Jane Austen (16 December 1775 – 18 July 1817) was an English novelist, best known for her six major novels, which illustrate, criticize, and comment on the life of the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Her most successful novel during her lifetime was Pride and Prejudice, her second published novel. Its plot reveals women’s habit of relying on marriage in pursuit of social status and a steady income.