In the second episode of Jane Austen's Paper Trail from The Conversation, we explore romance in the world of Jane Austen through the pages of Pride and Prejudice.

Every heroine in a Jane Austen novel ends up married. It is the bow on the end of every story that ties up all the loose threads – seemingly the ultimate happy ending. However, while marriage is an conclusion she chose for her characters, it is not one she chose for herself.

It seems likely that Austen chose her singledom, even though she was clearly preoccupied with romance and marriage. Many readers consider her one of history's greatest writers of romance. Not least, because of Pride and Prejudice.

In this episode we visit a Regency ball at the Grand Assembly Rooms in York with Meg Kobza, an expert in Georgian culture and leisure at Newcastle University. And then we dive into what Pride and Prejudice reveals about Austen's views on romance in a discussion with Octavia Cox, lecturer in 18th and 19th century literature at the University of Oxford and Adam J Smith, an associate professor in English literature at York, St. John University.

Jane Austen's Paper Trail is a podcast from The Conversation celebrating 250 years since Jane Austen's birth. If you have a question you'd like to pose to Jane Austen experts for an upcoming Q&A special, please email us on podcast@theconversation.com.

You can also sign up to receive a free Jane Austen 250 ebook from The Conversation, bringing together a collection of our articles celebrating her life and works.

Host: Anna Walker

Reporter: Naomi Joseph

Senior Producer and Sound Design: Eloise Stevens

Executive Producer: Gemma Ware

Artwork: Naomi Joseph and Alice Mason

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