This document provides biographical information about Jane Austen, including that she was born in 1775, one of eight children of a clergyman, educated at home, never married though proposed to multiple times, published her novels anonymously, and wrote about human nature, social life, and love. Some of her most popular works were Pride and Prejudice, Emma, and Sense and Sensibility. The document also contains discussion questions about a letter Austen wrote to her niece regarding marriage.

1. “On Making an Agreeable Marriage”

2.  1775-1817
 7th of 8 children to a
clergyman
 Educated mostly at home
 Never married, but wrote
a lot about love and
marriage in her six novels
 Was proposed to
multiple times
 Accepted once, then
took it back the next day

3.  Published works anonymously while alive
 People eventually found out
 Wrote about:
 Human nature
 Social life
 Realities of love and marriage
 Popular works:
 Pride and Prejudice
 Emma
 Sense and Sensibility

4.  Writing or speech that offers insights
into society.
 Unconscious: a writer points out problems
that exist due to specific social customs
without directly challenging the customs
 Conscious: a writer specifically blames a
problem on social customs

5.  Methods used to attempt to change one’s mind
1. Appeals to logic based on sound reasoning
2. Appeals to readers’ sense of morality or ethics
3. Appeals to emotion, addressing readers’
feelings

6.  Financial pressure to marry
 Only men could inherit family money
 Women could not usually work for a living
 Restricted activities
 Typical ways to pass the time: sewing, drawing, music,
walking, reading poetry
 Supposed to act proper
 Shouldn’t show intelligence or independence

7.  Letter from Austen to her
niece Fanny Knight
 Fanny may be getting
married soon
 Austen gives advice
 Provides social
commentary

8. 1. What does Austen mean by “I have no hope of writing
anything to the purpose”?
2. What idea makes Austen want to “laugh…although it is
no laughing matter”?
3. What is “the charm” that is “most powerful” and what is
the “mistake” that “thousands of women fall into”?
4. How is Austen judging Mr. J.P.’s worthiness?
5. What does Austen “recommend most thoroughly”?
6. What does Austen mean by “wisdom is better than wit”?
7. The 1st “side of the question” is ______? The 2nd is
______?
8. What is Austen’s overall advice to Fanny?
9. What type of social commentary is this (conscious or