Elopement

Literally: act of running away. In 18th-century Britain the term was used to refer to a marriage that was conducted by a couple that fled secretly to a place and got secretely married without parental approval.

After Hardwicke’s Marriage Act (1753), which contained very strict rules regarding marriage, elopements had to be directed abroad. The Act decreed that only marriages solemnised in a church and between those aged over 21 were recognized. If they were not 21 the couple needed parental consent. To avoid the law, it was necessary to get a special license from the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Inofficially, one could still elope. Most often couples crossed the border to the nearest Scottish village, Gretna Green. Among other popular Scottish border villages were Lamberton or Mordington. In Scotland marriage was legal at the age of 16. All the Scottish law required was that there were two witnesses to the marriage.

In Jane Austen’s novels elopements play a role, too. In her works, Austen shows the negative aspect of elopements. In Pride and Prejudice the elopement by Lydia and Wickham leads to drama and probably a bad marriage. Elopement was not well respected in society and considered to be an embarrassment for the family.

Sources:

"elopement." Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary. 2009. Merriam-Webster Online. 11 Dec. 2009 <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/elopement>.

Klingel Ray, Joan. Jane Austen for Dummies. Indianapolis: Wiley Publishing, 2006.