In Honour of Valentine’s Day
The Kiss, Self-portrait of French painter Carolus-Duran with his wife as newlyweds.
Fitzwilliam Darcy & Elizabeth Bennet: after they were married, when no one else was around. Mr. Darcy does not do Public Displays of Affection. Elizabeth tried to make a few hints earlier but they were all rebuffed. (Did you know that during this era there was no “kiss the bride” in church?)
Charles Bingley & Jane Bennet: they were making out behind a bush while Lady Catherine was scolding Elizabeth. Charles was just hoping for a single kiss, he modestly hadn’t expected Jane to be so excited about it.
(Check out the whole story here, rated M for Mature or a cute, fluffy version rated E for Everyone)
Anne Elliot & Captain Frederick Wentworth: there was smooching at 19 and 23, you cannot convince me there was not. At 27 and 31, they really thought they would be more mature, but honestly if they hadn’t been wed as rapidly as possible there would have been serious pre-marriage canoodling.
Romeo and Juliet, by Frank Dicksee
Catherine Morland & Henry Tilney: Catherine ran after Henry when he was about to leave Fullerton and very dramatically kissed him before he mounted his horse. Then they had to wait about six months to do it again. It was torment.
Emma Woodhouse & George Knightley: They kissed in the shrubbery around Hartfield after getting engaged. No one knows who initiated it, but on reflection it was probably Emma.
The Stolen Kiss Jean-Honoré Fragonard
Elinor Dashwood & Edward Ferrars: Marianne was trying to leave them in corners and behind trees the whole time Edward was staying at the cottage, which they found very amusing and took advantage of fully. The first kiss was out of doors, after their engagement.
Marianne Dashwood & Colonel Brandon: You know that Colonel Brandon was attempting to be a perfect gentleman and Marianne was trying to to be anything but a modest lady.
Fanny Price & Edmund Bertram: Despite ample opportunity and the feelings of the lady, not until they were in a bedroom after the wedding.
The Kiss by Silvio Allason
Bonus! Jane Fairfax & Frank Churchill: There was pre-engagement making out and Jane felt so bad about it, but couldn’t help herself. Possible that they kissed while Mrs. Bates was sleeping and they managed to clear out the room.
Bonus! I would bet my bonnet that Jane Bennet was born not quite nine respectable months after her parent’s marriage.
Bonus!Harriet Smith and Robert Martin had to wait until Harriet had recovered from her tooth extraction in London, but then they were always discovering little secret places on the walk between Highbury and Abbey Mill Farm.
Harriet Smith and Robert Martin, Emma 2020
How do you imagine the first kiss of each couple? Tell me in the comments!
❤️Happy Valentine’s Day!❤️
The Kiss by Francesco Hayez
If you want to read more:
Jane Austen’s Brave Refusal to Reform the Rake
What do we Really Know about Colonel Fitzwilliam?
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