Jane Austen (1775-1817) was born at Steventon, Hampshire in England. She had six brothers and one sister, who later were source for her works. Jane Austen was mostly tutored at home, and irregularly at school, but she received a broader education than many women of her time. She started to write for family amusement as a child. 19th century was time when male gender dominated and women had only one aim in life – to marry somebody, to make a good match. But until her 25, Jane Austen was still alone, which caused her to look critically at the traditions and canons of her time.
Austen's heroines are determined to marry wisely and well, but most of them are not ordinary, for example, in Sense and Sensibility romantic Marianne loses her heart to an irresponsible seducer, but in Pride and Prejudice intelligent and witted Elizabeth has a clash with a rich landlord, because of their both pride and inability to go on compromise.
Jane Austen focused on middle-class provincial life with humor and understanding, because she was a part of it and understood it perfectly. Of her six great novels, four were published anonymously during her lifetime. She completed the original manuscript of Pride and Prejudice, titled First Impressions, between 1796 and 1797, but it was published only in1813, after her first novel Sense and Sensibility.
19th century was time of “arranged marriages” when money was more important than love. But Austen tries to show that even when there are insuperable barriers, love can still thrive. This is the reason why Pride and Prejudice is one of the most beloved love stories ever. Elizabeth and Darcy start their relationship with dislike, but eventually turn into the most romantic couple. However, I would like to point out that it was not a usual and common thing for 19th century, as I mentioned, marriages were mostly arranged. Nevertheless, the title of this work is “love”, which is mainly because even in such circumstances, love can be a reason to marry.
“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a large fortune must be in want of a wife.”
The Bennets have five unmarried daughters—from oldest to youngest, Jane, Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty, and Lydia—and Mrs. Bennet is desperate to see them all married. And then happens something unexpected, but absolutely spectacular – a young, wealthy gentleman whose name is Charles Bingley decides to rent a manor of Netherfields Park to spend there summer. The best thing about him is that he is not married.
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