Jane Austen is known for her comedic works depicting young women in England during the 1800’s. Her works continue to be popular over 100 years after her death.
1. Jane Austen wrote 6 books.
Her books include: “Emma”, “Mansfield Park”, “Persuasion”, “Pride and Prejudice”, “Northanger Abbey” and “Sense and Sensibility”. Jane Austen began a seventh book before she died, but was unable to complete it. Although her niece and other people have written endings to the story, it is unknown how Jane Austen wanted the book to end.
2. Jane Austen was the youngest daughter in a family of 8 children.
The Austen family was a large, close knit family. Jane was the seventh child and second daughter. She would often entertain her family by reading the stories she had written or playing the piano.
3. Jane Austen was once engaged for a single day before changing her mind and ending the engagement.
When Jane Austen was 26 years old, a family friend proposed to her. The next day she told the man that she had decided not to marry him because she did not love him. She had considered the marriage because it would give her and her mother a comfortable life after her father had died a few years prior to the proposal.
4. Jane Austen was shy, but loved to dance.
Although Jane did not have many close friends, she loved to dance. In her letters to her siblings, she often mentioned the parties that she had gone to. She was thought to be quite a good dancer even though she was shy.
5. Her closest friend was her older sister, Cassandra.
Cassandra Austen was Jane Austen’s best friend. They were born 3 years apart. Cassandra was engaged once, but her fiancé died. She, like Jane, died without ever getting married.
6. Jane Austen had two romantic relationships.
Her romance with Irishman, Tom Lefroy, was ended when the man’s family disapproved of her family’s lack of prominence. Jane Austen’s other romance ended when the young man died tragically on his way to meet Jane Austen’s family at the beach. The name of the man is not known, but it is thought he was a local pastor.
7. Jane Austen had two brothers in the British Navy.
Jane Austen had six brothers. One suffered from a mental disorder of some type, one became a banker and another was the editor of a local newspaper. She had two brothers who served in the British Navy. She was closest to her older brother Henry, who was in the Navy.
8. Jane Austen was 41 when she died.
It is believed that Miss Austen died from tuberculosis. Tuberculosis was a painful and common disease at the time. She died on July 18, 1817. She was born on December 16, 1775.
9. Not much is known about Jane Austen.
What people do know comes from letters written to family members and stories told by Jane Austen’s family. Although some of her books were published before her death, she never gave an interview or wrote a biography.
10. Jane Austen nearly died when she was 7 years old.
When Jane Austen was 7 years old, she and her sister were sent to a boarding school for a short time. Both girls caught the deadly disease typhus and went back to their home to recover. Jane almost perished and was ill for more than a year before getting better.
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