Austen, Jane
Jane Austen was born on 16th December 1775 in the village of Steventon, near Basingstoke, Hampshire. Her father was a clergyman and served as the rector for the local Anglican parishes, and further enriched the family’s earnings through farming and tutoring a small number of pupils who, during their schooling, boarded at the Austen residence. Both of Jane’s parents were members of gentry families and, although they could by no means be considered wealthy, neither were they poverty-stricken and thus held their position and status fairly comfortably among the middle class. For the most part, Jane was educated at home by her father and elder brothers who actively encouraged her reading and writing from a young age. The family had a large library which no doubt proved a great source of inspiration to Jane’s literary imagination.
Jane and her sister Cassandra were educated mainly at home, and Jane’s relationship with her sister was possibly the closest and strongest that she would hold in life. Much of Austen’s writing explores the connection between sisters. As Austen grew up she continued to live at home and employed herself in activities typical to a woman of her age and class: assisting her mother with the supervision of servants, practising the pianoforte, and visiting neighbours and relatives.
Much of Austen’s life was spent at her family home in a sphere of appreciation for education and learning, so it is not surprising to learn that, from a young age, Austen began to compose various stories, novels and plays for her family’s entertainment. These early writings have since become known as ‘Juvenilia’ and it is in these that we catch the first glimpses of the biting social commentary and aristocratic observations that she would later become famed for.
When her father retired from the ministry in 1801, Jane moved with her family to Bath, but, when her father died in 1805, the family was left to rely heavily on her brother Edward for financial support, and
... [Read More]| 1775 |
Jane Austen was born
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| 1795 |
Nearly became engaged to Tom Lefroy
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| 1798–1799 |
Jane began writing Northanger Abbey
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| 1801 |
Jane and her family moved to Bath |
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| 1809 |
Jane moved to Chawton
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| 1811 |
Sense and Sensibility was published
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| 1813 |
Pride and Prejudice was published
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| 1814 |
Mansfield Park was published
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| 1815 |
Emma was published
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| 1817 |
Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were published posthumously
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| 1816 |
Jane began writing Persuasion
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| 1816 |
Jane fell ill and her health deteriorated |
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| 1817 |
Jane Austen died |
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| 1940 |
The Jane Austen Society was founded
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| 2013 |
The 200th anniversary of Pride and Prejudice
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About the Contributor
Samantha Cartmel
Samantha Cartmel is a long-serving teacher of both GCSE and A Level English.
Sharpen your students’ senses in the run-up to the AS Level Eduqas exams with this cohesive exam prep pack! Apply understanding and perfect exam technique with key revision activities, essay-building tasks, exam-style questions, mark schemes and model answers – all specifically designed for the AS Level Eduqas Component 1 exam.
Ready-to-use, detailed study notes illuminating the profits and perils of persuasive speech in Jane Austen’s delicately written final finished work. Fantastically clear and comprehensive analysis allows students to reconcile the ‘marriage plot’ typical to Austen’s work alongside absorbing themes of responsibility, friendship and folly.
There are plenty of literary aspects to examine in Austen’s peerless novel of manners, and this wide-ranging resource allows students to explore them all. Special features include regular analysis of Austen’s use of humour, and summaries of literary devices in each chapter. The variety of tasks included and the differentiation advice make this creative and stimulating pack suitable for all.
One of Austen’s best-loved novels, Pride and Prejudice offers GCSE students an array of enchanting characters and a story full of intrigue and humour. Along with detailed analysis and student activities, features such as a contextual timeline, a ‘Why Read Austen?’ introduction, and commentary on narrative style make this resource an indispensable companion to the text.
Matchmaking, meddling and misguided – Austen worried that readers wouldn’t like her, but Emma Woodhouse’s impetuous decisions, determined matchmaking and eventual happy ending have delighted for generations. Ready-to-use, detailed study notes help students pick apart the comedic aspects of this surprisingly light-hearted coming-of-age story with detailed, comprehensive analysis.
Comprehensive notes interspersed with research links, practice essay questions, activities and discussion points. This guide has been written specifically for AQA B Lit Unit 3 and as such includes a wealth of information on linking Northanger Abbey with the Gothic genre.
Notes, activities and teaching ideas supporting the teacher to deliver imaginative lessons and helping students to read, understand and reflect on the novel.
