"Is a truth universally acknowledged, that a man in possession of good fortune, must be in want of a wife." ~Jane Austen
Oh yes he must...indeed. What else can a man want once he's conquered his chief material goal in life. I believe that Jane Austen, a true genius of human nature, understood two things very well; men and women. I know there are men out there that would argue that statement, saying that she being a woman can only claim mastery of her own sex, however when you read her novels, let's take "Pride and Prejudice" for example, one cannot help but recognize her mastery of both the sexes' thinking on all manor of topics. From money to love, from family relations to social manners, she articulates the thoughts of both men and women with an artful intelligence and blazing wit.
The thing I love most about her work is how incredibly down to earth it all seems. Jane Austen knows everything....I am perfectly convinced of that. You just have to read her work and you'll be instantly enlightened. She brings to life so many of life's most common and charming moments. She exposes what it's like to be a young person exploring life and love and heartache, and much more. She let's you see into a world where the smallest detail carried with it so much meaning; like the type of head dressing you wore, or the type of flowers received. One delicious layer of detail on top of another, and all wrapped up with a nice story, most with very happy endings, as well as several life lessons learned.
It's true that she wrote from life and people that she most likely knew or who moved about in her own social circles... funny thing is, I see so many of the same characters walking in and out of my own life. I certainly know a Mr. Darcy and Mrs. Bennett amongst my acquaintance. The fun part is I can see myself as the main character, and sometimes even a blend of several characters depending on what is going on in my life. I find it very encouraging that as they change and grow and improve, I know I can too.
Jane was a such an incredible lady, and I'm so glad she broke the social rules of her time, the ones she knew so well, and decided to write novels, bringing so many joys and trills to everyone who reads them. I can only hope I can bring something as creative and beautiful to the world before I leave it.
