Primary sourceBook1788
The Beautifull Cassandra
Jane Austen · 1788
A short satirical tale written by the teenage Jane Austen in 1788, dedicated to her sister Cassandra.
A teenage story by Austen, dedicated to her sister, showing her early comic voice.
About this source
What it is
The Beautifull Cassandra is a short comic tale written by Jane Austen in 1788, when she was a teenager. It is dedicated to her sister, Cassandra Austen.
Why it matters
This piece is part of Austen's juvenilia, the playful, exaggerated stories she wrote as a child for her family's amusement. It shows her early talent for parody and comic exaggeration, mocking the sentimental novels fashionable at the time, and her close bond with her sister Cassandra.
Look closer
- Why might young Jane Austen dedicate this story to her sister?
- What parts of the story seem deliberately silly or over-the-top?
- What does this tell you about the kind of books Austen was reading and reacting to as a child?
This book is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Jane Austen on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.
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