Jane Austen

Jane Austen, like her heroines, was curtailed in her actions by gender, money and propriety yet her works of fiction continue to gain the attention of readers. This book attempts to add a little to the wealth of material already written about Austen, to dispel some of the myths that have accummulated through the heaving bodices of television and cinema adaptations, and to deal with the criticisms that, although living through some of the most turbulent times in European history, she could do little more than write mannered comedies about young women finding suitable husbands. This guide gives an account of her life and discusses each of her works, starting with the earliest material and looking at themes of parenthood, civility and proppriety, women, the ideology of the class that she cuts to the quick with her seemingly gentle irony, and, of course, marriage.

About the author:

Pat Levy has taught English in Britain and South East Asia.

132  pages

ISBN: 978-1-871551-89-1