Jane Austen - Behind Closed Doors

Lucy Worsley explores how the houses Jane Austen moved around to impacted her work.  Severton, Bath, Lyme, and the various houses live on in her novels.  Although many of the houses Jane lived in or visited don't exist any more their spirit still lives on in her novels.

Worsley kicks off the episode with visiting Severton and the site of the Jane Austen's childhood home.  She talks about how she grew up.  The people she met and the story with Tom LeFroy.  Growing up, good conversation revolved around music and books.  She talks about how her brother was adopted by a rich family and how that impacted Jane's life. 

Jane was the poor relation in the family as her, her father, her mother and her sister moved around to various houses.  She was expected to earn her keep by entertaining the family when they stayed with the rich relations.  The family moved around to various homes after her father retired, eventually stayed in Bath.  After her father died, her brother took her, her mother, and sister in.  Worsley also takes care to discuss Austen's loves and her career as a writer as well as where she wrote her novels.

I know this is a history blog, but documentary would be very appropriate for an English Literature class, especially if there is a sub in the room.  Even if you don't use it in class, then you can share it with a student who is doing a paper on Jane Austen.

For use in the classroom: just highlight, copy and paste into a word document or a google document for use in the classroom.  You can easily format these questions to your specifications.

The Video is available at this YouTube Link.

Jane Austen Behind Closed Doors Questions:

1. Where did Jane Austen originally grow up?
2. What was her father’s occupation?
3. How did Mr. Austen supplement the family income?
4. How young did Jane Austen start writing?
5. What was a big part of Austen’s social life?
6. Who did Jane meet at Deane House?
7. What was all the rage at the time?
8. Where did the Austen’s vacation on the seaside?
9. Where did the Austen’s permanently move?
10. Where didn’t Jane and her mother want to live in Bath?

Jane Austen Behind Closed Doors Answers:

1. Where did Jane Austen originally grow up? - Steventon
2. What was her father’s occupation? - Rector at the church
3. How did Mr. Austen supplement the family income? - Farming and Boys boarding school
4. How young did Jane Austen start writing? - 11
5. What was a big part of Austen’s social life? - Music
6. Who did Jane meet at Deane House? - Tom LaFroy
7. What was all the rage at the time? - Home Theatricals
8. Where did the Austen’s vacation on the seaside? - Lyme Regis
9. Where did the Austen’s permanently move? - Bath
10. Where didn’t Jane and her mother want to live in Bath? - Trim Street