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From the late 18th century to the early 19th century, sentimental novels and gothic novels are the most popular and common styles in British Literature. However, the appearance of Austen’s works changed a lot this kind of situation. She depicted the daily provincial life of middle class and rural lifestyle, which is never impacted by capitalist industrial revolution. Her novels usually are comic to satirize people’s stupidity, selfishness, snobbery, blind confidence and so forth. And the well-developed realism from the 18th century in Britain takes the place of the trend of fake romanticism via Austen’s novels, which make good preparation for the climax of realistic novels in 19th century. Though the depth and breadth of this novel’s reflection is limited, it’s still like the two-inch-wide ivory, through which readers are able to look into the whole social situation and the way of the world. It can be seen as transition to the development of British novels, laying a good foundation for the latter ones. And Jane Austen is honored as important as Shakespeare. Even some critics, like Edmund Wilson said, there are many interesting revolutions in English literature history, and each change of literary preference almost influenced all writers’ reputation, but not Shakespeare and Jane Austen, they are everlasting. Austen’s novels are almost all about love and marriage, that’s mainly because of her unsuccessful first love. When she was 20, she met a young poor lawyer and fell in love with each other. However, her family preferred a much richer son-in-law, so they asked the young man leave and the couple never met again. Austen was too heartbroken to accept others’ proposal, which cause her unmarried in the lifetime. She poured all her emotions into writing and created many successful marriages, such as Elizabeth and Darcy, Jane and Bingley who have different social status and distinct property.
When the first edition was published in 1813 and sold out, the second and third edition came out continuously. And foreign language translations appeared in French, German, Danish and Swedish [4]. That’s why many celebrities think highly of Pride and Prejudice. Irish famous man of letters, literary critic and essayist, Frank O’Connor praised Austen as the definitely greatest novelist. And he thought she is one of the greatest skill masters, and her literary perfection is just as same as Mozart’s musical perfection. As a matter of fact, the flawless framework and consummate writing skills are not the only reason why Austen becomes great, it’s also because of its profound ideological content and pioneering meaning to English literature history. Just like the British literature critic W．F．Pollock said, due to Jane Austen starts to write the novels about daily life, she lays a good foundation for realistic novel. She tells other novelists that there is endless treasure in people’s daily life, waiting for them to find and use it. And her unique writing style makes her works classic and everlasting for almost 180 years. Novelist and dramatist W．S．Maugham listed it in the top ten of worldwide classic novels, for she enables to educate readers imperceptibly and prudently. She can use irony and sarcasm to let readers understand what are the proper manners and behaviors. Maugham said:” I believe, most readers think Pride and Prejudice is the masterpiece of Austen, and I think their comments are pertinent. What makes a work classic, it’s not critics’ praises, professor’s researches or being a textbook in school, but the competence to bring readers pleasure, enlightenment and education via reading it. I think, Pride and Prejudice in general, is the most satisfying work in all novels.”