Two hundred years after her passing, Jane Austen’s novels still captivate readers. One of the fascinations with her work is that it details the intricate social, political and cultural world of early 19th-century Regency England. But her works, which include the novels Pride and Prejudice and Sense and Sensibility, also illuminate issues of class, gender, marriage and morality that remain remarkably relevant today.
Austen’s blend of irony, satire and vivid characterization offers a richly layered view of her era, while her timeless storytelling invites modern readers to question assumptions, from the rigidity of social hierarchies to the complexities of gender roles.
Within the classroom, teaching Jane Austen provides students a powerful window into historical context and contemporary reflection. They are a valuable addition to the list of ways educators can utilize literature in the classroom.
Teaching Jane Austen Promotes Deep Engagement and Critical Thinking
Educators across secondary and higher education are embracing innovative, student-centered approaches to teaching Austen, treating her works as living dialogues rather than dusty relics. From pairing Pride and Prejudice with biographical or scholarly texts to hosting student-driven Austen conferences, teachers inspire deeper engagement and critical thinking.
Digital tools, pop-culture adaptations and variations such as fan-fiction help bridge the two-century gap, making Austen’s themes of romance, economic pressures and personal autonomy resonate in fresh ways.
One of the most compelling reasons to include Austen in the classroom is her nuanced critique of social class and gender roles. In Emma, the heroine’s moral growth is tightly bound to her recognition of class bias. In Pride and Prejudice, Elizabeth Bennet’s journey provides students with the opportunity to examine how the social and economic structures of the time limited women’s agency.
Austen does not offer simple moral lessons but invites students to analyze how class, inheritance laws and gender expectations shaped the lives of her characters. Students can compare these historical constraints to contemporary issues.
Discussions may include how modern systems of privilege and economic disparity reflect or diverge from Regency norms. Engaging students in debates about these themes helps them not only understand the past but also develop a critical lens on the present.
Connecting to Modern Culture
Today’s students encounter Austen not only through printed texts but also through countless pop culture interpretations, from the BBC’s beloved adaptations to Bridget Jones’s Diary and Clueless. These modern spins on Austen’s stories enable educators to discuss how themes of love, independence and identity are interpreted across eras.
Comparing an original novel with a modern retelling can spark rich conversations about what has changed and what has remained the same since Austen’s time. Educators may also find success encouraging students to create their own variations of Austen’s work, whether through social media storytelling, creative writing or digital art.
Such projects foster comprehension and creativity. Students can reimagine a scene through the lens of a contemporary character or rewrite a pivotal moment in a different cultural context, exploring the universality of Austen’s insights.
To make Austen accessible and engaging, consider integrating a mix of historical background, literary analysis and hands-on activities. For example, educators can use primary sources, such as etiquette manuals or Regency-era letters, to place Austen’s novels in their proper context.
Teachers can create a “Regency Day” where the class explores period-appropriate dress, music and food to immerse students in Austen’s world. They can also encourage students to stage scenes from the novels or produce short video adaptations. Classroom teachers can also incorporate interdisciplinary approaches, tying Austen to studies in history, economics and gender studies.
Creating these connections helps students see Austen not as a distant figure from a bygone era, but as a sharp observer of human nature and the human experience.
Fresno Pacific University’s Course on Teaching Jane Austen
Fresno Pacific University offers The Life & Works of Jane Austen. The online, self-paced graduate-level professional development course is designed for educators teaching grades 9–14 who wish to deepen their understanding of Jane Austen’s literary contributions. Through an exploration of Austen’s six major novels, early writings and unfinished works, the course offers insight into her creative development and enduring influence.
Participants examine the social, political and cultural contexts of Regency-era Britain, gaining a richer appreciation of how Austen’s world shaped her storytelling. The course also emphasizes the development of analytical reading skills and the creation of classroom-ready lesson plans that are aligned with the Common Core and professional teaching standards.
Jane Austen’s novels endure because they speak with wit and insight about the enduring questions of love, power, identity and society. For educators, introducing Austen to the classroom presents an opportunity to explore a literary tradition while equipping students with the tools to think critically about both history and the present day.
Image credit: Historia-Biographia.com on a Creative Commons license