Was Jane Austen a Feminist?

Plenty of people have looked to Jane Austen for inspiration in their writing, however, her greatest admirer may have been one of her nieces, Anna Austen Lefroy. She very much valued her aunt’s opinion in how to write a proper love story. ¹. Austen discusses in her letters that her sister thinks the difference is class is something that bothers her, “that there will be too frequently a change from one set a people to another, and that circumstances will be introduced of apparent consequence which will lead to nothing. It will not be so great an objection to me if it does. I allow much more latitude than she does” ². Austen was did not only express what seems to be feminist points of view in her writings but also extending her attitudes to believe that class and circumstance did not equate to lack or abundance of love. You could have plenty of money and have no love at all or have no money at all and have the richest man in the county fall in love with you. It is very much a Cinderella story, and this is a continuous and popular theme throughout many novels and stories and is appealing to many different kinds of people. This is the kind of story Anna Lefroy wanted to be able to write, one that translates well to many different kinds of people. The main focus of her stories are the stubborn and strong women who the novel revolves around. At one point, Austen emphasizes this to Anna. “A woman going with two girls just growing up into a neighbourhood where she knows nobody but one man of not very good character, is an awkwardness which so prudent a woman as Mrs. F. would not be likely to fall into. Remember she is very prudent. You must not let her act inconsistently” ². The female heroine needs to retain her dignity and poise but not conform to the norms of Regency formalities. It needs to be said that when a story revolves around love, that the woman needs to have as much of a say in her feelings as the man in his.