Holly Ivins - The Jane Austen Pocket Bible

HOLLY IVINS

The Jane Austen Pocket Bible

Holly Ivins

This first edition is published in 2010 by Crimson Publishing Crimson Publishing, Westminster House, Kew Road, Richmond, Surrey TW9 2ND

Crimson Publishing, 2010

Epub edition 2012 ISBN: 978-1-907087-41-7

The author Holly Ivins has asserted her moral rights to be identified as the author of this work in accordance with the Copyrights, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

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A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library

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A big thank you to Sally, Beth, all the lovely Crimsonettes, and everyone at Crimson Publishing. Huge thanks go to my brother Jack who boasted as much about this book as Henry Austen did about Pride and Prejudice.

I couldnt have done this without my Mum, who is always my biggest fan; and Andrew, who is my fantastic editor, motivator and my very own Mr Knightley.

I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading! How much sooner one tires of anything than of a book! Pride and Prejudice (1813)

It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen is one of the most beloved novelists in the English language. Her novels have never been out of print since their publication in the 19th century and there have been innumerable adaptations of her novels in both film and television. That doesnt make her novels any less intimidating to approach for the first time reader though, or even for the avowed fan to get to grips with the nitty gritty details.

This book is here to help. For those who have never entered the world of Miss Austen, this book will be a guide to help navigate through the ironic turn of phrase, the love triangles and the bonnets. For those self-confessed Janeites, there are fun facts about the novels as well as a different look at the love and romance found within the pages of the novels. This book will help you learn more about the lady herself, her life, and the world she lived in: all adding to your understanding of these great works of fiction.

By the end of this Pocket Bible you should be able to approach these novels as old friends, not intimidating classical tomes. You should be able to read these beloved classics and understand the intriguing storylines as well as the social commentary and the delightful literary art which Austen employs.

You may already know everything there is to know about Mr Darcy, Emma Woodhouse and Catherine Morland, or you may still be trying to figure out which Bennet sister is which, but how much do you know about the woman who created these memorable characters? This chapter is a brief look at Janes life, including details on how she wrote her novels, in the hope that by becoming better acquainted with the author, you will become better acquainted with her work.

Jane Austen was born on 16 December 1775 at the Steventon rectory in Hampshire; she was the seventh child for the Austen family, followed only by her brother Charles. She had six brothers and one sister, Cassandra, whom she was extremely close to (see for more on Janes family). Janes father was the reverend at Steventon rectory and her mother, an intelligent and sensible woman, ran the household, caring for her own children as well as the boys who boarded at their house and were educated by Mr Austen.

After her christening on 5 April 1776 Jane was sent to live with and be nursed by a nearby farmers wife, Elizabeth Littlewood. Although this may seem cruel, it was exactly the same treatment as her siblings had experienced in their infancy. Mrs Austen simply didnt have time to look after five boys and an infant as well as running her household. Janes family often visited her though, and the young Austen returned to live with them when she was about two or three years old.

Jane spent a happy childhood at Steventon, full of reading and long country walks. She was apparently a tomboy as a child, preferring to play cricket and roll down hills with her brothers than play girls games, much like the character of Catherine Morland in Northanger Abbey. The Austen house was a full one with eight children, and an additional four or five boys who lived there to be educated by Janes father.

Pocket Fact

Janes brother Henry remembered that Jane began reading at a very young age and that she had a tenacious memory.

Janes father won a scholarship to St Johns College, Oxford and while there he was known as The Handsome Proctor. George greatly encouraged Janes writing, buying her her first notebooks to write in, and even approaching a publisher for her with her early draft of Pride and Prejudice.

Cassandra Leighs uncle was a master at Balliol College and it was while visiting this uncle that Cassandra met George Austen. They were married in 1764 and Cassandra went on to have eight children, run a household, care for the school boys who boarded in the house, and even write poetry.

James was the eldest son of the Austen family, and became rector of Steventon after his father retired. James children Anne and James-Edward are responsible for most of the biographical information we have about Jane.

George was named after his father but he did not live with the Austens as he suffered from epilepsy, living instead with neighbours in Steventon. There is evidence to suggest George may have been deaf as Jane makes reference to the fact that she was fluent in finger speaking. Not a lot of information has survived about George, and he and Jane are the only members of the Austen family who did not have an official portrait taken.

As a child Edward was adopted by Thomas Knight, Mr Austens wealthy cousin, and after taking the surname Knight went on to inherit several estates, including Godmersham.

Henry was Janes favourite brother, often acting as her representative with publishers in London. Henry enjoyed a varied career as an army agent in the militia, a banker, and eventually as a country curate. He married the Austens cousin Eliza de Feuillide and they lived together in London. It was Henry who prepared Northanger Abbey and Persuasion for publication after Janes death.

Cassandra was Janes best friend and the sisters lived together for the entirety of Janes life. Their mother even said if Cassandras head had been going to be cut off, Jane would have hers cut off too. When Jane died Cassandra said She was the sun of my life, the gilder of every pleasure, the soother of every sorrow. I had not a thought concealed from her, and it is as if I had lost part of myself. In the brief periods they were apart the sisters wrote to each other frequently and there are about 100 surviving letters. There are no letters from Jane before the age of 20 though as Cassandra destroyed the majority of her sisters letters after Janes death. Although Cassandra destroyed most of Janes letters she is responsible for passing on her sisters legacy to her nephews and nieces, and also produced the only two portraits we have of Jane.