Jane Austen is still one of the most-read and most-loved authors in English literature, praised for her wit, her characters, her ironic narratorial voice, and her social satire.  In this course, we will read all six of her published novels -- Northanger Abbey, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Mansfield Park, Emma, and Persuasion.  While placing the works within their historical and cultural context, we will also examine what about Austen’s novels accounts for their continued popularity, not just in Britain and America but also around the world. My take? She teaches us about life—how to learn, how to make and keep the right friends, how to appreciate the small things, and how to love.  In reading Austen, we get an education in how to live rightly.

Assignments include weekly responses; 2 short essays (4pp. each); and a final project that blends creative and critical skills.