Is Miss Austen based on a true story? What happened to Jane Austen’s letters in real life
.jpg?width=96&crop=1:1,smart)
and on Freeview 262 or Freely 565
- BBC’s big new Sunday drama is Miss Austen.
- It is based on the real life Austen family - including author Jane.
- The show is inspired by Cassandra Austen burning all of her sister’s personal letters after her death.
Miss Austen is definitely bound to get tongues wagging round the water coolers at work - if they still exist. It is a historical drama involving one of the most famous English language authors ever - Jane Austen.
Featuring a star-studded cast, the four-part period drama will start on BBC One today (February 2). But you might be wondering if it is a true story?
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe show is based on real people - and inspired by actual events. Here’s all you need to know:
Is Miss Austen based on a true story?
The BBC drama is inspired by real life events - and real people in the Austen family. Following the death of Jane - the author of Pride & Prejudice - her sister Cassandra burned all her personal letters. It has long remained a mystery why she took this action.
Miss Austen - based on the novel by the same name Gill Hornby - is inspired by this event and attempts to explore the reasons behind Cassandra’s decision. Author Jane died at the age of just 41 after an illness.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdWhat happened to Jane Austen’s personal letters?
In the show, as in real life, Cassandra made the decision to burn many of Jane’s remaining personal letters after her death. It drew the scorn of later generations, especially critics who wished for further insight into the mindset of the famed writer.
Get your favourite shows for less with these hand-picked offers. (Contains affiliate links)
Now TV: Access to Sky's award winning shows such as Lockerbie and Brassic. Currently £6.99 a month (was £9.99). Get the deal here.
Disney+: £4.99 a month gets you access to Only Murders in the Building, Welcome to Wrexham and the whole of the Marvel and Star Wars universes. Click here.
Amazon Prime Video: Clarkson's Farm, Day of the Jackal and Dune: Prophecy are all on Prime. 30-day free trial, then £8.99 a month. Click here.
Apple TV: The home of Slow Horses and a growing roster of quality shows including Silo, Severance and Bad Sisters. Seven days free, then £8.99 a month. Click here.
According to the Jane Austen’s House museum’s website: “However, today it is believed that she acted in order to protect Jane’s memory and reputation. Knowing Jane’s sharp tongue, it may have also been to protect her family from hearing themselves abused or mocked.
“Cassandra distributed the remaining letters among Jane’s brothers’ descendants and admirers of her writings, kickstarting a mania for Jane Austen ‘scraps’ that continues to this day.”
Are you excited for Miss Austen? Let me know by email: [email protected].
Comment Guidelines
National World encourages reader discussion on our stories. User feedback, insights and back-and-forth exchanges add a rich layer of context to reporting. Please review our Community Guidelines before commenting.