Reading libraries: The impact of eighteenth-century bibliomania on Jane Austen's writing

Abstract

This study examines the theory that Jane Austen's exposure to the libraries of her day influenced her writing. In the examination of this theory, the impact of libraries on Austen's writing is investigated from multiple perspectives. First, the presence of libraries in eighteenth-century England is discussed, including an exploration of eighteenth-century attitudes regarding the novel and the activity of reading. This is followed by an examination of how libraries figured in Jane Austen's personal life. The presence of libraries is then examined in Jane Austen's novels. Consequently, the outcome of this study is the conclusion that without exposure to the libraries of her time, Jane Austen would not have been able to write the novels for which she is known.