Jane Austen's Introductions Trivia Quiz

Answer: At a dance at the Meryton assembly rooms

The love story of Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy of Pemberley, Derbyshire and Miss Elizabeth Bennet of Longbourn, Hertfordshire began when they both attended a dance at the local assembly rooms in Meryton. Mr. Darcy was staying with his friend, Charles Bingley, who had recently let Netherfield Park - the neighbouring estate to Elizabeth's home.

However, while Bingley was a cheery and outgoing character who quickly (and very obviously) fell in love with Elizabeth's sister, Jane, Darcy was haughty, proud and insulted Elizabeth by refusing to dance with her.

He actually declared that she was "tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me"!

Answer: He was the brother of her sister-in-law

'Sense and Sensibility' begins with the death of a Mr. Henry Dashwood, who had lived at Norland Park with his second wife and their three daughters. However, the estate was inherited by his only son by his first marriage, Mr. John Dashwood, who was soon talked out of providing any support to his stepmother and half-sisters by his avaricious wife.

The three daughters, of whom Elinor was the eldest, all remained at Norland for several months after their father's death and as a result ended up meeting Mrs. John Dashwood's brother, Edward Ferrars. Elinor and Edward quickly fell in love, but he failed to stay in touch after she left Norland - it turned out he was secretly engaged to another woman and the lovers remained separated until his fiancée ran off with his brother.

Answer: His brother and Anne lived in the same village

Anne Elliot, daughter of Sir Walter Elliot of Kellynch Hall, was just 19 years old when she first accepted a proposal of marriage from Captain Frederick Wentworth, a young Royal Navy officer who was living with his brother in the village of Kellynch while waiting to get command of a ship.

However, she was soon persuaded to end the engagement by her friend, Lady Russell, who thought that a poor sailor was an unsuitable match for the daughter of a baronet. However, in the end he went on to make his fortune at sea while her family's standing in society was damaged by her father's debts and they were forced to let out their home.

They met again eight years later when it turned out that the new tenants of Kellynch Hall were Wentworth's sister and brother-in-law.

Answer: Ten years old

Fanny Price was a poor relation of the Bertram family, the daughter of Lady Bertram's younger sister. Her mother had married a poor sailor against the wishes of her family and consequently been virtually disowned. However, after a decade or so of trying to raise a large family on a very small income, she eventually sought help from her wealthy sister - the result of which was the Bertram's offer to raise the eldest Price daughter alongside their own children. Ironically the issue of Fanny possibly falling in love with one of her rich male cousins was raised ahead of her arrival, when she was just ten years old.

However, the "danger" was dismissed as "morally impossible" as they would be "always together like brothers and sister"...

Answer: "old enough to be my father"

The incorrect options are all descriptions of Willoughby uttered by Sir John Middleton after Marianne pressed him to give her some information about the handsome young man who had literally swept her off her feet when he carried her home after she had sprained her ankle. Marianne's first meeting with Colonel Brandon was less memorable as they had been introduced at a dinner party and the age difference between them (he was 35 while she was just 17) led her to laugh at the idea of that he might admire her.

In addition to declaring him old enough to be her father, Marianne also complained about his "infirmity", said he was at a stage of "declining life" and noted that "thirty-five has nothing to do with matrimony". However, in the end Willoughby abandoned her in order to marry a rich heiress and Colonel Brandon's quiet loyalty eventually won her affections.

Answer: Denny introduced them when Wickham joined the militia

George Wickham was first introduced to all of the Bennet sisters (with the exception of Mary) in Meryton by his friend Mr. Denny. Lydia and her sisters were out on a shopping expedition with their cousin, Mr. Collins, while Wickham had just arrived in town after purchasing his commission as an officer in the militia unit that had been stationed there.

Although this proved to be the future couple's first meeting, Jane Austen gave no clue to her readers of any potential romance between them and in fact a key premise of the novel was Elizabeth Bennet's friendship with Wickham.

The letter bearing the news that Lydia had eloped from Brighton with Wickham was probably as much of a surprise to most readers as it was to Elizabeth. However, although Lydia called it an elopement, Wickham actually had no intention of marrying her until Mr. Darcy made it worth his while financially.

Answer: They were introduced at the Lower Rooms in Bath

Catherine Morland was the eldest daughter of a clergyman and had lived a rather sheltered life at home until Mr. and Mrs. Allen - friends of her parents - took her with them when they went to stay in the fashionable city of Bath. The Lower Rooms were one of the places to be seen in the city in the Regency period so it was inevitable that Catherine and Mrs. Allen would visit it in the hope that she would gain an introduction to eligible young men and get an opportunity to dance. Since Mrs. Allen didn't really know anyone, it was left to the master of ceremonies to introduce Catherine to Henry Tilney, a young clergyman who was also the younger son of the owner of the eponymous 'Northanger Abbey'. Catherine's later invitation to visit Northanger as the guest of Henry's sister Eleanor was particularly welcome as she also had a great love of gothic fiction.

Answer: He was a friend of Tom Bertram who visited Mansfield

The Honourable John Yates (the younger son of a lord) was one of Tom Bertram's idle, party-loving friends. Tom brought him along to visit Mansfield shortly before Sir Thomas Bertram's expected return from the West Indies. Yates quickly introduced the idea of setting up a theatre in the house and staging a play - which, as a slightly scandalous form of entertainment, was much disapproved of by the novel's heroine, Fanny Price.

His short visit was ended by Sir Thomas turning up early and he wasn't heard of again until the news broke of his elopement with Tom's youngest sister, Julia.

It turned out that Julia had agreed to this "folly" because she feared having to return home to Mansfield Park in the wake of her sister's decision to leave her husband for Henry Crawford.

Answer: She chatted with him at the Netherfield ball

Mr. Collins was a distant cousin of the Bennet family, the heir to the Longbourn estate and an extremely foolish and boring man. He visited his future home with the intention of marrying one of Mr. Bennet's daughters and soon set his sights on Elizabeth. Mr. Collins danced (very badly) with an unwilling Elizabeth at the Netherfield ball and then attempted to remain very close to her for the rest of the event. Elizabeth's best friend, Charlotte Lucas, took pity on her and distracted him in conversation.

After Elizabeth later rejected Mr. Collins' proposal of marriage, he quickly redirected his attentions to Charlotte - mainly because she was the one woman in the area who had actually encouraged him.

Answer: He had known her all her life

Mr. George Knightley was the owner of Donwell Abbey, the neighbouring estate to Emma's home, Hartfield. The two families were both neighbours and friends, so Mr. Knightley, who was about 16 or 17 years older than Emma, had known her since she was a baby or young child.

He had also acted as a mentor to Emma as she was growing up, lecturing her on her behaviour and taking an interest in her studies. The connection between the two families was then later strengthened when Mr. Knightley's younger brother married Emma's elder sister, Isabella. Fairly obviously, this particular couple did not have a romantic start to their relationship - but even after Emma became an adult the chances of a marriage between them were slim.

She declared that she had no intention of ever marrying and was happy enough acting as matchmaker for other couples - however, after her friend Harriet confessed that she had fallen in love with Mr. Knightley, Emma realised her own feelings for him and the marriage soon followed.