The Lasting Legacy of Jane Austen

The Takeaway | Jul 17, 2017

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With just six major novels in 41 shorts years, Jane Austen has left an undeniable mark on literature, the arts, and pop culture.

Austen penned "Sense and Sensibility" first in 1811, followed just two years later by "Pride and Prejudice," then "Mansfield Park" and "Emma."

For a woman whose work seems so immortal, her life was was cut short. And 200 years ago today, she put her pen down for the last time, dying at the young age of 41 after falling ill while writing her last novel.

Today, Jane Austen will be celebrated near the yellow-painted brick home in Winchester, where she passed the last years of her life. Juliette Wells is in Winchester for the commemoration of Austen’s legacy. She is chair of the English Department at Goucher College, and author of “Everybody’s Jane: Austen in the Popular Imagination.” She explains why Austen's work transcends time. 

This segment is hosted by Todd Zwillich.

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