Pride and Prejudice

About the Author

Jane Austen

Jane Austen (1775-1817) was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature. Her realism, biting irony, and social commentary have gained her historical importance among scholars and critics, while her works have continued to win the affection of readers with their wit, warm characterization, and insightful exploration of human relationships. Born on December 16, 1775, in Steventon, Hampshire, England, Austen was the seventh of eight children born to Reverend George Austen and his wife Cassandra. Her close-knit family environment fostered her education and creativity from an early age. Though she received little formal education, she had free access to her father's extensive library and the broader literary world through her family's theatrical performances and reading sessions. Austen began writing as a teenager, developing what scholars now refer to as her 'Juvenilia'u2014works like 'Love and Freindship' [sic] that parodied the romantic and gothic novels popular at the time. Her mature work began to take shape in the 1790s, when she drafted early versions of 'Sense and Sensibility,' 'Pride and Prejudice,' and 'Northanger Abbey.' Despite writing during a time when female authors faced significant challenges, Austen persisted in her craft, revising her novels over many years. Her first published novel, 'Sense and Sensibility,' appeared in 1811 under the anonymous attribution 'By a Lady.' 'Pride and Prejudice' followed in 1813, 'Mansfield Park' in 1814, and 'Emma' in 1815. In contrast to the emotional excesses of the popular Gothic and Romantic literature of her day, Austen's novels presented a restrained, acutely observed portrait of English middle-class life. Her innovative use of free indirect discourse, realism, and social critique distinguished her work, though contemporary recognition was modest. In 1816, Austen began to suffer from what was likely Addison's disease. Despite her declining health, she continued to write, completing 'Persuasion' and working on 'Sanditon,' which remained unfinished at her death. She died on July 18, 1817, at the age of 41, in Winchester, England, where she had gone to seek medical treatment. 'Northanger Abbey' and 'Persuasion' were published posthumously in December 1817. Though she achieved only limited fame in her lifetime, Austen's reputation grew steadily throughout the 19th century. By the 20th century, she had become widely recognized as one of the great English novelists. Her novels continue to be adapted for film and television, studied in academic settings, and cherished by readers worldwide for their psychological insight, humor, and enduring portrayal of human relationships.