Jane Austen

Jane Austen was an English novelist known for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment on the English landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Her plots often explore the dependence of women on marriage for social standing and economic security. Her works are considered classics of 19th-century literary realism, characterized by social commentary, realism, wit, and irony. Austen published four novels during her lifetime: Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814), and Emma (1815). Persuasion and Northanger Abbey were published posthumously in 1817. Her works have rarely been out of print since her death and have been adapted numerous times for film and television.