Jane Austen is the master of the 'comedy of manners,' a genre of literature that satirizes the behaviors and social conventions of a particular social class—in her case, the British landed gentry. Her novels, such as 'Pride and Prejudice' and 'Sense and Sensibility,' are famous for their sharp wit, social commentary, and use of free indirect speech, a style of third-person narrative that adopts the tone and thoughts of a specific character. Although her stories often revolve around the necessity of marriage for women’s financial security, Austen used these plots to critique the rigid gender and class structures of the Regency era. Interestingly, like Mary Shelley, Austen’s first novels were published anonymously; 'Sense and Sensibility' was simply credited as being 'By a Lady.' It was only after her death that her brother revealed her identity to the public, cementing her place as one of the most beloved and widely read novelists in English literature.