Jane Austen (1775–1817) was an English novelist known for her sharp social commentary and timeless romantic fiction. Her most famous works, including Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, Emma, and Persuasion, explore class, marriage, and morality themes in Regency-era England. Austen's writing is characterized by wit, irony, and keen observations of human nature. Though she gained modest recognition during her lifetime, her novels have since become literary classics, inspiring countless adaptations and academic studies.