Jane Austen Research Paper

Jane Austen: The Queen of English Literature

Among all the iconic authors of famous pre­ twentieth century novels, Jane Austen is considered one of the most well known female writers of all time. Austen’s novels are based on the social rankings of British women during the Georgian era and give people a glimpse of the past. Austen is "considered one of Britain's most important writers" and her work remains an "important part of what is commonly accepted as the canon of English Literature" (Novels for Students).

Austen was born in Hampshire, England in Steventon on December 16, 1775. She is the seventh of eight children and is the second daughter. Her father, George Austen, a handsome and ambitious man, was a reverend at many country parishes.

Her mother wrote poetry during her free time and her brothers were involved in literature at Oxford. As a teenager, Jane wrote creative stories and plays during her free time to entertain herself and her family. Jane also spent most of her free time in her father’s library, taking advantage of and burying herself in his large

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collection of books. It is said that the family’s love and “delight for literature” is “evident in Austen’s works” (Novels for Students).

Unlike her brothers, Jane and her sister Cassandra did not have the benefit of receiving a formal education. Although they were sent to a few boarding schools here and there, they were mostly schooled at home and were taught the manners of a typical English maiden. They learned to be talented in the arts such as playing instruments like the piano and drawing. Without receiving a formal education, Jane and her sister were considered well educated and well

Since she was a woman, it was very difficult for her to find a publisher for her novels. Sixteen years after she finished writing the novel, she finally published Elinor and Marianne (now called Sense and Sensibility) through one of her older brothers, Henry Austen. Since it was a disgrace for women to be involved in literary endeavors, Jane published Elinor and Marianne anonymously to avoid a bad reputation. When her first novel became a huge success, Austen was encouraged to publish three more novels Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, and Emma. Even though her novels grew popular among readers, her identity was still kept a secret until her death. After her passing on July 18, 1817, Henry Austen, Jane’s older brother, continued to publish her final novels Persuasion and North­ anger Abbey.

In spite of her novels revolving around love and the necessity of marriage, Jane never married. It is said she never married “because of a lack of money on both sides or because of a lack of compatibility” (Novels for Students). Therefore, her novels were inspired by her life growing up in the country and middle class society. Without love herself, Austen continued to write about courtship and romance. She is well­ known because of the witty characters in