When reading Jane Austens Pride and Prejudice, what does entailment mean?
Entailment is a system of inheritance that limits the inheritance to specific heirs; that is, only certain people can receive the inheritance. In Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice, owning land boosted a family’s status and income. An entail helped keep all of the land in one chunk and in one family (on the male side) through the generations. The eldest son stood to inherit the bulk of an estate.
