I've been watching a lot of period movies and mini series lately. All in the 1700 to 1800's. I love Jane Austen and I have been re-watching many those movies. I started watching the mini series of Tess of the D'ubervilles, and also re-watched The Duchess.
I was thinking about the contrasts between now and then. Communication during these times was so different. The time you would have to wait for news to reach you. It was incredible. If you were a woman, you usually could not write to a man, unless he asked if he could write to you first. So many things were miscommunicated because you couldn't just come out and say what you felt. You wouldn't be able to walk up to a guy and say "I like you". You couldn't even hardly, if ever, be alone with a man. All communication would happen in the company of others, at parties, dinners, and other gatherings.

I think I love Jane Austen partly because of her happy endings. I know that when I read one of her books, that even though there are hardships, that in the end the heroine will always end up happy and in love. In all her novels the writing of letters between characters is so important. Can you imagine waiting days, weeks, or months, to hear word from the person you love? or even a friend. So much can happen in that time. Today there are dozens of ways to talk to the people you love everyday. If you want to talk to someone on the other side of the world all you need to do is get online. I have not personally used Skype, but I hear great things about it.
I watched most of Tess of the D'ubervilles, but I couldn't finish. The main character Tess, she kept having the worst things happen to her. She was an innocent young woman who was taken advantage of, because of one incident her whole life was changed for the worse. I was deeply saddened by her story. Even though it is a fictional story, it could have been true. What the women of those times had to go through could be horrible. It makes me feel very lucky to live in the time I do.

Okay so even though the times could be tough back then, I still would love to go back to that time period in a second........just for a little visit :)