History Extra podcast “I am to flirt my last”: Jane Austen’s twenties
Dec 21, 2025
In this lively discussion, Dr. Lizzie Rogers, a historian specializing in the 18th and early 19th centuries, reveals the vibrant life of Jane Austen in her twenties. Listeners uncover Austen’s flirtation with Tom Lefroy and how it inspired her early work, including connections to Pride and Prejudice. They explore her creative struggles, the mixed emotions of moving to Bath, and the impact of family tragedies on her writing. With insights into her brief proposal and choices around marriage, this exploration showcases Austen's resilience and evolving independence.
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The Tom Lefroy Fling
- Jane Austen experienced a brief, intense flirtation with Tom Lefroy when she was 20 that clearly excited her social life.
- Lizzie Rogers describes letters showing she expected an offer and later lamented “to flirt my last,” suggesting genuine emotional impact.
Bath’s Literary Echoes
- Bath shaped major scenes in Austen's later novels and left an ambiguous personal impression on her.
- Lizzie Rogers argues Bath supplied settings and social anxieties for Northanger Abbey and Persuasion despite mixed feelings.
The Lost Love In Devon
- While in Devon around 1801–02 Austen reportedly met an unnamed great love who later died, a family story retold by biographers.
- Lizzie Rogers notes the tale is tantalising but lacks firm evidence, inspiring later fictional treatments.