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Thur 9th November 2017
The World of Jane Austen

To mark the 200th anniversary of Jane Austen’s death in July 1817, our Librarian, Lynne gave a talk about her life and works.

Jane Austen holds an important place in classic English literature and her books have been translated around the world. Indeed she is a national icon and her portrait now appears on the new English ten pound note.

Austen’s characters are well-known and loved, especially through the many cinema and TV film versions of her novels. About Austen’s personal life we know very little as most of the many letters she wrote were destroyed after her death.

Writing from childhood until her early death at the age of 42, Austen completed six main novels, the most well-known being perhaps Pride and Prejudice with the immortal characters Elizabeth Bennet and Darcy.

Jane wrote about a world in which women were totally dependent on men, and the main theme of her novels centred on the getting of a husband and marriage for better or for worse. They were by no means simply love stories but displayed a sharp and witty criticism of society.

Despite being written 200 years ago, her novels are timeless and the same character traits and a similar preoccupation with money, situation and personal possessions can be recognized today.

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