Jane Austen's
Original Novels
These are six of the most famous novels in 19th century English Literature. Brush up on the stories our contestants are coming from.
Pride and Prejudice
-Elizabeth Bennet
-Fitzwilliam Darcy
-Mrs. Bennet
-Mr. Collins
-Mr. Wickham
-Lady Catherine DeBourgh
Elizabeth Bennet knows she has to find a good match; her mother tells her so every day. But who will she pick, the charming but penniless military man Mr. Wickam, the paster Mr Collins who will be inheriting her fathers estate when he dies, or proud wealthy Mr. Darcy who never seems pleased with anything he sees?
Mansfield Park
-Mary Crawford
-Edmund Bertam
-Fanny Price
Mary Crawford is a sophisticated woman who is spending some time in the county with her rakish brother. So they seek out the society of their young neighbors for amusement. They meet The Bertram family with a ne'er-do-well heir, two spoiled sisters, sincere Edmund (the second son), and the ward of the estate, poor cousin Fanny. Though Mary very much likes Edmund she can't approve of his intentions to join the clergy. Can she convince him to set his cap at a more sophisticated life? Or will Edmund's influence improve Mary mentally and morally, making her more like his sincere and faithful cousin Fanny?
Emma
-Emma Woodhouse
-George Knightly
-Harriet Smith
-Mr. Elton
-Frank Churchhill
Emma Woodhouse is the queen of her little world. She lives in a small country village where she is the brightest young wealthy girl in town. In her close knit circle are her hypochondriac father, her neighbor (and brother of her brother-in-law), Mr. Knightly. There is also her new friend Harriet Smith; a sweet simple girl who Emma takes on and feels she can help to improve her life and circumstances. With Emma's guidance and love of match making will Harriett find a husband who will keep her suitably in Emma's social world? She will, if Emma has anything to do with it.
Sense and Sensibility
-Marianne Dashwood
-Col. Brandon
-Elinor Dashwood
-Willoughby
Marianne and Elinor Dashwood are sisters who since their father's death are struggling to make ends meet. Well Elinor sensibly struggles, Marianne just wants to wallow in her emotions. Marianne is swept off her feet by dashing charming heartthrob Willoughby and it seems like they are on the fast track to the altar when he suddenly leaves town and stops communication with her. Will Willoughby come back to her? Or will Marianne end up with the kind and caring older gentleman, Col Brandon, who has quietly been loving her from a distance and is there for her in her hour of need.
Persuasion
-Anne Elliot
-Fredrick Wentworth
-Lady Russell
Anne Elliot is a woman who's been left on the shelf. When she was younger she fell in love with a dashing navy man, Fredrick Wentworth. They became engaged but when her trusted friend Lady Russell learned about the plans for the long engagement, she persuaded Anne to break it off.
Eight years later Anne is still unmarried, and as a now wildly sucsessful Captain Wentworth comes back in to her social circle, she endures watching as her sister's teenage in-laws flirt and court her ex-fiance, who announces “firm determination” is what he admires most.
Northanger Abbey
-Catherine Morland
-Henry Tilney
-General Tilney
Catherine Morland is a young girl out on her first adventure when she travels to Bath. There she meets Henry Tilney, and they instantly hit it off. Eventually she is invited to stay at his family's home, Northanger Abbey. But Catherine's wild imagination and love for gothic novels gets the better of her when she thinks she has discovered a mystery concerning the long ago death of Henry's mother and suspects Henry's strict father, General Tilney, is the cold blooded killer. Will she escape the Abbey with out insulting her hosts?