Entertainment
In addition to tutoring in academic subjects, many young women of the gentry were expected to become proficient at artistic activities such as music, dance, needlepoint, drawing, and painting. While gentry women were usually restricted to performing music in the domestic setting, it was common for women to sing and play the pianoforte, and some even learned to play the harp. In her novels, Austen shows the integral role of music in entertainment; young people were often called upon to share their musical talents at dinner parties and other gatherings. Likewise, illustrations from various editions of Austen's novels reinforce the importance of music and dance in courtship.