Pride And Prejudice, Sense And Sensibility, By Jane Austen

Biography Jane Austen, author of Pride & Prejudice, Sense & Sensibility, and many other well-known books, was born on December 16th, 1775, in England. Her parents, George and Cassandra Austen, came from lower middle-class English families. When Austen was a child, her home had an open and intellectual atmosphere, and her family frequently discussed politics and social issues. This influenced her writing as an adult, which explored themes of social class and the treatment of women. As a teenager, Austen was sent to Oxford to be educated, but she contracted typhus and nearly died. She was then educated at home, learning what girls were normally taught during that time, such as French, needlework, and music. Austen was also a enthusiastic reader,

These novels examine themes of romance, the female perspective, and family relationships. They are set in the early nineteenth century and are about upper class British women and their relationships. In 1801, Austen moved to Bath from Steventon with her father, mother, and sister, Cassandra, and she did not write during this period. In 1809, her father died of an illness, which left the previously middle class family struggling with money. Austen began to write again, and wrote her novels Mansfield Park, Emma, and Persuasion. Emma, published in 1816, focuses on the adventures of Emma, a young woman who is a matchmaker for her friends until she discovers

The narrator says, “The real evils indeed of Emma's situation were the power of having rather too much her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself” (Austen 8). Emma is initially portrayed as someone who thinks that only her opinion matters. In his literary criticism, “Personal Virtues in the Context of Class in Jane Austen’s Emma”, Philip Gerebring describes how “Emma has had quite a privileged upbringing [...] which impacts her actions and the way she views other people” (Gerebring). Emma’s decision not to marry at first is directly related to her privilege and wealth. Her high opinion of herself affects her belief that she is “better” than others. In her literary analysis, “The Dilemma of Emma: Moral, Ethical, and Spiritual Values”, Karin Jackson says that “Emma is so engrossed in herself that [...] her fancy, her imagination, and her manipulation of people’s lives are all based on a false perception of reality, despite her grandiose trust in her own judgment” (Jackson). Although this quote can be seen as accurate, it is incorrect because Austen is not criticizing Emma directly, but rather society as a whole and is actually praising Emma’s rebellion against