance" (also known as "

"), "traditional Regency" (also known as "trad"), and "Regency historical". Many authors have written both traditionals and historicals, including Mary Balogh, Jo Beverley, Susan Carroll, Loretta Chase, Suzanne De Launton, Edith Layton, Mary Jo Putney, and Barbara Metzger.

Christian Regency romance

This genre includes modern romance novels set in the Regency with strong Christian themes. Authors include Bonnie Blythe, Heather Diane, Laurie Alice Eakes, Julie Klassen, and Ruth Axtell Morren. There is generally a strong romantic theme throughout these novels, without the racy sex scenes often found in other modern Regency works.

Traditional Regency romance

The Regency-set books published by the Fawcett Coventry line are all considered to be "trads", or traditional Regency works. The distinction rests on the

genre Genre () is any style or form of communication in any mode (written, spoken, digital, artistic, etc.) with socially agreed-upon conventions developed over time. In popular usage, it normally describes a category of literature, music, or other fo ...

definition of regency romance: works in the tradition of

, with an emphasis on the primary romance plot, would be considered traditional. Traditional Regency romance writers usually pay close attention to historical detail, as their readers are notorious for noting errors, and the authors often do extensive research so they can clearly understand and replicate the voice of the genre.

Regency historical romance

The Regency-set books written by authors such as Karen Robards, Amanda Quick, Christina Dodd, and Suzanne De Launton are generally considered to be Regency historical works. Signet Regency romances were also popular for many years, and can still be found online second-hand. Regency romances which may include more social realism, or, conversely, anachronistically modern characterization, might be classed by some as "Regency historical", signifying that their general setting is in Regency England, but the plot, characterization, or prose style of the work extends beyond the genre formula of the Regency romances published by Heyer and Fawcett Characters may behave according to modern values, rather than Regency values. The sensual Regency historical romance has been made popular in recent years by Mary Balogh, Jo Beverley, Lisa Kleypas, Stephanie Laurens, Sorcha MacMurrough, and

. Balogh and Beverley, in addition to Loretta Chase are three authors who have made the transition from writing traditional Regency novels to Regency historical novels. These novels are much more explicit than the traditional Regency works, and include many more love scenes, which tend to be racy. In addition, these novels are often published in a series, with groups of friends of either gender the focus of interest as they get married off one by one.

Major writers of classic Regency fiction

(1775–1817) *

(1768–1849) * Susan Ferrier (1782–1854) * E. T. A. Hoffmann (1776–1822) *

(1771–1832) *

(1797–1851) *

(1792–1822) *

Johann David Wyss Johann David Wyss (; 28 May 1743 – 11 January 1818) was a Swiss author, best remembered for his book ''The Swiss Family Robinson'' (''Der schweizerische Robinson'') (1812). He was born and died in Bern. It is said that he was inspired by Dan ...

(1743–1818) *

Washington Irving Washington Irving (April 3, 1783 – November 28, 1859) was an American short-story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century. He wrote the short stories "Rip Van Winkle" (1819) and "The Legend of Sleepy ...

(1785-1859) * Henry Smothers (1788-1813)

Major writers of modern Regency fiction

* Mary Balogh (born 1944) * Jo Beverley (born 1947) * Susan Carroll (born 1952) * Loretta Chase (born 1949) * Lecia Cornwall *

(1902–1974) * Mary Jo Putney * Amanda Quick * Abigail Reynolds

Major Classic Regency books

* The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. by Washington Irving (1819-1820) *

Mansfield Park ''Mansfield Park'' is the third published novel by the English author Jane Austen, first published in 1814 by Thomas Egerton (publisher), Thomas Egerton. A second edition was published in 1816 by John Murray (publishing house), John Murray, st ...

by Jane Austen (1814) * Waverley; or, 'Tis Sixty Years Since by Sir Walter Scott (1814)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Regency Novel Regency era 19th-century British literature Napoleonic era