The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things

The Real Jane Austen: 

A Life in Small Things

by Paula Byrne  

 On 8 March 2013 we celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) by celebrating the economic, political and social achievements of women past, present and future.  IWD has been observed since the early 1900's, a time of great development and turbulence in the industrialized world that saw a significant growth in population and the rise of radical ideologies. To honour this day, this article will focus on a book about a true pioneer in English literature who ignored cultural expectations for her life to become one of the most celebrated authors in history.  

Jane Austen is one of the most beloved novelists in the English language, writing timeless classics such as Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Emma (1813), Persuasion (1818) and many more. But who was the real Jane Austen? Was she an old spinster who only wrote about life in a small village? Or was she a strong, independent woman who was ahead of her time with her decision to remain unmarried and concentrate on her professional writing career rather than conform to societal expectations? You be the judge!

Paula Byrne attempts to give a full picture of Jane Austen’s life and what influenced her writings in the biography The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things (2013). Byrne takes a unique approach by basing every chapter on an object from Austen’s time period and relating it to a significant moment or theme in Austen’s life and work. For example, Byrne uses a silhouette portrait of Austen’s family to represent the theme of adoption in Austen’s personal life as well as in her novels. Other objects that she uses include a vellum notebook, an East-Indian shawl, a card of lace and many more.

Although there are many different biographies about Jane Austen, Byrne’s book goes beyond the traditional biographies that trace Austen’s daily life in England. Byrne looks beyond the life of Austen herself and examines her extended family, friends and acquaintances. She draws her information from the most current scholarship available. This unique approach allows the reader to see Jane Austen in a new perspective and discover new aspects of her life and her character that are represented in her writing. 

The Real Jane Austen argues that Austen was a woman with strong ambition and a great talent for story-telling. She was also a smart critic of human nature and the eccentricities of her own age. Resonant and persuasive, Byrne provides a fresh perceptive and often surprising picture of an artist and a vivid evocation of the world that shaped her.

On International Women’s Day, we must remember the people who fought for equality. Without them we would not have the liberties that we now take for granted. For example, we have female astronauts and prime ministers, school girls are welcomed into university, women can work and have a family, and women can also contribute articles to newspapers! Women have real choices. And so the tone and nature of IWD have changed to give us a chance to remember the past, celebrate progress, and show positive hope for the future.