I wrote a new article for janeausten.be about what "home" meant to Jane Austen. While researching her life, I realized how deeply I resonate with Jane’s own longing for a safe haven; that quiet, comforting place where you can truly be yourself and find your own voice.
I would like to share a part of this (translated) story with you.
"With what intense desire she wants her home."
~ Jane Austen, Mansfield Park
~William Cowper, Tirocinium
The morning light falls in soft beams through the window of a charming cottage in Hampshire. Footsteps on the wooden floor, followed by the sound of a creaking door, while the scent of dried lavender fills the room. On a small, wooden writing desk near the window, a quill and ink stand ready.
A house and a home. Two words that, at first glance, share the same meaning. Yet, it is not quite that simple. What does home actually mean to you? Is it a place where you can retreat after a long day? And who contributes to your daily rituals? What do you feel when you are at home?
In the stories of our beloved Jane Austen, these questions are deeply felt. It is as if her own relationship with "home" speaks through her narratives. A profound longing for that safe haven, where you feel heard and understood. Where you can completely be yourself.
In Jane Austen's time, the concept of a house changed drastically. Previously, an estate served primarily a historical and economic purpose. It was a symbol of status and the continuation of the family lineage. But during the Regency period, the house gained a new, "modern" meaning. It was transformed into an intimate, secure inner world, specifically meant for shaping and nurturing the individual. Cosiness and warmth became the heart of the home, rather than pure social utility.
This contrast between the "old-fashioned" house and the "modern", warm home forms a common thread throughout her books. Our wise author shows us that a grand, aristocratic house is almost never synonymous with a warm home.
Take Northanger Abbey, for example. General Tilney has completely modernized his historic estate with the latest luxuries and outward display, yet that essential warmth at the heart of the house is nowhere to be felt.
And when we step through the door of Kellynch Hall, the estate from Persuasion, we see the exact same pattern. The vain Sir Walter Elliot is forced to leave his beloved estate due to massive debts. He moves to a chic, expensive residence high up in Bath to maintain his status and (literally) look down on others. In stark contrast, Jane presents the Crofts, who take over Kellynch Hall with a warm, down-to-earth energy, and the Harvilles, who live in a small cottage in Lyme Regis. They possess no ancient noble titles, but they do share mutual warmth and hospitality. Their houses directly reflect the identity and love of those who dwell within.
How did Jane’s own restless journey along temporary lodgings finally lead her back to her own writing desk, and how did it change her stories forever?
Read the full article on janeausten.be or check out the accompanying illustration on Instagram!
blakekathryn
snowghoul
ellievsbear
tangentwithtanner
yousharknotpass