Mr Darcy, for example, has an income of £10,000 a year, and his sister Georgiana has a fortune of £30,000.
I would be interested to know how wealthy that really is. What would be the equivalent in today's money?
2007-01-17 20:55:26 · 4 answers · asked by Frances M 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
It is not easy to translate the incomes of the time into today's money. By some calculations, the effects of inflation mean a pound in Jane Austen's time would equal almost 40 pounds today. So Darcy's annual income would come to about 400,000 pounds ($600,000 -US dollars) today. Altered economic condition, however, make estimates like this tricky: for example, goods tended to be much dearer at that time, in relative terms, while labor tended to be much cheaper. For example, if you look at the Dashwoods in "Sense and Sensibility", a mother was able to support herself and 3 daughters in reasonable comfort in a rented house with 3 servants on an income of 500 pounds per year. Suffice it to say, by comparison, Darcy was freaking loaded!
2007-01-17 21:38:47 · answer #1 · answered by Sandie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Darcy's income was based on the fees farmers paid to lease his land and probably from investments in other areas. His sister's dowry was a fixed amount set aside for her in her father's will. It would be difficult to estimate Darcy's wealth in modern terms. If you do some research on Chatsworth, the property used to portray Pemberly in the recent film. it might give you an idea of the size of the estate. He wouldn't be a billionaire but definitely a multi-millionaire. In any case, a good catch for any lucky girl.
2007-01-18 05:20:47 · answer #2 · answered by lizzie 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This site is good for conversions.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/currency/default0.asp#mid
In 1810, £10,000 0s 0d would have the same spending worth of today's £339,600.00
In 1810, £30,000 0s 0d would have the same spending worth of today's £1,018,800.00
The Darcys were seriously wealthy.
2007-01-18 05:14:58 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
considering that land prices have shot up 100 folds since that time pemberly must be worth a fortune. darcys salary, too must be great.Just how wealthy were the Darcys--------- very.
2007-01-18 07:30:12 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋