Jane Austen's work is known to everyone who loves the classics. She created romances of mores. The English writer and satirist to this day remains one of the most famous figures in English literature.
Much of the life of the famous writer remains hidden by a veil of secrecy. 2017 marks two centuries since Jane Austen passed away. She was born in 1775, December 16. Before her early death, the writer managed to create six novels.
Jane was the ideal of work ability
She perfectly knew how to assess society from the outside, and an amazing wit provided Austin a worthy place in world history. Even her fans do not have all the information and the writer. And a lot of interesting facts are connected with the biography of the famous English figure. The writer became the herald of realism in British literature.
Jane Austen is an outstanding example of work ability. By the age of twenty-three, the writer had finished roughly three of her famous grandiose opuses.
She wrote preliminary versions of Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, and Northanger Abbey before the end of the eighteenth century. The book "Sense and Sensitivity" was the first in print. The novel was published anonymously.
The publication of the essay cost Jane a very substantial sum, which the unknown author paid herself to anyone else. However, the money returned to her. All copies of the novel were sold in the first few months. An additional circulation was issued based on the results. In 1813, a new work entitled Pride and Prejudice was published. Initially, the title sounded like "First Impression". The print was again without the author's name.
The success of the book turned out to be so great that even the wife of the notorious Lord Byron noted that reading the essay was very popular. The publication went through several runs. The next novel, Manfield Park, was published in 1814. The author's name was not indicated on the cover, as before. The work repeated the success of its predecessors. The sale brought the songwriter more income than previous work.
Then the new book "Emma" was published. About her, Jane said that the main character would not be liked by anyone except the creator herself. However, the novelty won over the readers. Jane's strongest novel is called Reason. The essay was published after the death of the author, as was Northanger Abbey.
Austin has completed more than six books. She became the author of the epistolary novel Lady Susan. Also, after the famous writer, there were two unfinished rough works. One started by her in 1805. The author did not add it. The idea was called "Watson".
The second draft was titled Brothers. The creation of the story began six months before the death of the author. In her work, the writer was greatly hampered by vision problems. The unfinished work was published as Sanditon in 1925.
All works are autobiographical
Austin was also a poet and satirist, and corresponded with her sister Cassandra. Many letters were destroyed by her after Jane passed away. All works of the writer are autobiographical. Many people and places of action resemble those of Jane's real life. And Austin herself was part of the country's high society. That is why subtle national humor can be traced in all her works.
The author excellently illustrated social life. After the death of his father, the family of the future literary figure, including his mother and sister, faced a difficult financial situation. Its writer described the history of women in the Dashwood family in Sense and Sensitivity. Austin spent a lot of time in Bath. This place has become a staple in several books.
Even the names of friends and loved ones were used in her novels. Thus, the relatives of the wasps on the mother's side, the Willoughby and the Wenworth, represented the most influential Yorkshire families. It was known that the mother of the writer married the priest George Austin, deciding on a misalliance.
Jane's brothers, naval officers, often wrote letters home. Austin used their narratives in her novels. Despite the almost always happy ending in her writings, the writer herself never married.
She was betrothed to Harris Bigg-Wheeter, her friend's brother. However, the engagement lasted only one day in December 1802. The reasons that pushed twenty-seven-year-old Jane to consent remained unknown.
It is completely incomprehensible why the girl took back her words the very next day. It is only known that neither then, nor later, there was no happy relationship in the life of the writer.
Social life was unusually rich
Austin was not at all a sad old maid who created works in tears for the lack of a loving spouse. The writer spent her time very actively. The circle of her acquaintances was very wide. After her twenties, Jane often attended various events in London.
In the capital, her brother Henry bought a house. Austin stopped there. She visited galleries, parties, talked with the most famous people of her time.
Another brother of the writer Edward lived with wealthy relatives. Then he inherited their fortune. And his sister often visited.
The girl stayed with them for months, leading a very eventful existence. Such a pastime provided the writer with magnificent opportunities for describing contemporary society in her books.
The writer's works are not just ladies' entertainment
All things Austin cannot be called exclusively ladies' entertainment. This saying is sometimes voiced by critics. In fact, everything is much more interesting. Prominent historical figures spoke very enthusiastically about her works.
So, Chesterton believed that the author was much stronger and more witty than the famous Charlotte Brontë, surpassed George Eliot. He assured that Jane was much better than the others at describing men's experiences.
Lord Tennyson equated the talent of the writer with the talent of Shakespeare. He explained his opinion by the extraordinary brightness of the images of the writer. The legendary Rudyard Kipling was one of the loyal fans of the author's work. He even dedicated one of the stories to Austin.
Marriage and romance are at the center of all Jane's writing. However, it is impossible to ignore the fact that all books are distinguished by a bright, witty, funny look at the British society today.
Austin's cause of death remains unsolved
The writer passed away at the age of forty-one. Rumors about this have been and remain a lot. There are several versions. For some, dangerous incurable diseases became the cause of death. In March 2017, a new conclusion appeared.
According to him, the author was poisoned. Confirmation of the action of arsenic, according to the author of the theory, was the development of cataracts in the writer recently. For the first time this point of view was voiced in 2011, its veracity is quite likely.
But there is no point in proving the presence of any ominous events in the author's life. In her time, arsenic was widely used in cosmetics and medicines. Problems with plumbing were added to them.
Jane's death is also explained by other versions, one of the hypotheses refers to the development of diabetes, about which the writer allegedly suffered. Many historians offer a version of the progression of various incurable diseases.
Novels are often filmed
Austin's books are actively being filmed. All works are just perfect for transferring to the big screen.
There is nothing surprising in the fact that films based on them were shot not the only time. The most famous was the motion picture "Pride and Prejudice".
The last film adaptation was the tape in 2005. It turned out to be a magnificent box office. There are some very exotic versions, for example, the Bollywood picture "The Bride and Prejudice".
Jane Austen's work did not leave indifferent the creators of the story of Bridget Jones. A character named Mr. Mark Darcy appeared in the picture about her.
The number of fans is constantly increasing
The number of fans of the famous personality is immeasurable. All of them are extremely passionate about her works, they spend their time very richly.
Austin Societies operate both in England and in the United States. They hold a variety of events: they organize festivals, give lectures, hold costume balls and themed parties.
Often, fans write novels. They even conduct thematic tours to the place of birth of the writer and the places where her adult years passed.
In the writer's works, the simplicity of the plot is combined with a deep psychological penetration into the hero's soul, ironic and gentle humor. Books remain recognized masterpieces.
