Catharine or the Bower

Catharine, when disciplined by her affectionate aunt Mrs Percival, retires to the bower, where she finds relief. Her good friends the Wynnes have been separated from each other by the death of their parents. On a visit from Mr and Mrs Stanley of London, Catharine and Camilla become dubious friends, and Edward appears as a dashing possible suitor. On a visit to London, Catharine is reconnected to the Wynne brothers and eventually their sisters. Mr Stanley admires and finds suitable places for the Wynne brothers, and his son returns from a journey abroad. London is now the location of Catharine and her cousins, the two Wynne brothers and the two Wynne sisters, as well as colorful friends of Camilla Stanley--resulting in various attachments between the young people, and eventual pairings, some of them quite unexpected.

About the Authors:

Jane Austen (16 December 1775 - 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots often explore the dependence of women on marriage in the pursuit of favourable social standing and economic security. Her works critique the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century literary realism.

Leo Rockas was a devoted professor of writing and literature at the University of Hartford, where he published several textbooks and essays on literary figures. In retirement as a widower, he keeps busy with playscripts, and studies in Jane Austen, Shakesoeare, and other literary figures.