Jane Austen

By: Jenna Gordon

Jenni Stiller

Ben Lybrook

About Jane Austen

She was born on December 16, 1775. She died on July 18, 1817. She had seven siblings, a mother, and a

father who was a Reverend. She was an English novelist. She wrote about marriage, moral issues,

and people on her own social class.

About Jane Austen Continued

She was inspired to write Northanger Abbey because she rejected a marriage proposal to a man named Harris Bigg-Wither.

As a child Jane was educated by her father and was encouraged to write.

At age 8 she was sent to a Boarding School. She wrote her first novel at age 14.

About Jane Austen Continued

She loved dancing and long country walks.

In London she liked visiting theatres and art exhibitions.

She was a seamstress. Jane became sick and was diagnosed

with Hodgkins Lymphoma. She was buried at Winchester Cathedral.

Published in 1817

Northanger Abbey

This is the first of the six writings of Jane Austen. It is a sweet and sensible story of a young girl who is leaving home for the first time to go to the small town of Bath. During her stay, she meets a boy named Henry Tilney. While she is there she learns to distinguish between Gothic fiction and ordinary life.

Published in 1811

Sense and Sensibility

This is a novel about two sisters, one who is caught up in lust and senseless emotions while the other sister who has sense to life in itself. Although this piece sounds like it would touch on some humorous situations, it was not one of Jane’s most popular writings.

Published in 1813

Pride and Prejudice

This was probably the most popular piece of Jane Austen. It is about a relationship between two women, and their first impressions of each other. This is where the title arose, Pride and Prejudice.

Published in 1814

Mansfield Park

This novel is about a poor young girl who goes to live with her rich aunt and uncle. Her life with them is anything but perfect, but despite all of this she has one friend, her cousin. He helps her to get over all of the animosity of being out of your element. As soon as things start to look up, the Crawfords come to visit the family and stir this whole plot to pieces.

Published in 1815

Emma

Emma, is quoted as being “a mystery story without a murder.” It is about a woman named Emma who deceives herself which contradicts the obvious truth to not only the reader, but also to herself.

Published in 1817

Persuasion

This novel was Jane’s last. It was published shortly after her death. It is about a woman whom eight years before the novel begins, is persuaded by her family members to break off an engagement to a poor Captain. The heart warming and loving naval families contradict the woman’s cold hearted father and sister. This novel was said to be one of Jane’s most romantic writings.

Connections

Jane Austen never got married and many of her books were about marriage.

The character in Pride and Prejudice is named Elizabeth and her sisters middle name was Elizabeth.

Northanger Abbey’s setting was in Bath, England, which is where she lived at a time in her life.

Connections Continued

Sense and Sensibility is about the differences between two sisters which could have been based off of the relationship of Jane and her sister Cassandra.

In the novel Persuasion a women broke off an engagement. This could connect with Jane because she broke off a proposal.