Jane Austen: Unveiling the Truth of Freeing Ourselves and Pure Love

200 years after her tragic death, Jane Austen remains a name that turns thousands of heads and ignites hearts with euphoria. On December 16th, 1775, the seventh of eight children to Churchman George and well-connected Cassandra Austen was born; her name was Jane Austen. Jane had dark brown, curly hair, roseate cheeks, and deep hazel eyes. She lived out her quiet childhood in a tiny Hampshire town in south-central England, named Steventon. As her siblings were mostly brothers, Austen grew to be exceptionally close to her single sister, Cassandra. The Austen family cherished and bloomed Jane's creativity and eagerness to learn from a young age — they all lived in an open and close-knitted environment that encouraged each other through festivities like reading novels together along with hosting little home theatricals. Mr Austen, especially, worked his fingers to the bone and took on teaching roles within their home.

8 years later, Jane and her sister Cassandra attended boarding school as a form of education. This nurtured Austen's familiarity with the formal world and increased her wisdom of the French and Italian language, music, and dance — which later contributed to the contents of her book legacy. When the family's economical situation struggled, both sisters were permanently forced home. Not allowing the learning to ever end, Jane continued to visit the library that was home to the local Church and explored the countless collection of literature there. The vast library fed Ms Austen's interests and so did her family, by providing her books, paper, writing tools, and everything she would need to one day fulfil her destiny.

At the ripe age of 19 (1795), Austen wrote her first complete novel, entitled Elinor and Marianne which would one day become the brilliant Sense and Sensibility. Followed by First Impressions in 1796-1797, the first version of which to become Pride and Prejudice, which was a quote taken from Burney's Cecilia. However, Jane did not expect anything from her novels as the manuscript she had aspirations for was rejected by Cadell — a London publisher — before it was even read. Although this caused Jane to feel utterly horrible, it allotted her more time to perfect her future successes.

A year later, an Irish nephew of her nearby neighbour visited. On this December, Tom Lefroy became Jane Austen's first love; possibly even her last. Nonetheless, he played prominent roles in her understanding of love as they were simply inseparable. However, her love story ends as after seeing how the two lovebirds were on the verge of an engagement, Lefroy's family quickly broke off their magnetic attraction by sending him home. They did not desire him to marry someone as poor as a deacon's daughter. When one love ended, another arrived, 7 years later. On another December, the question that all women look forward to in their life was asked to Jane by her former neighbour. 'Will you marry me?', Mr Bigg-Wither asked her. Jane accepts; measuring their situations. The next day, she declines. The reason being exposed in a letter written to her niece years later about her only wanting to marry for love and affection, which she didn't feel in the slightest for him. This revelation becomes a glimmering cognizance into the bright mind of Ms Austen, ostensibly pulled right out of the very sheets of her novels, in which one should never marry without love.

In 1800, Austen was met with abrupt disruptions in her life. When her father happily retired, the Austen family moved to the city of Bath — although Jane was reluctant to leave the one and only home she grew incredibly fond of. This, unexpectedly, stirred up a myriad of complications, including her beloved hero's death in 1805. This constituted a further series of changes which ultimately caused Ms Austen to put down her pen more often. Eventually, she, her mother, together with her sister, settled in Chawton 4 years later. The original tranquillity of her environment allowed Jane to return to her first novel, Sense and Sensibility; finally published in the Autumn of 1811 which sold out in 2 years. Afterwards, Austen returned to the quintessential novel which would be her breakout and a loved book for endless generations to come — Pride and Prejudice, often referred to herself as 'my own darling child.' After enduring a cycle of rejections from a plethora of publishers, in early 1813, her treasure was released into the world. This was all thanks to her brother, Henry, and his sweet bargaining skills. It was also revealed that years before his death; Jane's father made a fair attempt to get his daughter’s work published. At last, his wish was granted when her book gained delightful exposure and became the literary sensation of that year. Luckily, this raised her net worth, so she no longer had to worry about her finances. Despite receiving an honourable award, Jane shied away from the spotlight and remained nameless. Instead, she carried on writing and continued to publish gratifying works of art in 1814 and 1815, published with the titles Mansfield Park and Emma respectively. They both achieved great heights but couldn't catch up to the book that started it all; Pride and Prejudice. Austen proved she was precisely like the potent and unfettered heroine she always writes about.

As Jane was finishing Persuasion and starting a new novel, Northanger Abbey, she fell weak. Notwithstanding, she acted like she was fine and continued to push every day to her limit; until she couldn't. In May of 1817, Henry and Cassandra escorted ailing Jane to Winchester, in hopes of finding medicine for an illness that — during that period — could not possibly have had a cure. Now, it has been discovered as Addison's disease. With deepest condolences, the incandescent Jane Austen died in Winchester and was buried at the Winchester Cathedral on July 18th, 1817. Not content with her final completed works unpublished, brother Henry and sister Cassandra strived to get both Northanger Abbey and Persuasion published through Murray as a set collection. At last, through this work, the name 'Jane Austen' was disclosed to the world — forming a true and deserved connection between Jane and her 'children.' Had she been alive for a few more years, she would witness how in her short yet fruitful life, and even after her death; she managed to resonate with the strictest of critics, the hearts of countless, and the people who never liked reading books. Austen would've been proud to see 22 movies adaptations released, 20 million copies sold worldwide, and even a cult for her devotees named the Janeites. Jane Austen changed the world by teaching us about freeing ourselves from pressure and restraints and carving out our own destiny.