The Austen Allure: Books Penned by Jane Austen

“How I wish I lived in a Jane Austen novel.”

– Dodie Smith, I Capture the Castle

I am pretty sure that we have all wished to live in an Austen novel at one point or another After all, she was an enigma who literally became the voice of women through her books. Born on December 16, 1775, in Hampshire, England, Austen hailed from a gentrified family. Defying the norms of the day, her father educated both her and her sister. Right from girlhood, Jane had a literary inclination. She started penning novels that revolved around the lives of the British landed gentry at the end of the 18^th century. Her books primarily focused on women and their dependence on men to attain social as well as financial security. She beautifully critiqued the world that she lived in. Her use of irony and penchant for sticking to realism still makes her a phenomenal author.

Like many women of her time, her talents remained largely unappreciated during her lifetime. The three novels published during her lifetime were released anonymously. Two other books were published after her untimely death. She also left behind two other unfinished novels, three volumes of juvenile writings in manuscript, and a short epistolary novel.

Not surprisingly, Jane Austen shot to popularity after she left the mortal realm at the young age of forty-two. Today, every one of her works is still in print. They are intensely studied and adapted into a number of films and TV series. Countless authors are inspired by her and have given her works a new contemporary spin.  

This year, as we celebrate her birthday, let us have a look at all her novels.

Novel: Lady Susan

Year: 1794  

Jane Austen penned Lady Susan when she was just a girl. She never sent it for publication. However, once the book was discovered, it portrayed that Austen’s literary talent existed right from an early age. Lady Susan showcases Austen’s dark sense of humor. It revolves around a beautiful widow in her thirties who likes playing with men. When she visits her brother and sister-in-law with her teenage daughter, pandemonium ensues.

Novel: Sense and Sensibility

Year: 1811

Sense and Sensibility is one of the earliest published novels of Jane Austen. It tells the love stories of two sisters, Elinor and Marianne, who are compelled to leave their large estate and move to a quaint cottage. Sense and Sensibility is a well-rounded novel that beautifully portrays the sisterly bond between Elinor and Marianne. The sisters are opposite in personalities, yet their compassion for each other is undeniable. Elinor falls for a man betrothed to another while Marianne sets her sights on a scoundrel. In this novel, Austen depicts the pros and cons of being too sensible or too sentimental.

Novel: Pride and Prejudice

Year: 1813

Pride and Prejudice is perhaps one of the most popular novels of all time. There are countless adaptations of this timeless book. Authors and filmmakers have given their own spin to the story for quite some time. The book follows the Bennet family. As they are of a humble background, Mrs. Bennet is constantly in search of grooms for her five daughters. Most of her hopes are pinned on the eldest and impeccable Jane. Elizabeth, the second daughter, is edgy and quite unconventional. She prefers her own independence. When Elizabeth meets Mr. Darcy, sparks fly. However, they instantly clash with each other as well. It is a love story where pride is humbled and prejudice is dissolved.

Novel: Mansfield Park 

Year: 1814

Mansfield Park is Jane Austen’s most psychologically complexnovel. It greatly differs from her usual work, especially in regard to the heroine. The book follows Fanny Price, a young girl of poor origins who is sent to live with her wealthy cousins, the Bertrams. Unlike Elizabeth Bennet, Fanny is introverted and has a strict moral code. She is constantly treated with disdain by the Bertrams, except her cousin Edmund. Naturally, she develops a special inclination towards him. Fanny and the Bertrams’ lives are turned upside down by the arrival of the worldly Henry Crawford and his sister, Mary. In this book, Austen juxtaposes a strict moral code with the frivolity of wealthy society.

Novel: Emma 

Year: 1815 

Emma is perhaps the cleverest of Austen’s novels. It was the last novel published during her lifetime. Emma is slightly different than most of Austen’s other books. She herself wrote about Emma, “I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like.” To be honest, Emma Woodhouse might not seem very likable at first. She is rich, beautiful, and spoiled. However, at the same time, she is well-intentioned. She does not wish to get married. Yet, she wants to be a matchmaker. She chooses the less fortunate Harriet to be the focus of her machinations. It is fun to watch Emma through her own deluded eyes while knowing the actual truth about her.

Novel: Sandition 

Year: 1817 

Sandition is the last novel that Austen was working on. She was only able to pen eleven chapters before she passed away. The novel is set in the fictional seaside town of Sandition where all the fashionable people of the ton gather. Even though not even half of the story is finished, Austen manages to create an intriguing premise. Many authors and filmmakers have also attempted to complete this story.

Novel: Northanger Abbey 

Year: 1818

Northanger Abbey was published in 1818 after Jane Austen’s death. However, it is believed that it was written way before. Actually, it was the first novel Jane Austen sold to a publisher in 1803. The book follows seventeen-year-old Catherine Morland, a naïve girl who loves reading gothic novels. While visiting Bath, Catherine falls for Henry Tilney. When the Tilneys invite her to their family estate, Northanger Abbey, Catherine dreams up all sorts of gothic fantasies associated with the estate. The book is perhaps the funniest of Austen’s novels.

Novel: Persuasion 

Year: 1818

Published posthumously, Persuasion is arguably Jane Austen’s most romantic novel. It revolves around Anne Elliot, a twenty-seven-year-old unmarried lady. Years ago, she jilted her suitor, Frederick Wentworth due to his humble background, on the advice of her friend Lady Russell. Anne and Wentworth meet again. The difference is that this time their circumstances are reversed. Wentworth is a celebrated war hero pursued by young debutantes while Anne is a spinster who has fallen on hard times. It is interesting to see whether these estranged lovers give love a second chance or go their separate ways. Persuasion is a profoundly contemplative novel that makes you rethink romance.

Conclusion

Jane Austen is that queen of romance, who can never be uncrowned. She presented ladies and their aspirations in a new light in her novels. She juxtaposed the dreams and fancies of a woman with her true social reality. This makes her books very relatable even to today’s women.

Austen regrettably passed away when she was only forty-one on July 18, 1817. Still, she lives on through her words. Her novels make her immortal.

Do comment and let me know which of Jane Austen’s novels is closest to your heart.