Jane Austen

Cassandra Austen / Public domain
1804 watercolor by Jane Austen's sister

Jane Austen (1775-1817) published her first novel, Sense and Sensibility, in 1811 under the creative pseudonym of "A Lady" (Pride and Prejudice was written first, but published later.) She prototyped what would eventually be called the "romantic comedy," largely focusing on the romantic entanglements of her main characters, but as important (and often forgotten by those with only a passing acquaintance with Austen's work) is the razor sharp wit that also made her works prototypical comedies of manners. See, her characters wanted to get married (well, generally, hello Emma), but the plots explored how dependent women were on marriage for social standing, income, and often for the support of her family. It was rarely as easy as "marry the person you fall in love with." But, you know, if you happen to fall in love with a dude who pulls down 10,000 pounds a year, that would be great.


Sense and Sensibility
In which Elinor Dashwood is calm, sensible, and reserved, while her sister Marianne allows every feeling to be the MOST IMPORTANT FEELING EVER. Their respective temperaments complicate their respective romances, and hilarity ensues.

Notes and Illustrations:

Volume the First

• Volume the First, Chapters One to Three
• Volume the First, Chapters Four to Eight
• Volume the First, Chapters Nine to Eleven
• Volume the First, Chapters Twelve to Fourteen
• Volume the First, Chapters Fifteen to Seventeen
• Volume the First, Chapters Eighteen and Nineteen
• Volume the First, Chapters Twenty and Twenty-One
• Volume the First, Chapter Twenty-Two

Volume the Second

• Volume the Second, Chapters One and Two
• Volume the Second, Chapters Three and Four
• Volume the Second, Chapters Five and Six
• Volume the Second, Chapters Seven and Eight
• Volume the Second, Chapter Nine
• Volume the Second, Chapters Ten and Eleven
• Volume the Second, Chapters Twelve and Thirteen
• Volume the Second, Chapter Fourteen

Volume the Third

• Volume the Third, Chapter One
• Volume the Third, Chapters Two and Three
• Volume the Third, Chapters Four and Five
• Volume the Third, Chapters Six and Seven
• Volume the Third, Chapter Eight
• Volume the Third, Chapters Nine and Ten
• Volume the Third, Chapters Eleven and Twelve
• Volume the Third, Chapters Thirteen and Fourteen