Tea Party

After today's Regency Era Tea Party, I have a better understanding of the world in which Emma and Mr. Knightly live. It's a rigid, slow-moving, and judgmental society. Whereas parties should be stress-relievers--opportunities to let loose, socialize, and meet new people-- dinner "parties" in the Regency Era were likely stressful occasions. One must always be aware of to whom he or she speaks, how he or she speaks, and about what he or she speaks. It is offensive to march up to someone, put out your hand, and introduce yourself, unless you are of a higher social order, in which case you likely wouldn't be associating with people of a lower social order. So meeting new people in Emma's world is not as easy as it is today.
The amount of rules necessary to follow are baffling. The various ways you're supposed to greet another person, address that person and interact with that person are almost absurd. And tiring. It really must have taken skill and effort to pull of the perfect gentleman and gentlewoman act. However, it doesn't seem as if Emma has much of a struggle keeping her rules straight; I think the real stress lies on the lower class people. People like Emma, Mr. Woodhouse, Mr. Elton, and likely Mr. Knightly were raised to thrive in society. Lords, Knights, Dukes, Duchesses--they raise their children to be elegant. But for people who are less in class, such as Jane and Harriet, the rigidity of the society was probably rather taxing. We have seen Emma correct or guide Harriet in the proper direction multiple times, and we've seen her scoff at those who fumble with elegance, such as the Coles. To be in Harriet's position would be more stressful than exciting--always worried that you might misstep.
I was the Archbishop of Canterbury, and I wonder if people who earned their titles were similar to Harriet and Jane in that they were raised well enough to rise in status, but they're weren't fortunate enough as to have the whole book of rules implanted in their brains since childhood.
The Master Guide to the Regency Era that our classes put together stated that the Archbishop belonged in the first order circle only as long as he held his title. I don't know much about the clergy, but if Archbishop is not a lifelong occupation, then when a person retired, would he be kicked out of his social circle?
The rules of Regency Era society are many and are complex. It's no wonder why Emma seeks freedom from the claustrophobia of her world via imagination. I personally could not have survived the rigidity, since I could barely contain myself during a play Tea Party as Archbishop Wolsey. I am thankful for being born in a time where women can shake hands with men and poorer people can approach richer people with much less reproach.