“Jane Austen is one of the few novelists in world literature who is considered a “classic” and yet widely read” (Kelly 1). Austen is the only novelist, before Charles Dickens, whose novels retain a very popular readership, and generations of students regard her fictional world as literature with a capital "L." British author Jane Austen gave the novel its distinctly modern character in the 19th century by depicting ordinary people in everyday life, featuring strong female protagonists, and describing the dangers of misinterpreted romance. Jane Austen was born on December 16, 1775 in Hampshire County, England. His father, George Austen, was a reverend in the small village of Steventon. Her mother, Cassandra Leigh Austen, although born into a higher social class, chose to stay at home to raise their eight children. Austen, affectionately known as Jenny by her family, and her sister Cassandra were "...too emotionally close to be separated for school, despite their age difference..." (Kelly 2), so the girls received most of their education at home by teaching. themselves. The Austen family enjoyed putting on plays and reading, and one person would often read aloud while other family members completed household chores. Not surprisingly, Austen quickly took to writing and entertained her family with short stories throughout her teenage years. Although Austen began several novels in the 1790s, they were not published for several years. “One of the reasons Austen failed to get a book published during these years may have been a series of personal losses…” (Kelly 2). After moving to Bath in 1801 due to her mother's failing health, Austen fell in love with a young clergyman, who died suddenly. Middle of paper......'s Sons, 2000. Literary Resource Center. Internet. January 27, 2012. Pollock, W. F. “British Novelists.” Fraser Magazine. January 1860. pp.30-35. Rep. in the classic critical views of Bloom: Jane Austen. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Bloom-Infobase, 2007. pp. 120-121. “Review of “Emma”. » Augustan Review 2.13 (May 1816): 484-486. Rep. in 19th century literary criticism. Ed. Janet Mullane and Robert Thomas Wilson. Flight. 19. Detroit: Gale Research, 1988. Information Resource Center. Internet. January 27, 2012. Scott, Sir Walter. Quarterly review. October 1815. pp.192-200. Rep. in the classic critical views of Bloom: Jane Austen. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Bloom-Infobase, 2007. pp. 130-132.Whately, archbishop. “Modern novels”. Quarterly review. January 1821. pp. 359-63, 375-85. Rep. in the classic critical views of Bloom: Jane Austen. Ed. Harold Bloom. New York: Bloom-Infobase, 2007. p.21.