The Unfinished Works of Jane Austen: The Watsons and Sandition

Many of us read the name Jane Austen and are instantly transported back into a time which seems on the surface less complicated, more romantic, whimsical. We instantly place ourselves in the arms of Mr. Darcy, or mourning over the forsaken Willoughby, perhaps it is Edward who steals away your ideal affections. Readers from many walks of life have thumbed through Austen's more famous works (Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Emma) and the lesser famous novels (Northganger Abby, Persuasion, and Mansfield Park), enthralled. We are mystified by the woman who could pen such magnificent works with no known love life of her own. What can be more mystifying, more enticing, than Jane Austen's 'lost' works, her unfinished stories? Jane had started two other works before her death, titled The Watsons and Sandition.

The Watsons was began about 1803, with only a few words written before she abandoned it, due no doubt to her Father's death in 1805. The story goes that Mr. Watson is a widowed and seriously ill clergy man with six children, two sons and four daughters. The youngest named Emma, who was raised outside of the home by an Aunt and was considered more genteel. When she returns home, she finds the husband hunting of her two sisters dismal, and forms a better friendship with her eldest sister. Emma attracts the attention of a nearby wealthy Lord Osborne, who is apparently, a bit awkward. Not much else is known since only 1700 words were completed of this story by Austen. However, several attempts have been made to finish the story over the years, with completed works available now.

The other unfinished story is Sandition, which is also known as Sand and Sandition. Originally, Austen had titled this work, 'The Brothers,' after the Parker brothers which were featured in the story. This story may seem a little different from Austen's other works, as this story is focused mostly on a town, and the characters ideals of it, and what it should be, they are 'building' this town. It seems that Austen was focused on communication in this story, and how helpful it can truly be.

What is so interesting about Sandition is that this was truly Austen's last work, even if unfinished. When she began the story, Austen was seriously ill, and had but six months left to live, and would never be able to finish penning her work, yet is consider as witty as 'Northganger Abbey.'

It is a tragedy in it's own way, never being able to know the true outcome of these stories, what they were intended to be. No one, no matter how well they write, can ever guess another's mind. They can certainly never guess the outcome of another's story (who can), but one thing is clear, with the authoress' name on it, it was certain to be witty, charming, and beloved by many.

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Austen#Unfinished_workshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Watsonshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanditon