🎉 Happy 250th Birthday, Jane Austen – A Toast to the Woman Who Gave Us Mr. Darcy

This month, we’re celebrating the author who gave us yearning, the best comebacks, and the kind of romance that still has our hearts racing for over 200 years.

We’re not just raising a glass…

We’re celebrating Jane Austen, an author who has meant so much to so many and who gave us characters and stories that still feel real.

She is an icon, a legend, and a personal favorite of mine. Elizabeth Bennet showed up again and again in my school years. Whether it was essays or creative literature projects, I always had fun diving into her world.

Today, December 16, marks Jane Austen’s 250th birthday. Her plots and themes continue to live on, no matter the time period, language, or country.

Cheers, Jane! 🥂

🧠 10 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Her (250th Birthday Edition)

Jane was no ordinary person. She didn’t write fairy tales; she wrote people who still resonate today.

1. She didn’t even get to put her name on her books at first.

   Her novels were originally published as “By a Lady.” It was only after her death that her brother helped her receive the recognition she deserved.

2. She was funny.

   Her humor isn’t just in the stories. It’s in her voice. When you read the letters between her and her sister, you can actually hear her. I swear she would have been great online. Give her a blog, and she would have been unstoppable. Or give her texting, and she would have been hilarious with a dash of savage.

3. She was writing about her world, but it still reads like ours.

   The pressure, the expectations, the social politics, the way everyone is always watching everyone. She wrote small-town drama before it had a name.

4. Pride and Prejudice had a whole earlier life.

   It originally started as a story called First Impressions. I don’t think the original title would have grabbed my attention. I think Pride and Prejudice is pretty solid.

5. Cassandra was her person.

   Cassandra Austen was her older sister, and in today’s terms, her ride or die. In fact, after Jane passed away, Cassandra burned most of their letters, supposedly thousands. She kept only around 160, and that is why we have only a little window into Jane’s private life.

6. Like Elizabeth Bennet, she had a big family.

   But unlike Elizabeth, Jane had one sister and the rest were brothers. Having a big family probably inspired some of the household chaos in her books, like everyone talking over each other and trying to be heard.

7. Emma may have been the favorite child.

   I say “child” because, like most writers, her works were her babies. Some of Jane Austen’s letters suggest she wanted to write a character everyone wouldn’t like, but only she would. The irony is that many people relate to Emma and love her quirky and all-over-the-place persona.

8. Sense and Sensibility was not always Sense and Sensibility.

   Earlier drafts suggest it was more of a story centered on sisters, titled Elinor and Marianne. And I could still see that in the books, the loving relationships between the sisters. I am glad it was changed because I do love the romance.

9. She had a real-life Mr. Darcy… maybe.

   When she was in her 20s, Jane spent time with Tom Lefroy, an Irish law student. There was definitely flirting: dancing, meetings, and, of course, letters. But it didn’t turn into a grand romance, unfortunately. Sigh. 😢 Life, money, and family expectations got to Jane, similar to her beloved characters.

10. She received a marriage proposal and accepted it (for a minute).

    In 1802, Harris Bigg-Wither proposed. Jane said yes that night, then changed her mind the next morning. And according to society standards, Harris was perfect. Harris was set to inherit money and an estate. He was young and known by the family. And Jane would have the title of Mistress. So why didn’t it work out? Simple: it was an “it’s not you, it’s me” moment. Jane wasn’t in love, and she changed her mind. This is based on correspondence between her niece and herself.

💬 Why Pride and Prejudice Still lives rent-free in our hearts (250 Years Later)

Pride and Prejudice still feels relatable to the world and to me because the characters act like people you actually know. Somewhere in our friend groups and families, we have met a Mr. Wickham, or a Mrs. Bennet who is overbearing but means well. I also love Mr. Bennet’s humor and the quiet love he shows his daughters. And while not everyone is a Mr. Darcy, it is hard not to dream about him.

I connect most with Elizabeth Bennet because she is headstrong, honest, and determined to choose her own life instead of following what everyone expects. We all should have a little Lizzie in us. I also like how the story shows how quickly we judge others. Elizabeth and Darcy both make assumptions and then have to rethink what they believed. Even the younger sisters feel real because every family has someone who is dramatic, annoying, and hard to handle.

Another reason Austen keeps winning is how adaptable her stories are. More and more people fall in love with them through new versions, like Clueless as a modern take on Emma, or the wild twist of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. Even Bridget Jones’s Diary is loosely inspired by Pride and Prejudice (not my favorite, but still fun to recognize). And I do not think it is the end at all. Netflix has a new six-part Pride and Prejudice series in production, and there is also a Mary Bennet story coming called The Other Bennet Sister, which I am super excited for because she is usually the one in the shadows.

🎬 The Adaptation Wars: My Forever Favorites

Yes, we’ve memorized the 2005 foggy-field proposal or that hand-flex.🔥😍And yes, they’re both allowed to live rent-free in my heart.

But if I could cast a new version? By the way, this is different from the new TV show coming next year. See, Jane never goes out of style. But here's my dream team:

• Elizabeth Bennet – Saoirse Ronan (despite playing a different literary character, Jo March)

• Mr. Darcy – Henry Golding (brooding, intense) or Jonathan Bailey( he is dreamy in Bridgerton😏🥰)

• Mr. Bingley - Andrew Garfield ( I think he could make the character fun)

• Jane Bennet – Samara Weaving (I think she could pull off a softer role)

• George Wickham- Dylan O'Brien ( Love him in pretty much any role)

• Mr. Collins – Evan Peters (he always plays such serious roles, it would be fun to see him in something fun!)

💬 Your turn: 2005 or 1995? And who would you cast as your forever Mr. Darcy?

💭 Let’s Talk, Bookworms

Tell me everything:

• Your favorite line from Pride and Prejudice

• Which Bennet sister do you secretly relate to?

• Would you marry Darcy… or just get cocktails with him and marry Bingley instead?

Until Next Time…

That’s it for celebrating Jane Austen, but later in the week, I will dive into the unique editions of Jane Austen books I have and some retellings.

For now, remember this quote from the 2005 Pride and Prejudice, “You have bewitched me, body and soul, and I love, I love, I love you.” – Mr. Darcy.