Why the Dashes?

      

         Throughout Pride and Prejudice, multiple em dashes appear in place of real names and dates. A sweet friend recently asked me why, and I had no real clue which prompted a bit of research this morning.   
          One research article speculating on the actual locations uncovered a city called Harpenden which sits in just about the right distance from London described in the book as the town of Meryton. Just to the south of that town is a village called Redbourn which the article tied to the fictional Longbourn.
          The author suggested that these fictional names would help Austen be careful to be discreet. However, their are copious other details in the novel about particular places and time frames. An address of the Gardiner home is even provided, Gracechurch Street in London.
           Perhaps the occasional "in the town of -- in Hertfordshire" was part of the secrecy Austen felt necessary when publishing as an anonymous woman. In a book full of copious details, there is still an em dash worth of imagination required.

Image from www.ukga.org