The gossip

In the first episode of Jane Austen's Paper Trail from The Conversation, we're delving into Austen's first novel, Sense and Sensibility where gossip – and the fear of it – plays a central role in the story. Through the rumours that swirl within its pages, we’ll find out what Austen herself thought about gossip, and the people who spread it. Along the way we travel to Sally Lunn's tearoom in Bath, where Austen herself often took tea – with Andrew McInnes of Edge Hill University. And then we dive into the role of gossip in Sense and Sensibility with Lucy Thompson, a lecturer in 19th-century literature at Aberystwyth University and Katie Halsey, professor of English studies at the University of Stirling. Gossip in the world of Jane Austen served several important functions: entertainment; intel; communication; miscommunication; and control. As reputations were fiercely guarded, one piece of misdirected or unfounded gossip could leave a young woman's honour in tatters. Deployed strategically, that was often precisely the point. And for women of Austen's time, being the subject of gossips could be a very dangerous thing indeed. Jane Austen's Paper Trail is a podcast from The Conversation celebrating 250 years since Jane Austen's birth. Host: Anna WalkerReporter: Jane WrightSenior Producer and Sound Design: Eloise StevensExecutive Producer: Gemma WareArtwork: Naomi Joseph and Alice MasonThe Conversation is an independent, not-for-profit news organisation. If you like the show, please consider donating to support our work. You can sign up here for a free daily newsletter from The Conversation here. Why Jane Austen is definitely not just for girlsWho was Jane Austen’s best leading man? These experts think they knowJane Austen 250 coverage on The Conversation