During the Victorian era of time, courting was more of a career move than a romantic interlude. Therefore, both sides, male and female, took courting very seriously not to lead the other on unnecessarily.
From the time the female was very young, a woman was well groomed for a role in life as a good wife and mother. She was also taught to play music, dance, and to be a conversant about light literature of the day to keep male callers entertained.
The term " coming out" was used for women when they had completed their education, and were officially ready for marriage. This usually happened when the woman was around 17 or 18. At that point, a woman would but a whole new wardrobe just to impress male gentlemen.
Once a female and a male had met each other only certain steps were to be taken at a time. First they would speak and only speak for a few minutes. Then they would be allowed to take walks by themselves under no supervision. And finally, they were allowed to visit each other (male visiting female under most circumstances) to keep each other company.
Once he was introduced to a lady at a party for the purpose for dancing, he could not automatically resume their acquaintance on the street. The gentlemen must have been re-introduced to the female and then only upon permission of the female.
By the end of a season, a relationship was usually developing with an idea for a future. Therefore a chase for marriage became a serious challenge.
Until 1823, the legal age in England for marriage was 21 years--for men
and women. After 1823, a male could marry as young as fourteen without parental consent, and a girl at 12. Although, most girls married between the ages of 18 and 23.
Another thing was that it was also illegal to marry a deceased wife's sister.
In the end though, marriage became more of a social and business arrangement. The wife was not likely to marry into an upper class, nor was a ma
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