Jane Austen is one of the most notable and influential female writers of all time. With heart wrenching and thought provoking novels like Emma, Sense and Sensibility, and Pride and Prejudice it’s no wonder Jane has an unwieldy legacy. Much like the writers in her time Austen drew inspiration from within and much of the world around her. However, readers and critics alike have often stated that her muse is unlike any other. A dissection of Jane Austen’s notable works reveals one astonishing theory: the life of Jane Austen is the inspiration for her novel’s characters, relationships, and dilemmas. Jane was born on December 16, 1775 in the small town of Steventon. As the seventh of eight children in the Austen home one could say
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From unhappy love affairs to the demise of their beloved father both Elinor and Marianne are forced to face the ups and downs of life. The reoccurring themes and trials of Sense and Sensibility are all too familiar to Jane, who herself endured the very thing she wrote about. An example of this is Sense and Sensibility’s Elinor Dashwood who reflected numerous aspects of Austen’s character, life, and unfulfilled dreams. Jane was “practical and sensible, and she did what she thought best” (Tomalin 186). Throughout her life Austen was often described as a no nonsense, straight-laced, nurturing woman. This same demeanor is displayed by the oldest Dashwood sister, Elinor, who is immensely empirical. Aside from parallel behaviors both the actions and situations of Eleanor and Jane are similar as well. For example, upon the death of their father, Jane rather than grief chose to compile a few of her father’s treasures for her brother Frank. In the plot of Sense and Sensibility the Dashwood sisters’ father dies leaving them no means of living. However, rather than mourn her loss Elinor holds down the family and shares her father trinkets as well. Much like Austen, Elinor in her selfless nature become the provider and protector of the family. Another resemblance is both Austen and Dashwood’s need to discover all the facts, and avoid rash judgment at all …show more content…
Throughout Sense and Sensibility the characters are quite frankly obsessed with their image. At the time society individuals were always seeking to improve their social status through marriage, work, or relation. Once again Jane took the problems of the world around and stating her beliefs through her characters and their actions. Each and every relationship in Sense and Sensibility is constantly under the wrath of the social system. In Austen’s time one of the numerous ways to improve your social standing was to marry higher up. You see unlike the marriages of today, during the 1700’s marriage wasn’t between two lovers but their parents, siblings, and friends. Marriage was more than companionship, it was more than “love”, it was political, social, and economic. Money, inheritance, and marriage dictate both Elinor and Marianne’s eligibility throughout the novel since their dowry is rather
From unhappy love affairs to the demise of their beloved father both Elinor and Marianne are forced to face the ups and downs of life. The reoccurring themes and trials of Sense and Sensibility are all too familiar to Jane, who herself endured the very thing she wrote about. An example of this is Sense and Sensibility’s Elinor Dashwood who reflected numerous aspects of Austen’s character, life, and unfulfilled dreams. Jane was “practical and sensible, and she did what she thought best” (Tomalin 186). Throughout her life Austen was often described as a no nonsense, straight-laced, nurturing woman. This same demeanor is displayed by the oldest Dashwood sister, Elinor, who is immensely empirical. Aside from parallel behaviors both the actions and situations of Eleanor and Jane are similar as well. For example, upon the death of their father, Jane rather than grief chose to compile a few of her father’s treasures for her brother Frank. In the plot of Sense and Sensibility the Dashwood sisters’ father dies leaving them no means of living. However, rather than mourn her loss Elinor holds down the family and shares her father trinkets as well. Much like Austen, Elinor in her selfless nature become the provider and protector of the family. Another resemblance is both Austen and Dashwood’s need to discover all the facts, and avoid rash judgment at all …show more content…
Throughout Sense and Sensibility the characters are quite frankly obsessed with their image. At the time society individuals were always seeking to improve their social status through marriage, work, or relation. Once again Jane took the problems of the world around and stating her beliefs through her characters and their actions. Each and every relationship in Sense and Sensibility is constantly under the wrath of the social system. In Austen’s time one of the numerous ways to improve your social standing was to marry higher up. You see unlike the marriages of today, during the 1700’s marriage wasn’t between two lovers but their parents, siblings, and friends. Marriage was more than companionship, it was more than “love”, it was political, social, and economic. Money, inheritance, and marriage dictate both Elinor and Marianne’s eligibility throughout the novel since their dowry is rather