Jane Austen is one of the few writers whose works are regarded as classic and yet are widely loved and enjoyed.
One of the most noteworthy figures of the literary world, Jane Austen is known for her strong female characters and gripping storylines. Her story and characters are notable for their sharp wit and hint of criticism for class and economic structure. Her works are not only dissected in the classrooms but even manage to spark interest in the general readers. But most of us know MsAusten for her literary genius but do we know the woman behind the classics like “Sense and Sensibility” and “Pride and Prejudice”? Here are some noteworthy facts about Jane Austen.
Most of her works were published anonymously
At the times when women were expected to stay at home and bear children, for somebody come to talk about strong women was an anomaly in those times. Most women were not welcomed as a writer. So, what is the best way to tell your stories? To write them anonymously, and that is what Jane Austen did. Her first novel “Sense and Sensibility” was written by a lady. Her other later works were credited to the writer of Sense and Sensibility. Until her death, none of her novels ever had her name.
Her father was her biggest supporter
Austen first developed her love for writing because of her father’s vast library. And her father, George Austen, also encouraged her writing endeavours by supplying her with the right tools all along. He even sends her to boarding school for higher education. When she wrote “First impressions”, which later became classic “Pride and Prejudice”, the proud father took the manuscript to a famous London publisher for review.
She remained unmarried but had two great romances
Jane Austen was bestowed to Tom Lefroy, who is thought to be an inspiration for Sense and Sensibility. The relationship never culminated in marriage as Lefroy could lose an inheritance if he married a “nobody”. She then met a clergyman on vacation in Devon and fell hopelessly in love with him, but he passed away unexpectedly even before he could propose.
She took a decade long sabbatical from writing
Not much is known about Austen outside of her work, but experts found that when her family moved to Bath and kept to changing residences after her father’s demise, Austen stopped writing. It could be due to the fact that all the moving was not conducive for writing.
So, which one is your favourite Jane Austen novel?
