Oxford University holds Jane Austen exhibition

CAIRO – 29 October 2017: To mark the 200th anniversary since the death of the writer Jane Austen, a major new exhibition “Which Jane Austen?” opened at Oxford University’s Bodleian Libraries, which runs until October 29.

The exhibition was inaugurated on June 23 by a celebrated author, playwright and scholar aiming to bring together and re-evaluate Jane Austen’s works from manuscripts, leather bound books, hand-written letters, political cartoons and one fabulous silk pelisse, artefacts, diaries and reviews. It is accompanied by an engaging program of workshops and free talks.

From one of the works displayed in the exhibition are few of her remaining letters to her brother, written mere days before her death as well as unfinished manuscripts of Austen’s novel Sanditon, open on the final page of writing.

The exhibition is divided into various sections covering a spectacular selection of Austen’s materials displayed together for the first time at Bodleian Libraries, which houses one of the most significant collections of Austen materials in the world including “Pride and Prejudice,” “Emma” and “Persuasion.”

Austen was grown up in an intellectually-minded family who encouraged her to improve her writing style as her father was the Oxford-educated rector. When she was a teenager, she began writing in notebooks and crafting her own novels such as “Love and Friendship” and “the History of England.”

She later wrote some of her major works, such as “Elinor and Marianne,” “Sense and Sensibility,” “Pride and Prejudice,” and “Susan,” later published as “Northanger Abbey.”

In her 30s Austen published many of her works anonymously. It was not until after her death on July 18, 1817 that her brother Henry revealed to the public that she was the author of these works.

Her transformation from a little-known to internationally-renowned author began in the 1920s when scholars began to recognize her works as a masterpieces. Many of her works have since been adapted to television and film, such as “Pride and Prejudice,” “Mansfield Park” and Emma which was the basis for the film “Clueless.”