As you may be aware, Jane Austen is the author of six classic novels - Emma, Mansfield Park, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice, and Sense and Sensibility (There is an addition to this list - Lady Susan).
She never married nor did she ever gave her heart to anyone but one person.
Pretty romantic, isn't it? I thought so, too. This man named Tom Lefroy, who later became the Privy Councillor of Ireland and eventually served as the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland. He died at age 93, which is double the years Jane Austen had lived, who died at age 41.
So how did she fall in love with Mr. Lefroy? Not much do I know about their love story, but I have read somewhere that they met through a relative of Lefroy, who happened to be Ms. Austen's friend. I really do wish to go back in time to watch their first meeting - how they'd clicked in the first conversation, what countless times they stared into each other's eyes while dancing together in balls, and many flirtations that'd made them sparkle. So passionate about each other that'd prevented them from hiding their emotions in public... Jane Austen chose him as her object of amusement, but had she known that the very person would break her heart soon enough...
If I was her, I would not have kept myself so unguarded from the rest of the world. I would have tried to secure myself with Lefroy as soon as I realize that I would be forever attached to him. However, I understand that their relationship was considered ill-matched by others - Austen, being a daughter, was not getting any inheritance from her father nor had superior connections in her family. Lefroy was studying law at that time under his uncle's support, and my presumption is that, his family probably did not approve of his connection with Austen. These concerns are very different from what we worry about in marriage in the 21st Century, however, the idea is comprehensible to us in that we still do have social classes living separately and don't mix together like water and oil.
Sad, isn't it?
But that's how it was back then. While they were flirting, they had a great time together. I believe it only lasted for several months, so it must have been a very in-the-moment, intense relationship that they had. Jane liked Tom, Tom like Jane, but they eventually had to go in separate ways. And Tom married, moved to Ireland and became a profound figure in terms of his career. I wish they had rekindled in love before he married, but they never met after that until after Austen's death and Tom visited to pay his respects for her.
I still think all of Jane Austen's novels were created with much inspirations from her memories with Tom Lefroy - he is the centre frame of her male characters and his personalities must have been divided among them. Imagine your first love. Will you ever forget throughout your lifetime? That is what I believe in Austen as well. She never married after meeting Tom Lefroy, who pretty much changed her entire life and her perspectives in society. An eye-opener with more experiences than she had in life - who embraced her literary character and received amusements from her witty comments.
Of course, if I was her, I don't know if I will ever refuse another man's hand in marriage - because I would not receive infinite offers. I even may have given up my point of view of marrying the one I like and choosing the one who can give comfortable living. But everyone's different in choices... So what would you have done if you were Jane Austen in 1800s? Find another man and settle or go get Tom Lefroy? or just remain single all of your life?
You can leave your comment below. :) Thanks for reading my blog, and I will be talking more about another interesting author next time. Stay tuned!
