Jane Austen Research Paper

For Jane Austen, the social classes and integrated social manners were a catalyst for her writings. Aspects of her writings originate from her observations of “microcosm of the country gentry and its class-conscious insularity.” (Howard, v) She had perceived through the social problems first hand, recording all her views and thoughts through novels that speak a great magnitude about people and the society that she lived in. These novels later became literatures of great importance and told of the conflict between manners and morals whilst dictating magnificent stories. Before Austen was a renowned author, she was the daughter of George Austen and Cassandra Austen in Steventon, Hampshire England. Born on December 16, 1775, she was the seventh

She courted multiple men with varying interests in the 1790s. More importantly, she began to write seriously. Austen had previously been encouraged to write novels by her family when she was fifteen, though her family “never anticipated she would be a published writer.” (PBS) In 1794, her father brought her a writing desk and Austen, with the encouragement of her father, began writing Elinor and Marianne which would later be known as Sense and Sensibility. She had also worked on First Impressions and had turned it into the publishing company, Cadell. However, the manuscript was unfortunately declined. Though, this failed to deter her from continuing to write. By 1799, Austen had written three full-length novels and published her first novel in 1811. Near this time, Austen’s family had moved from her childhood town of Steventon to Bath. This relocation would give her “a wealth of observations and experience that would later emerge in her novels.” (Howard, v) Her father suddenly died in 1805 and Austen’s “ family was thrust into financial straits,” forcing them to move residence multiple times before settling in her brother Edward’s cottage in 1809. (Biography.com) Their place of residence was Chawton Cottage in Hampshire and the countryside gave her “renewed artistic vigor that led to the revision of her early novels.” (Howard, iv) The tribulations and change of scenery she faced was fuel for her stories. Austen had also been engaged to Harris Bigg-Wither in December of 1802— this arrangement fell through the next morning. Austen had been the one to decline and it was “a painful decision for her” because she was aware that “marriage was the sole option women had for social mobility.” (PBS) This experience had also inspired Sense and