Happy birthday, Jane Austen! The beloved novelist, famous for writing Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, Northanger Abbey, and Persuasion, would have turned 250 years old on Dec. 16, 2025.
Today, her fans are celebrating all she contributed to the literary world on the special occasion. To honor her and her work, here are 10 fun facts about Jane Austen!
The 1995 cult classic film Clueless was a loose modern adaptation of Austen's classic novel Emma, though instead of a wealthy matchmaker, the main character was a wealthy high school student, Cher Horowitz. The story still explores similar themes, including matchmaking, social status, self-discovery, and love.
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Jane Austen originally published anonymously
Jane Austen didn't use a specific pen name, but she did publish her novels anonymously, often credited with the phrase "By a Lady" or "By the Author of Sense and Sensibility," despite female authors being discouraged at the time. Her brother, Henry Austen, revealed her identity after her death by adding a biographical note in 1818 when Northanger Abbey and Persuasion were released.
Jane AustenGetty
The Austen family had a unique coat of arms. The symbol featured three bear paws, and their family motto: Que Invidet Minor Est, which meant "To Envy Is Inferior".
Jane Austen started writing as a teenager
Austen was just a teen when she began her writing career. She started writing stories, parodies, and short plays in three notebooks, preserved and known as her Juvenilia, from 1787 to 1793.
Austen famously never married, though she did once get engaged. In December 1802, she accepted a marriage proposal from Harris Bigg-Wither, a wealthy family friend, but she broke off the engagement the following morning.
Jane Austen didn't earn much from her writing during her lifetime
While Austen did make a modest amount of money from her writing, she certainly wasn't enriched by it during her lifetime. She only earned about £600-£700 (roughly £40,000-£60,000 in today's money) from the four books she published while alive, and even lost money on Emma because she often paid publishing costs herself.
Austen died in 1817 at age 41, and her final recorded words were to her sister, Cassandra. "God grant me patience, pray for me, oh, pray for me!" she said, adding that she wanted "nothing but death" as her illness progressed.
Jane Austen was responsible for one of the first literary fandoms
Though fan groups these days love naming themselves, Austen's fans in the late 19th century were among the first to do so. Her devoted readers began calling themselves “Janeites" while passionately debating her characters, visiting places associated with her life, and defending her against critics.
Austen’s novels have been translated into dozens of languages and have remained in continuous print worldwide for more than two centuries after they were originally published.
Jane Austen's face appears on currency
In 2017, Jane Austen's face was printed on the £10 Bank of England note to celebrate her literary legacy. She was the first female author to receive such an honor, and the currency also includes a Pride and Prejudice quote and imagery of Godmersham Park.
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