Happy 235th Birthday Jane Austen!!! + GIVEAWAY

December 16, 2010 • Giveaways • 65 Comments

Today is Jane Austen’s birthday!!! HUZZAH!! If our dear girl was still alive she would be celebrating her 235th birthday today!

Just like I did last year, I’d like to honor Jane Austen’s birthday and make my contribution to the many birthday wishes being posted around the blogsphere!

This year I decided to look up and see what Jane Austen’s Greek astrology sign and Chinese zodiac sign have to say about her. Whether you believe in astrology and zodiac signs or not, I hope you will find something to enjoy in this birthday celebration post!

Sagittarius:

According to Greek Astrology, Jane Austen was born under the constellation of Sagittarius, or Centaur the Archer.

Sagittarius is considered a Fire sign and is ruled by the planet Jupiter.

According to reference.com (not scientific study) personality traits associated with people who are born under the sign Sagittarius include:

Traits considered positive

  • Witty conversationalist, humorous
  • Freedom loving / free-spirited
  • Idealistic / believing
  • Moral, often having a religious streak. Righteous.
  • Intelligent / intellectual
  • Positive / optimistic
  • Honest / sincere
  • Confident
  • Enterprising, ambitious, devoted to their goals.
  • Energetic / active
  • Versatile
  • Adventurous / risk-taking
  • Independent /unfettered
  • Approachable / warm
  • Cheerful / likable
  • Sympathetic / generous

Traits considered negative

  • Temperamental
  • Impatient / restless
  • Indiscreet, careless. Blunt.
  • Impulsive / spontaneous
  • Childlike

Don’t many of these traits sound fitting for our beloved author? Look at what the first one is – WITTY CONVERSATIONALIST! That most definitely describes Jane Austen! FREEDOM LOVING – yes she was! MORAL, INTELLIGENT, HONEST, AMBITIOUS, ENERGETIC, WARM – what an accurate characterization of Jane Austen! Even the negative ones are valid – IMPATIENT, BLUNT, and CHILDLIKE! Jane Austen definitely lacked some patience for her mother’s poor nerves!

Year of the Horse:

According to the Chinese Zodiac Calendar, Jane Austen was born in the Year of the Horse.

The fixed elemental sign for horses is fire.

According to wikipedia.org (definitely not scientific study) character traits for people born during the Year of the Horse include:

  • Cheerful
  • Popular
  • Quick-witted
  • Changeable
  • Earthy
  • Perceptive
  • Talkative
  • Agile – mentally and physically
  • Magnetic
  • Intelligent
  • Astute
  • Flexible
  • Open-minded
  • Fickle
  • Arrogant
  • Childish
  • Anxious
  • Rude
  • Gullible
  • Stubborn

Well, we can definitely see some similarities between Greek Astrology and Chinese Zodiac Astrology! Both list have WIT, INTELLIGENCE, CHEERFUL, TEMPERMENTAL/FICKLE, CHILDISH, and RESTLESS/ANXIOUS. Jane Austen most assuredly can be characterized as ASTUTE and PERCEPTIVE. I’m not so sure about the GULLIBLE and ARROGANT though.

What do you think readers? Are these accurate descriptions of our dear Jane Austen?

Which do you think represented a more valid characterization of Jane Austen (Greek Astrology or Chinese Zodiac)?

I know it’s not scientific or factual, but I hope you enjoyed my little astrological post in honor of Jane Austen’s 235th Birthday!

I am so thrilled to be apart of this glorious Jane Austen blog bash that has been oranized by blogger buddy, Maria Grazia of My Jane Austen Book Club.

If you leave a comment on my post or these other bloggers’ posts you could be fortunate enough to win one of these lovely prizes:

  • Willoughby’s Return signed by Jane Odiwe
  • Confessions of a Jane Austen Addict signed by Laurie Viera Rigler
  • Rude Awakenings of a Jane Austen Addict signed by Laurie Viera Rigler
  • Murder at Mansfield Park signed by Lynn Shepherd
  • Intimations of Austen signed by Jane Greensmith
  • Darcy’s Passions: Fitzwilliam Darcy’s Story signed by Regina Jeffers
  • First Impressions: A Tale of Less Pride and Prejudice signed by Alexa Adams
  • Jane and the Damned signed by Janet Mullany
  • Bespelling Jane Austen signed by Janet Mullany
  • An Austen bag
  • DVD of Pride & Prejudice 2005
  • A package of Bingley’s Tea.  (flavor “Marianne’s Wild Abandon” )
  • DVD of Jane Austen in Manhattan 
  • 3 issues of Jane Austen Regency World

Comment and enter by Deecember 23rd. Winners will be announced on My Jane Austen Book Club.

Check out what other bloggers are doing to celebrate Jane Austen’s Birthday. Leave comments at these sites to increase your chances of winning!

**Have you checked out Google’s homepage today?

*** Be sure to take advantage of Sourcebooks’ excellent FREE EBOOK DAY!!!

Special e-book editions of Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Sense and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, Persuasion and Mansfield Park.  These celebratory editions include the full novels, plus the legendary color illustrations of the Brock brothers, originally created to accompany the books in 1898.

Eliza’s Daughter by Joan Aiken

The Darcys & the Bingleys by Marsha Altman

Mr. Darcy Takes a Wife by Linda Berdoll

What Would Jane Austen Do? by Laurie Brown

The Pemberley Chronicles by Rebecca Ann Collins

The Other Mr. Darcy by Monica Fairview

Mr. Darcy’s Diary by Amanda Grange

Mr. & Mrs. Fitzwilliam Darcy: Two Shall Become One by Sharon Lathan

Lydia Bennet’s Story by Jane Odiwe

Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy by Abigail Reynolds

What a fabulous treat!  Available wherever ebooks are sold.

 

~~~

Disclaimer: The Amazon links used in this post are affiliate links. 

65 comments

  12. Loved your creative post, and most definitely the positive traits for the sign of Sagittarius are very appropriate to Jane Austen. Yours is a delightful addition to the birthday blog tour.

    Reply

  19. As a fellow sagittarian, I enjoyed reading this 🙂

    I think that the zodiac description certainly matches what we know about Jane Austen. I would agree that she was enterprising – she wrote a lot considering her physical constraints -, independent – hey, she never married and created income for herself through her metier -, and cheerful – didn’t everyone who knew her point out that she was always chirpy!

    Reply

  23. Fully recognizing that astrological signs are kept vauge, it is kind of funny how many of those traits we apply to Jane Austen the woman nowadays

    Reply

  24. What an interesting take on our dear Jane. I have so enjoyed all my visits to the blogs celebrating her birthday. I have also gathered a wealth of information. Happy to have found your blog.

    Reply

  25. I would never have thought of looking up her astrological sign or Chinese Horoscope. So, thank you for including them in your blog. Happy Birthday Jane!

    Reply

  29. Happy Birthday, Jane! You have given me so much through your writings… thank you.

    I’d love to join the giveaway.

    My email address is cassie(at)literaryladies(dot)com

    Reply

  31. what a great website! I loved the information about her being a fire sign (I am also – August) I am not that thrilled to tell people my chinese sign – the ox. Ah, well, we can’t all be Jane! Proud to be a part of this day.

    Reply

  47. I absolutely loved your approach, and she is definitely a match!

    Enjoy this fun day, and I’m so glad you were able to part of the blog tour. Love your reviews–keep up the good work.

    Reply

  53. OK, now I know even more about my favorite author than I had before. Thanks for sharing this Meredith. I wonder what Jane would think of her horoscope? Amused? Horrified? Inspired to create a a character from the traits?

    Happy Birthday, Jane

    Cheers, Laurel Ann

    Reply

  54. What a party!!
    Happy Birthday Jane dearest…

    We have it all on this wonderful day and tour…now Jane’s astrological profile!

    A crossword, letters and loads of yummy pics and info plus beautiful written tributes that has made this tour spectacular.

    Thank you for a job well done and for the day of fun like no other!

    Sofia
    AlwaysCatholicBlog@GMail.com

    Reply

  57. Happy Birthday Jane Austen. I think some of the characteristics fits JA but a few do not. Well, horoscope are not 100% accurate so it’s best to take it with a pinch of salt.

    Thanks for this post, Meredith. I’m slowly reading through all the posts in the tour.

    Reply

  60. I have always had lots of Sagi’s in my life – and can vouch for all of them being witty conversationlists and freedom loving, including our beloved Jane! Lovely post.

    Reply

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