Supreme achievements of English Literature: this is what Jane Austen contributed to the world. Austen can best be described as a historian of her time and is known for her realistic characters and elegant style. Her life was an ordinary one, not a decorated masterpiece like so many writers we see today.
Born on December 16th, 1775, Austen was brought up by her father, George Austen, an Anglican Clergyman, and her mother, Cassandra, a minister's daughter. But the three only contribute to less than half of the entire family. Austen was number 7 of the 8 children born to Reverend George and Cassandra Austen (Lauber 1). Her writings were not limited to novels; she wrote plays, versus, short novels and a basic cornucopia or literary expressions. Some her earliest writing spread from 1787 to 1793 (Mural 1). Her life style was attributed to her modest family. Apart from hard times, the George Austen always had enough money for books, which were considered a luxury of the time. They also owned horses and a carriage, a sign of status (Laski 29).
Jane enjoyed singing and playing the piano and was extremely proud of her sewing and embroidery. Also fond of dancing, Jane attended several balls with her sister Cassandra in the neighborhood. It was said that her sister and she were extremely close, much like the characters of Elizabeth and Jane in Pride and Prejudice (Mural 1). It was remembered by a niece of Jane's that when Jane left Steventon, where she spent most of her life, she was a young 25, "delighting in clothes and social gaieties- (Laski 77). Through the dining room window, Jane also liked watching the traffic go by for an hour or two, early in the morning (Laski 75). We can assume she loved to write for she was working on a novel before she died in 1817 (Mural 1). She was secretive and protective of her works. She used a creaking door as her warning of approach from any unwanted guests.
