Jane Austen was a woman well ahead of her time. Today, she is regarded as one of the greatest English writers ever, but she received little acclaim for her work during her life. Many of Austen’s novels portray the society she lived in, and the pressure that was placed on women to marry well as a means to provide financial security and social standing.  Many of Austen’s novels share a subtle, underlying humor that points out the absurd consequences of such thinking.  Although Jane Austen’s novels focus on romance, she herself never married. I started reading Jane Austen’s books when I was very young,  and through the vivid vignette her novels painted in my mind, I was able to step into the world she lived in. She is one of my favorite writers and I have mentioned some of her novels below. I highly recommend picking one up if you haven’t already!

Sincerely, Saba

#1) Pride & Prejudice

Who has not heard of proud, reserved, and charming Mr. Darcy, or lively, graceful, and witty Elizabeth Bennet? This is perhaps Jane Austen’s most recognized work, and focuses on the important difference between wealth and good breeding. Jane Austen loved Elizabeth’s character, and once stated to her sister  in a letter that “I must confess that I think her as delightful a character as ever appeared in print, and how I shall be able to tolerate those who do not like her at least, I do not know.”

#2) Sense & Sensibility

This was Jane Austen’s first published work and follows the stories of two sisters, Marianne and Elinor Dashwood, who are left quite poor after the death of their father. Marianne is an outgoing and romantic personality while Elinor is more mature and sensible, and the difference in their natures is reflected in their opposite approaches to love.

#3) Northanger Abbey

This was the first of Jane Austen’s novels to be fully written but it was published posthumously. The book focuses on Gothic novel fan Catherine Morland, and her imaginative perception that the world around her is as mysterious and dark as the world she reads about in her books.

#4) Emma

The opening sentence of this novel is: “Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich.” Jane Austen made the heroine of her novel the kind of girl she believed most people would automatically dislike out of envy. She once stated: “I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like.” While Emma’s heart is in the right place, her matchmaking skills are horribly lacking and result in a lot of confusion and chaos in her world.

#5) Persuasion

This is Jane Austen’s final complete novel, and was named by her brother. The story follows Anne Elliott, who in contrast to Austen’s earlier heroines, is a rather dry personality. Anne wanted to marry Frederick Wentworth who was handsome and intelligent, but poor. Anne’s family pushed her to drop the idea because they believed that Frederick was not of their class. The novel picks up seven years after this event, when unmarried Anne runs into Frederick, who is now a wealthy captain of the Royal Navy and still upset over Anne’s rejection.