I've been invited to present at the Jane Austen Society of North America's Annual General Meeting this October. My presentation is titled "Unhappy Wives, or Virtue Not Rewarded: The Tragedies of Mrs. Tilney and Lady Elliot." The description is as follows: Mrs. Tilney and Lady Elliot are the paragons of the virtuous 18th-century wife. What are modern readers to make of their unfortunate marriages and early demise? Why does Austen choose not to reward them with deserving men as she does with her other novels' heroines? This session will examine how Austen challenges the widely accepted 18th-century definition of the virtuous woman and will explore her portrayal of the maternal authority figure as a neutralizer of patriarchal tyranny. We will also look at how Austen's definition of the virtuous woman and the maternal authority figure matures from Northanger Abbey to Persuasion.

I'm a self-educated Jane Austen scholar and eighteenth-century England enthusiast. My academic interests lie mainly in literature, gender studies, and social and cultural history and include the following topics: women's writing with a focus on Jane Austen, Dorothy Wordsworth, and Mary Shelley; Romanticism, female education, representations of women in literature of the long 18th century, women's social history with a focus on femininity and domesticity, Gothic literature, and the cultural and social history of Georgian and Regency Bath.

I've studied Jane Austen and the long eighteenth century for nearly ten years, honing my research skills and developing deeper literary and historical analysis. I was not able to complete my formal education for health reasons but have still dedicated myself to studying. I've used my knowledge to educate others, including giving public lectures for my library's 'A Year of Jane Austen' program in 2025 and volunteering as Head of Publicity for the Jane Austen Summer Program, an organization dedicated to sharing knowledge about Jane Austen, her novels, and the world she inhabited with a wide audience, regardless of educational background.

Besides giving a presentation, attending the JASNA AGM will enable me to learn about topics very dear to me from world-renowned scholars. Many of their presentations also touch on areas that I've not researched, thereby widening my interests and scope of knowledge.

I'm unable to fund the costs of my trip due to an unexpected structural change at my place of employment. This has led to a change in my position, including a deduction in work hours and, consequently, my income. I am tirelessly seeking additional employment; however, no opportunities have surfaced as of yet. These past two years have been incredibly difficult for me, and Jane Austen has been a lifeline and source of comfort in dark moments. Presenting at the JASNA AGM is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for me to help others honor Jane Austen's legacy and give back to a community that has given me a sense of worth and a safe space. I'm grateful for anything you're able to give. As a token of my appreciation, I will give all donors photos and a journal of my trip.

Thank you so much for your consideration!