200 Years of Pemberley (2014)

Undergraduate: Emily Palmer

Faculty Advisor: Inger Brodey
Department: Journalism & Mass Communication

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Stark contrasts between the modest description of Mr. Darcy¿s Pemberley estate in Jane Austen¿s Pride & Prejudice and grandiose depictions in film adaptations prompted the question: Have film adaptations increasingly exaggerated levels of grandeur, thereby distorting viewers¿ vision of Pemberley and the British class system?

Review of scholarly articles and analysis of textual descriptions and films, preceded research at Renishaw Hall, Sudbury Hall, Lyme Park and Chatsworth in England. Tour guides and managers provided insight into the history and prestige of each estate. Screenwriter Fay Weldon and director Simon Langton discussed production and how that influenced film location. Estate grandeur was measured through quantitative data (i.e. number of servants and acreage) and qualitative observation (i.e. owner title and d¿cor).

Data showed that subsequent film adaptations presented increasingly grand versions of Pemberley, with Chatsworth presenting the grandest version. Possible reasons for increasing grandeur include: 1) mass media¿s portrayal of wealth to an increasingly materialistic audience; 2) shock effect to convey disparities between classes; and 3) filming restriction due to estate availability and proximity.

Examining the misrepresentation of Pemberley deepens understanding of Austen¿s message in textual description and thematic depiction of class structure.