In the decades preceding Pride and Prejudice, the printed word gained prominence, as newspapers emerged to transform a culture once rooted in oral storytelling. These publications spread tales of engagements, marriages, births, and deaths, alongside reports of entertainments and social happenings. A new narrative form, the novel, began to captivate readers with stories of adventure, romance, and horror. At the epicentre of this expanded societal reach was London, with papers brimming with news of the comings and goings of prominent personalities.

Without this revolution, there is no Pride and Prejudice.