She Played and Sang Jane Austen and Music

By: Gillian Dooley

Published by Manchester University Press, 2025-08-19

A fascinating study of the role that music played in Jane Austen's life.

Like her much-loved heroine Emma Woodhouse, Jane Austen 'played and sang'. Music occupied a central role in her life, and she made brilliant use of it in her novels to illuminate characters' personalities and highlight the contrasts between them.

Delving into the Austen family music books, Gillian Dooley discovers a treasure trove of evidence that unveils a previously underappreciated facet of Austen's world. She unravels the author's musical connections with family and friends, revealing the intricate ties between her fiction and the melodies she performed.

With these revelations, Austen's musical legacy comes to life, granting us a deeper understanding of her artistic prowess and the influences that shaped her literary masterpieces.