Lucy Worsley on The Death of Jane Austen
People Who Made History
•
27m
Famous the world over for her wit, social observation and insight into the lives of early 19th century women, Jane Austen remains one of the Britain’s most respected and beloved novelists. She famously lived a ‘life without incident’, but in fact new research reveals a passionate woman who fought for her freedom. A woman who, far from being a lonely spinster, in fact had at least five marriage prospects, but who in the end refused to settle for anything less than Mr Darcy. Now we lift back the curtain her life, examining some of the spaces and places that mattered to her. It wasn’t all country houses and ballrooms, but a life that was often a painful struggle. As a member of the pseudo gentry, her situation was often precarious and always pushed her towards marrying for financial security. But as a strong, forward thinking woman, Jane was determined to live by her pen and preserve her independence. In this fascinating episode, Lucy Worsley and Dan Snow visit Jane Austen’s house to uncover the truth about how she really lived from day to day, explore little-known alternate paths that her life could have taken, and confront the mystery and tragedy of her early death.
Up Next in People Who Made History
-
Hatshepsut: She Who Would Be King
Hatshepsut – whose name means “foremost of noblewomen” – was an exceptional figure in the history of Ancient Egypt. Only the second woman in history to assume the title of pharaoh, during her reign she oversaw the building of monumental temples, established trade connections with far away African...
-
Fire and Blood: Boudica's Vengeance
In 60 AD, the fledgling Roman town of Colchester witnessed ancient Armageddon. Thousands of British warriors descended on the settlement, turning what was then the capital of Roman Britain to ash. At the head of these attackers was one of the most well-known figures in British history - the warri...
-
Rebels: Owain Glyndŵr
In the second part of his new series, conflict analyst Professor Michael Livingston is continuing his journey across the length and breadth of the United Kingdom on the trail of some of Britain’s best known rebels.
In this episode Michael is heading to Wales to discover the astonishing story of ...
