Books by Jane Austen

Pride and Prejudice is an 1813 romantic novel of manners written by Jane Austen. The novel follows the character development of Elizabeth Bennet, the dynamic protagonist of the book, who learns about the repercussions of hasty judgments and eventually comes to appreciate the difference between superficial goodness and actual goodness. A classic piece filled with comedy, its humor lies in its honest depiction of manners, education, marriage and money during the Regency era in Great Britain.Mr. Bennet of Longbourn estate has five daughters, but because his property is entailed it can only be passed from male heir to male heir. Consequently, Mr. Bennet's family will be destitute upon his death. Because his wife also lacks an inheritance, it is imperative that at least one of the girls marry well to support the others upon his death, which is a motivation that drives the plot. Jane Austen's opening line--"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife"-- is a sentence filled with irony and sets the tone for the book. The novel revolves around the importance of marrying for love, not simply for economic gain or social prestige, despite the communal pressure to make a good (i.e., wealthy) match.

The story takes place in the fictional village of Highbury and the surrounding estates of Hartfield, Randalls, and Donwell Abbey and involves the relationships among individuals in those locations consisting of "3 or 4 families in a country village". The novel was first published in December 1815 while the author was alive, with its title page listing a publication date of 1816. As in her other novels, Austen explores the concerns and difficulties of genteel women living in Georgian-Regency England; she also creates a lively comedy of manners among her characters and depicts issues of marriage, gender, age, and social status. Before she began the novel, Austen wrote, "I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like." In the first sentence, she introduces the title character as "Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich."Emma is spoiled, headstrong, and self-satisfied; she greatly overestimates her own matchmaking abilities; she is blind to the dangers of meddling in other people's lives; and her imagination and perceptions often lead her astray.

"Pride and Prejudice" - Mr. Bennet of the Longbourn estate has five daughters, but his property is entailed, meaning that none of the girls can inherit it. His wife has no fortune, so it is imperative that at least one of the girls marry well in order to support the others on his death. The story charts the emotional development of Elizabeth Bennet who learns the error of making hasty judgments and comes to appreciate the difference between the superficial and the essential. "Mansfield Park" - Frances "Fanny" Price, at age 10, is sent from her overburdened family home to live with her uncle and aunt in the country in Northamptonshire. It is a jolting change, from the elder sister of many, to the youngest at the estate of Sir Thomas Bertram, husband of her mother's older sister. Her aunt is kind but her uncle frightens her with his authoritative demeanor. Fanny's mother has another sister, Mrs. Norris, who doesn't like and mistreats Fanny. The story follows Fanny's development from troubling adaptation in the wealthy household, through turbulent adolescence, to marriage.

"Emma" - Emma Woodhouse has just attended the wedding of Miss Taylor, her friend and former governess, to Mr. Weston. Having introduced them, Emma takes credit for their marriage, and decides that she likes matchmaking. Against the advice of her brother-in-law, Emma forges ahead with her new interest, causing many controversies in the process. Set in the fictional village of Highbury, Emma is a tale about youthful hubris and the perils of misconstrued romance. "Persuasion" - Anne Elliot is a young Englishwoman of 27 years, whose family is moving to lower their expenses and get out of debt, at the same time as the wars come to an end, putting sailors on shore. They rent their home to an Admiral and his wife. Brother of Admiral's wife is Navy Captain Frederick Wentworth, a man who had been engaged to Anne when she was 19, and now they meet again, both single and unattached, after no contact in more than seven years. First time the engagement was broken up because Anne's family persuaded her that Frederick wasn't good enough opportunity. The new situation offers a second, well-considered chance at love and marriage for Anne Elliot in her second "bloom".

"Mansfield Park" - Frances "Fanny" Price, at age 10, is sent from her overburdened family home to live with her uncle and aunt in the country in Northamptonshire. It is a jolting change, from the elder sister of many, to the youngest at the estate of Sir Thomas Bertram, husband of her mother's older sister. Her aunt is kind but her uncle frightens her with his authoritative demeanor. Fanny's mother has another sister, Mrs. Norris, who doesn't like and mistreats Fanny. The story follows Fanny's development from troubling adaptation in the wealthy household, through turbulent adolescence, to marriage. "Emma" - Emma Woodhouse has just attended the wedding of Miss Taylor, her friend and former governess, to Mr. Weston. Having introduced them, Emma takes credit for their marriage, and decides that she likes matchmaking. Against the advice of her brother-in-law, Emma forges ahead with her new interest, causing many controversies in the process. Set in the fictional village of Highbury, Emma is a tale about youthful hubris and the perils of misconstrued romance.

"Pride and Prejudice" - Mr. Bennet of the Longbourn estate has five daughters, but his property is entailed, meaning that none of the girls can inherit it. His wife has no fortune, so it is imperative that at least one of the girls marry well in order to support the others on his death. The story charts the emotional development of Elizabeth Bennet who learns the error of making hasty judgments and comes to appreciate the difference between the superficial and the essential. "Sense and Sensibility" - When Mr. Henry Dashwood dies, his house, Norland Park, must pass directly to his grandson, the son of John Dashwood, the child of the elder Dashwood's first wife. His second wife, Mrs. Dashwood, and their daughters, Elinor, Marianne and Margaret, inherit only a small income, but John makes a promise to his father that he will take care of his half-sisters. However, John's greedy wife, Fanny, persuades him to renege on the promise and the Dashwood women soon become the unwelcome guests in Norland Park. Mrs. Dashwood decides to move her family to Barton Cottage in Devonshire, near the home of her cousin, Sir John Middleton.

Anne Elliot is a young Englishwoman of 27 years, whose family is moving to lower their expenses and get out of debt, at the same time as the wars come to an end, putting sailors on shore. They rent their home to an Admiral and his wife. Brother of Admiral's wife is Navy Captain Frederick Wentworth, a man who had been engaged to Anne when she was 19, and now they meet again, both single and unattached, after no contact in more than seven years. First time the engagement was broken up because Anne's family persuaded her that Frederick wasn't good enough opportunity. The new situation offers a second, well-considered chance at love and marriage for Anne Elliot in her second "bloom".

Seventeen-year-old Catherine Morland is one of ten children of a country clergyman. Although a tomboy in her childhood, by the age of 17 she is "in training for a heroine" and is excessively fond of reading Gothic novels. She is invited by her wealthier neighbors in Fullerton, to accompany them to visit the town of Bath and partake in the winter season of balls, theatre and other social delights. On this visit Catherine meets a clever young gentleman, Henry Tilney, finds a new friend in Isabella Thorpe, a vivacious and flirtatious young woman, and begins her journey of self-knowledge, as she gains a better understanding of the world and those around her.

Emma Woodhouse has just attended the wedding of Miss Taylor, her friend and former governess, to Mr. Weston. Having introduced them, Emma takes credit for their marriage, and decides that she likes matchmaking. Against the advice of her brother-in-law, Emma forges ahead with her new interest, causing many controversies in the process. Set in the fictional village of Highbury, Emma is a tale about youthful hubris and the perils of misconstrued romance.

Frances "Fanny" Price, at age 10, is sent from her overburdened family home to live with her uncle and aunt in the country in Northamptonshire. It is a jolting change, from the elder sister of many, to the youngest at the estate of Sir Thomas Bertram, husband of her mother's older sister. Her aunt is kind but her uncle frightens her with his authoritative demeanor. Fanny's mother has another sister, Mrs. Norris, who doesn't like and mistreats Fanny. The story follows Fanny's development from troubling adaptation in the wealthy household, through turbulent adolescence, to marriage.

Mr. Bennet of the Longbourn estate has five daughters, but his property is entailed, meaning that none of the girls can inherit it. His wife has no fortune, so it is imperative that at least one of the girls marry well in order to support the others on his death. The story charts the emotional development of Elizabeth Bennet who learns the error of making hasty judgments and comes to appreciate the difference between the superficial and the essential.

When Mr. Henry Dashwood dies, his house, Norland Park, must pass directly to his grandson, the son of John Dashwood, the child of the elder Dashwood's first wife. His second wife, Mrs. Dashwood, and their daughters, Elinor, Marianne and Margaret, inherit only a small income, but John makes a promise to his father that he will take care of his half-sisters. However, John's greedy wife, Fanny, persuades him to renege on the promise and the Dashwood women soon become the unwelcome guests in Norland Park. Mrs. Dashwood decides to move her family to Barton Cottage in Devonshire, near the home of her cousin, Sir John Middleton. The story follows the young women to their new home with their widowed mother, a meager cottage on the property of a distant relative, where they experience love, romance and heartbreak.