Celebrate the life and work of Jane Austen—known for her keen observations of social class, relationships, and human nature—through her witty and timeless works. Complementing the Morgan Library & Museum’s exhibition, A Lively Mind: Jane Austen at 250, this three-part online course hosted in partnership with 92nd Street Y Roundtable explores Austen’s authorship and her gradual rise to international fame.
Juliette Wells, guest co-curator of the Morgan’s exhibition and Professor of Literary Studies at Goucher College, will offer up an extraordinary array of original documents and artifacts to intrigue even the most seasoned Austen fan. Letters to Austen’s closest confidante, her sister Cassandra, allow us to listen in on a lifelong conversation. Carefully hand-copied volumes preserve the exuberance of Austen’s teenage writings. Personal possessions—including topaz cross pendants, a silk pelisse coat, and a turquoise ring set in gold—convey Austen’s elegance and her delight in fashion. Letters and other manuscripts showcase Austen’s confidence in her chosen literary style, as well as her keen interest in readers’ responses to her work. Copies of first editions of her novels show how her identity as author was concealed and, eventually, revealed. Reminiscences by her family members reveal myth alongside fact.
This online course also examines how Austen’s literary reputation evolved. In her lifetime, she received only one review that acknowledged her importance as a novelist, and her books had modest sales. Yet, thanks in part to her devoted American readers, Austen’s works endured—enabling future generations to delight in her sharp humor, compelling characters, and brilliant social commentary.
This is an online course.
Please e-mail public_programs@themorgan.org with questions about accessibility.
Morning dresses from Gallery of Fashion (London: N. Heideloff, 1798), fig. 198. The Morgan Library & Museum; PML 5680.