Paula Byrne

A revealing portrait of the beloved novelist, drawn from the most up-to-date scholarship and unexplored sources, presents a modern take on the woman and the world that shaped her.

A Life in Small Things

The Real Jane Austen

Pierke Bosschieter

Eloise

Every scholar approaches their subject with their own interpretations and insights. There is always something new to learn about Jane Austen, no matter how many books I read about her. Byrne's book is interesting, and I had a good time reading it. She examines Austen through the perspective of real items that have had an impact on her life. Yes, the renowned amber cross given to her by her brother is one, as is her writing desk given to her by her father. Also included are the lace card her aunt was accused of stealing and the bathing machines Austen would have used while staying at her favorite oceanfront resorts. Each object represents a different part of Austen's life that is explored in the chapter.

Of particular interest are insights into Austen's novel Mansfield Park (which is really great timing for me because I joined the Mansfield Park read-along for the Jane Austen July Challenge).

Jane had visited the genuine Lord Mansfield's estate, where they had adopted a niece as their heir. Dido, the illegitimate daughter of Mansfield's nephew and an enslaved black woman, raised her. Byrnes delves into Jane's understanding of slavery through Mansfield, close and distant relatives, and her naval brother Franks' interception of slave ships and abolitionist ideas. Norris was also the name of a prominent slave dealer, thus the family name had implications.

Byrnes dissects the novel's plot's background as reflecting what was going on in Antigua, such as the dependency on slave labor, soil depletion, and simmering discontent. She observes that Fanny is the sole person who wishes to question Mr. Bertram about the slave trade.

I was one of those who liked Mansfield Park. The morally superior, powerless, and sensitive Fanny stood her ground, which impressed me. But I did not consider what Byrnes addresses: that the word 'home' was used 140 times in the novel. She asserts that the importance of home is a main theme. "Is it a place or is it a family?", she queries. One of the transformative events in my life was moving at age ten, leaving me homesick and forever wondering about true homes and the homes we make out of necessity.

We can only know Austen through her surviving letters, her novels, and one authenticated portrait--of her back. I appreciate Byrne's deep exploration of these sources which helps to further fill out our understanding of the 'real' Jane Austen.

The Real Jane Austen A Life in Small Things

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