“It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man with good property will certainly want a wife.”
This opening line of Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice” was not just a sly dig at the marriage market in early 19th-century England; This is perhaps one of the most recognizable lines in English literature.
It engages readers with Austen’s trademark social satire, implying that a woman’s best chance for security is to marry a rich man.
Today, his words provide fodder for memes and TikTok reels, while his six novels have been adapted countless times in countless ways, from classic BBC miniseries to zombie parodies to Bollywood spins, and have even inspired hit shows like Netflix’s “Bridgerton.”
Yet why do Austen’s novels – which are set in Regency-era England and focus on middle- and upper-class women – still resonate today?
Satire and Relativity
“His humor still shines through, which can’t be said about his contemporaries,” says Juliet Wells, professor of literary studies at Goucher College in the U.S. state of Maryland. Wells, who wrote “Everybody’s Jane: Austen in the Popular Imagination” (2011), attributes Austen’s enduring appeal to her insights into human nature, in which characters exhibit traits that are still recognizable in diverse cultural contexts.
Born in Steventon, Hampshire in 1775, Austin was the seventh of eight children. Raised in a lively, literary household, she began writing playful parodies in her teens and wrote her early novels in her twenties.
Publishing anonymously at first, he published “Sense and Sensibility” (1811), “Pride and Prejudice” (1813), “Mansfield Park” (1814) and “Emma” (1815); “Northanger Abbey” and “Persuasion” were published posthumously in 1817, the same year he died at the age of 41.
Her novels explore family tension, slow-burn romance, sisterhood, and the art of separating bad company from good company – themes that feel eerily familiar.
Navigating a man’s world – then and now
Wells says, “Austen’s heroines live in a classist, patriarchal society, with strict rules of conduct and a significant gender double standard. In some ways, our twenty-first century world is not so different.”
Austen gave her heroines agency through intelligence, wit, and inner strength.
“We can all take courage from Austen’s female heroes like Elizabeth Bennet [in ‘Pride and Prejudice’]Wells says, “Who cares too much about her personal happiness to accept the advances of men she doesn’t respect, or Anne Elliot in ‘Persuasion,’ who turns her back on her family’s snobbery and values the admirable qualities of the less-privileged.”
Subtly calling out the patriarchy
While Austen is sometimes described as a pioneer of modern feminism, scholars say that her heroines’ “happily ever afters” conform to patriarchal norms. their female protagonist tend to end in domestic blissEven if the path there is not easy.
“Obviously, the wedding story doesn’t meet many contemporary standards of a strong female character,” says Shelley Galpin, lecturer in culture, media and creative industries at King’s College London. “However, [Austen’s] The representation of young women who know their own minds and aren’t afraid to speak out is certainly in line with modern notions of women empowerment.”
Galpin cites Anne Elliot’s observation in “Persuasion” that “the pen is in their hands” – a sharp commentary on male dominance.
“To me it shows that Austen had some understanding of gender inequality, and she wasn’t afraid to highlight it… So I would say there are definitely feminist elements in her writing, even if it wouldn’t be entirely accurate to call it feminist.”
Invention of the worried hero
As well as flamboyant heroines, Austen also created iconic leading men, the most famous of which was Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy, the male protagonist of “Pride and Prejudice.”
Galpin explains, “Austen’s Men can certainly be read as a female fantasy of what a heterosexual man should be like.”
This imagery extends from the time Austen wrote the character to the present day: Darcy’s transformation from aloof aristocrat to devoted companion has made him one of literature’s most enduring romantic figures – and a pop culture sex symbol, thanks to the onscreen portrayals by English actors Colin Firth and Matthew Macfadyen.
The Single Man Who Analyzed Romance
For someone who never married – although she reportedly had lovers and was briefly engaged – Jane Austen deftly analyzes the timeless rituals of courtship between men and women.
Galpin says, “I definitely think his portrayals of romance are universally relevant and appealing! The representation of the early stages of love feels so timeless, the emotions so insightfully described that they resonate with audiences of different times and places.”
Not surprisingly, Austen’s stories created the perfect template for the modern slow-paced rom-com. Hollywood productions include 1995’s “Clueless” (based on “Emma”) and the hugely successful “Bridget Jones’s Diary” franchise (based on “Pride and Prejudice”). The latter also got a Bollywood makeover through “Bride and Prejudice” (2004), starring star actor Aishwarya Rai.
The current Netflix hit series “Bridgerton” also pays homage to Austen’s world of Regency-era courtship.
From Regency Ballroom to TikTok memes
Images from the Austen screen adaptation have become meme gold for Gen Z, remixed into viral content on TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter. The slow-burn romances of her heroes are now imbued with modern concerns about dating, social awkwardness or feminist self-affirmation.
Scholars note the ability to memorialize Austen’s novels with their witty, repeatable lines and archetypal characters, while in the post-#MeToo era, her critiques of gender roles resonate with new audiences.
Wells explains, “Austen was very astute about how masculine power can lead to arrogance, so it’s no surprise that her most powerful male characters lend themselves to criticism and critique today.” “Their emphasis on men’s ability to change also resonates strongly with us.”
Perhaps the one truth that can be universally acknowledged is that Austen’s legacy endures not only in her literary fame, but also in her continued relevance as a writer who still speaks to modern audiences.
Edited by: Christina Barak