One of the most popular and widely read novelists in British literature is Jane Austen. A common theme in many of her works is the struggle of women to achieve a good marriage in order to secure social prestige and the necessary financial security. Living herself in an era in which women’s individual rights and political liberties were not recognized, although women led the French Revolution, through her works Austen implicitly criticizes the ruling social class of her country.
Jane Austen was born in December 1775 in Steventon, southern England. He was the seventh of eight children in the family of Anglican clergyman George Austen and Cassandra Leigh, scion of an aristocratic family. The environment in which he grew up is described as pleasant and open to discussions about the social reality of Great Britain in the late 18u century. From a young age Jane spent a lot of time in her father’s library, reading not only church books but also literature of the time. She seems to have had a special love, like the rest of her family, for plays, which they often staged.
From the age of 11, Jane began writing poems and short stories for the entertainment of her family, a talent she developed over the next few years. In 1796 she completed her first novel, which she published in 1811 anonymously under the title Sense and Sensibility. In 1796-1797 Jane wrote her second and best-known novel, The Pride and Prejudicewhich was released on January 28, 1813.
Without challenging the mores of the time, in her novel Austen challenged many established notions about the role of women in British society. The protagonist of the novel, Elizabeth Bennet, escapes from the female model of the time. She is not noted for her talent in music or painting. She prefers to spend her time reading books or walking in nature, which she loves. She is bold and not afraid to express her opinions. She does not settle for a marriage that would offer her financial security, but would make her unhappy. Since she considers Mr. Darcy arrogant, she refuses his proposal of marriage, even though with his huge fortune he could provide for her and her family financially. It was only when they both got over their pride and prejudices that they were able to be together.
After Pride and Prejudice followed by the publication of the works Mansfield Park (1814) and Emma (1815). In 1817, Austen passed away at the age of just forty-one. After her death, the novels were released Northanger Abbey and the Convince. Although she received some recognition during her lifetime, Austen’s work became widely known after her death. In 1833, the first collection of her works was published, which very soon became a sensation. In the 20th century, the Pride and Prejudice Austen’s novel gained a wider audience through its adaptation to cinema and television.
Column editor: Myrto Katsigera, Vassilis Minakakis, Antigone-Despina Poimenidou, Athanasios Syroplakis
