1. -Jane Austen-
Research
-Biography-
Jane Austen was born in Hampshire, on 16th December, 1775. Jane grew up in a very
close-knit family: her father was a rector at the Steventon Rectory, where Jane was
born. She had six brothers and one sister, Cassandra: because she had so many
brothers, she had a close relationship with her sister. Her mother, who was also called
Cassandra, was referred to as ‘Mrs Austen’. She was particularly close, however, to
her brother Henry, who would go on to act as her literary agent near the end of her life,
and fighting to get two of her novels published after her death on 18th July 1817. She
was also very close to her father, who provided her with writing equipment, books and
journals, so that she could practice her writing. The family quickly recognised Jane’s
talents at writing, and Jane quickly began to think more seriously about writing. Jane’s
family life would have been very creative, her parents allowing their children to be
creative and learn. Mr. Austen was very supportive of his children, and had a large
collection of books, which he allowed all of his children, including Cassandra and
Jane, to use. Mr. Austen also tried to earn more money to support his large family by
taking up additional jobs, such as farming and teaching roles at their home for other
children. At the age of 8, Jane and her sister were sent to boarding school for their
formal education, where they were taught foreign language (mainly French), music and
dance. When Jane returned, her education was focused on what her brothers and
Father could teach her, and what she read. The family used to also make their own
entertainment by making home- productions of existing plays, or inventing their own
and acting them out. This probably nurtured Jane’s talent;, through improvisation,
observation and acting, she may have gained understanding about how stories are
constructed, and how to create certain audience reactions.
After the retirement of her father, the Austens’ moved to Bath; Jane was not happy in
Bath, and, feeling unable to concentrate on her work properly, her writing dwindled.
Jane’s father then became ill and died suddenly, leaving Cassandra, Jane and their
mother in financial difficulties. Jane’s brother’s Edward, James, Henry, and Francis
Austen pledged to make annual contributions to support their mother and sisters.
They then moved to Southhampton in 1806, to share a house with Jane’s brother
Frank and his new wife, where Jane felt happy to concentrate more on her writing
again. Jane’s health began to fail noticably, although she tried to deny this to her
family. Her brother Henry, and sister Cassandra, became concerned about their
sister, and took her to Wincester, for medical help, after Jane became so ill that she
was unable to walk and was confined to bed. Jane’s health did not improve, and she
died later that year.
Information from: http://www.janeausten.org/jane-austen-timeline.asp and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Austen
Jane Austen’s Major Novels:
1. ‘Sense and Sensibility’- 1811

2. 2. ‘First Impressions’, later ‘Pride and Prejudice’- 1813
3. ‘Mansfield Park’- 1814
4. ‘Emma’- 1815
5. ‘Northanger Abbey’- 1817 (posthumous)
6. ‘Persuasion’- 1817 (posthumous)
-What is a comedy of manners?-
A Comedy of Manners is a play about the manners and conventions of an aristocratic,
highly sophisticated society. The characters are usually types rather than individualized
personalities, and plot is less important than atmosphere. Such plays were an
important aspect of late seventeenth-century English Comedy. The comedy of manners
was revived in the eighteenth century by Oliver Goldsmith and Richard Brinsley
Sheridan, enjoyed a second revival in the late nineteenth century, and has endured into
the twentieth century.
Examples of comedies of manners include William Congreve's ‘The Way of the World’
in the late seventeenth century, Oliver Goldsmith's ‘She Stoops to Conquer’ and
Richard Brinsley Sheridan's ‘The School for Scandal’ in the eighteenth century, Oscar
Wilde's ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ in the nineteenth century, and W. Somerset
Maugham's ‘The Circle’ in the twentieth century.
From http://www.gale.cengage.com/free_resources/glossary/glossary_bc.htm#c
‘Pride and Prejudice’ is also an example of a comedy of manners.