Questions about gender identity may seem to be characteristic of our time, but others have gone before us in challenging societal roles. From Harriet Freke in Maria Edgeworth's Belinda (1801) to the real life Chevalier d'Eon, men and women have been pushing the boundaries of what it means to be male and female. Where does Jane Austen come in this debate? How would she negotiate current questions about how we engage with our gendered social roles? We go from Lady Susan to Persuasion in our quest for some of the answers. 

Are you a GoT fan and/or a Jane Austen one? Can you describe GoT and Jane Austen in 3 little words? Take the challenge and find out what would Jane Austen have made of the cult TV hit. Going back in time for an early nineteenth century perspective,  Julia Golding takes a tour of the gothic in fiction and fact, touching on the scandalous hit of the 1790s, The Monk, and the gothic-lite of Ann Radcliffe. Next stop is Lord Byron and his GoT-worthy life. And what would a mash-up of Austen and Thrones have been like?

Julia Golding turns to Jane Austen for help with understanding how to handle social media. She first takes a look at the world of eighteenth century society, the networking via letters, and the public disasters that can fall in such a gossipy world. What can we learn today about keeping a balance between our private and public selves and who is handling it in our times with a discretion Jane Austen would've appreciated? Stay tuned to the end of the episode to find out!