Once again, I have stumbled upon some unknown and interesting facts about famous authors. This time, I target none another than the renowned romantic classics writer, Jane Austen!
So….what about her?, you ask! Just a little patience and you will know! For further reading about this famous author, you can read more about this great author on Wikipedia.
Unfortunately, Jane Austen’s first novel was presumed to be literature of the lowest level by her publishers. Others were no better. Jane had a troubling life as an author to convince publishers and editors for her living.
But later, she emerged as a star and stunned all her predators by the ever famous, Pride & Prejudice which has been made into a film in Hollywood and Bollywood too.
And you know what? Many of Jane’s novels did not even mention her name. They just said ‘by a lady’. Now…that’s harassing, is it not? What do you have to say? Is it, as I said in my earlier post about J.K Rowling, Female Writers Won't Appeal To The Masses, women authors do not usually get the required fame?
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So….what about her?, you ask! Just a little patience and you will know! For further reading about this famous author, you can read more about this great author on Wikipedia.
Unfortunately, Jane Austen’s first novel was presumed to be literature of the lowest level by her publishers. Others were no better. Jane had a troubling life as an author to convince publishers and editors for her living.
But later, she emerged as a star and stunned all her predators by the ever famous, Pride & Prejudice which has been made into a film in Hollywood and Bollywood too.
And you know what? Many of Jane’s novels did not even mention her name. They just said ‘by a lady’. Now…that’s harassing, is it not? What do you have to say? Is it, as I said in my earlier post about J.K Rowling, Female Writers Won't Appeal To The Masses, women authors do not usually get the required fame?
Related Posts:
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- Female Writers Won't Appeal To The Masses!
- O. Henry- The Talented prisoner
- Arthur Conan Doyle Believed In Fairies!
- Do Some Gambling And Become A Great Poet!
July 6, 2008 at 10:10 PM
You know what Meghz..every writer..or simply an successful person definitely DO suffer defeat in their lives..I just read Sidney Sheldon's autibiography..whoa..what had that man not worked as,from a bartender to a mechanic and god knows what :P
July 7, 2008 at 7:52 AM
You know I had heard that before. Something about her writing wasn't up to snuff for her time period and that if she were to try to market her books even today she'd probably be turned away. Kind of unbelievable if you ask me.
July 7, 2008 at 1:21 PM
Well, who told women authors dont get the required fame?
My favourite writers ever are women..:) Agatha Christie is well known throughout the sphere than any other writer. And who wrote the epic novels of Harry Potter?
Not a man, my friend, not a man!!:)
July 7, 2008 at 4:58 PM
Hi aayushi,
I know aayu.....but this was a different kind of struggle....one like gender bias!
Thanks for sharing dear :P
July 7, 2008 at 5:18 PM
Hi Catherine,
I believe you are true....people have to struggle hard!
July 7, 2008 at 5:19 PM
Hi Mirage,
I just read about this...and how women authors were initially refused until the likes of Austen, Blyton, Christie and recently, Rowling....proved their worth :P
July 7, 2008 at 6:54 PM
Pride and Prejudice is her only work I have read. That was a good read.
Well even now publishers are skeptical about giving a female author's name, that too in a country like England! So you can guess how it should have been back in the 19th century. Things are changing now though.
July 8, 2008 at 11:41 AM
interesting..well u know as they say failure is a pre-cursor to success..every successful person has to go through a series of rejections...so I guess this was all meant to be.
July 8, 2008 at 2:41 PM
Hi Cris,
i agree.....I think things are certainly changing :P
July 8, 2008 at 2:43 PM
Hi rahul,
I think I'll have to agree with everything that you say....so very true!!
July 8, 2008 at 8:05 PM
Everyone has to struggle! Not too many people rise up to the pinnacle without a fight! And, somewhere along the line, I agree with you. Maybe female writers are shunned about!
July 8, 2008 at 10:55 PM
Hey Meghna,
An artist does not want fame and recognition. An artist wants his/her art to be experienced by people. And hence derive subsistence from his/her work.
My opinion is that Jane Austen signed off as "A Lady" precisely to emphasize that it was a novel written from a feminine point of view, not because she wanted her name to be kept out of it. That might be the secondary motive.
July 9, 2008 at 2:44 AM
'little known' (or omitting 'little known') would have been more appropriate, instead of 'unknown'.
July 10, 2008 at 6:57 AM
Hi Anandita,
You are right. But the plight of female writers are more pathetic.
July 10, 2008 at 7:02 AM
Hi Alok,
You may be right in pointing out that Austen's emphasize was that it was a novel written from a feminine point of view. But the fact remains that in spite of her great works, the publishers were not confident to accept the works of female authors, which is highly surprising considering the fact that we have lots of great authors of the gender.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts!
July 10, 2008 at 7:09 AM
Hi anonymous,
Yes, it should have been 'little known' as I had put in the category section. Thanks for pointing it out; but please indicate your name also.
September 4, 2008 at 6:58 PM
hi Meghna! have you seen my Jane Austen entry quite recently on my blog? We visited her museum..home and it was fantastic...see pics on my blog too... :)this time we've visited Wordsworth-house in Cockermouth and Beatrix Potter's museum-house, called Hill Top farm...wonderful! if you look at the pics in her book.."The tale of the Roly-poly pudding"(Samuel Whiskers)then you will see of her paintings that comes from the Hill Top farm house..the setting of the story! she was of course an artist too...