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Anybody who has taken a high school English class is likely familiar with the name Jane Austen, but that wasn't the case when Austen was alive. Instead, she published her works—even the famed Pride and Prejudice—anonymously. It wasn't until after her death in 1817 that Austen's name became famous as one of the great English novelists.
That interesting legacy, as well as much more Austen lore, is part of a new exhibition at The Morgan Library & Museum titled "A Lively Mind: Jane Austen at 250." It features first-edition copies of her novels, corresponding artworks, personal letters, historical documents and artifacts from Jane Austen's House in Chawton, England. This major exhibition celebrating Austen's 250th birthday is now open through September 14, 2025.
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"Our aim in the show is to welcome every visitor—regardless of their prior knowledge of Jane Austen, level of interest in Jane Austen, possible prejudices against Jane Austen," Juliette Wells, co-curator of the exhibition and Professor of Literary Studies at Goucher College, said at a preview event for the exhibit.
To that end, the exhibition takes a chronological approach, starting with Austen's younger years when her father helped to buoy her love of the written word. Her father, a reverend, owned 500 books, a large personal collection for that era. Also rare for the time, he allowed his daughters to read whatever they wanted whether that was from his collection, borrowed from friends or obtained from a library.
Unfortunately, her father's death dealt a blow to the ambitious young writer, who then struggled through unsettled years with a tight budget. Much of the story is told through Austen's letters to her sister and lifelong confidante Cassandra. Being able to see Austen's handwriting and read her words helps the late author tell her own story.
Eventually, Austen found professional success, writing about heroines who value happiness, trust their own judgment and love wholeheartedly. That success continued from 1809 until her death at the age of 41.
In Austen's time, only her family and friends knew she was the writer of popular works including Emma, Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility. Even Austen's tombstone says nothing about her authorship.
It's impossible to know why Austen chose to publish anonymously, Wells said, especially when her early letters demonstrate an interest in fame. It seems Austen wanted her books to sell well, but she didn't want to be personally identified, Wells explained. Meaning she wanted people to devour her writing, but she didn't want them to come up to her on the street.
Plus, The Morgan's Dale Stinchcomb added, publishing for a single woman was still unusual at that time. If she was married, it may have been a different story.
"'A Lively Mind' examines how it was possible for Austen to publish her now-beloved novels when women generally were not permitted to become writers, much less encouraged to be," said Stinchcomb, Drue Heinz Curator of Literary and Historical Manuscripts at the Morgan Library & Museum.
We also don't know why she chose to use "By a Lady" as her literary nom de plume, though that wasn't an uncommon phrase for authors at that time.
Even if they didn't know who she was, Americans were reading Austen in her lifetime—and continue to do so today. American readers, in particular, played a major role in securing Austen's place as one of the great English novelists.
Austen's fandom has grown increasingly diverse and global over the decades. The exhibition ends with a nod to that trend by featuring a painting by Amy Sherald titled "A Single Man in Possession of a Good Fortune," which is a reference to the opening line of Pride and Prejudice. For even more of Sherald's artwork, check out this full exhibit of her work at The Whitney.