Understanding the Conclusion of ‘Miss Austen’: Exploring Addison’s Disease and the Reason behind Jane Austen’s Passing

Masterpiece on PBS has taken a unique approach to the Regency era with a twist on Jane Austen’s world. In their latest series, Miss Austen, the focus is on Jane Austen’s sister Cassandra (played by Keeley Hawes), who embarks on a controversial journey to secure her sister’s legacy.

**Spoilers for Miss Austen on Masterpiece on PBS, now streaming on PBS Passport**

For years, Cassandra Austen has been portrayed negatively by Jane Austen scholars due to her decision to burn Jane’s letters, depriving future generations of a glimpse into the true persona of Jane Austen. Miss Austen attempts to shed light on Cassandra’s actions and presents them as a gesture of love towards her sister. Through flashbacks, the audience witnesses how Cassandra’s own experiences influenced Jane’s writing and gains insight into Jane’s desire to keep her personal struggles separate from her literary works. Ultimately, Cassandra burns Jane’s letters to ensure that readers remember Jane for her characters rather than her hardships, and to prevent her unsavory sister-in-law Mary (played by Jessica Hynes) from exploiting Jane’s life story.

In addition to the exploration of Cassandra’s character, Miss Austen introduces a charming romantic storyline where Cassandra uses Jane Austen’s Persuasion to help reunite family friend Isabella Fowle (portrayed by Rose Leslie) with her lost love, Dr. Lidderdale (played by Alfred Enoch). However, viewers are most likely intrigued by how the depiction of Jane Austen and her death in the series aligns with historical facts.

How did Jane Austen die? What is Addison’s disease? And did Cassandra really miss a chance at happiness with the dashing Henry Hobday (Max Irons)? Here’s everything you need to know about the ending of Miss Austen on Masterpiece on PBS…

Miss Austen details how Cassy Austen might have had a second chance of romance with the (fictional) Henry Hobday, but ultimately chose to stay with her ailing sister. Jane Austen did in fact die young, in 1817, at the tender age of 41. We know that Austen began declining in 1816, but there is some debate as to the ultimate cause of her death.

In 1964, Zachary Cope attributed Austen’s death to Addison’s disease. Addison’s disease is a rare form of adrenal insufficiency. Symptoms are slow and gradual, and can include stomach issues, overall weakness, weight loss, vomiting, and the darkening of one’s skin. While many scholars accept this posthumous diagnosis, others attribute Austen’s death to Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

All we know for sure is that Jane Austen was ill for over a year before she passed away.

Masterpiece on PBS’s Miss Austen is based on Gill Hornby’s novel of the same name, which is, in turn, based on the real Jane Austen, Cassandra Austen, and their friends and relatives. For instance, Mary Austen was a real person who married into the Austen family. Young Cassandra was engaged to Tom Fowle (Calam Lynch), who did tragically die before their wedding. There was really a Dr. Lidderdale in the village where the Fowles lived and Isabella did marry him after her father’s death!!!

However, one part of Miss Austen is total fiction. There was no dashing gentleman named Henry Hobday who nearly swept Cassandra away from her fate as a spinster.

Interestingly enough, when DECIDER asked Miss Austen star Keeley Hawes if she thought Cassandra was haunted by what could have been with Tom Fowle or Henry Hobday, she insisted that Cassy was probably more torn up about a different loss.

“I think, as you say, the core love story is is between Jane and Cassy,” Hawes said. “Her sister was the love of her life and vice-versa.”

“I’d like to think that she didn’t have those sorts of regrets because she was there for Jane. Otherwise, it’s a bit too sad. Otherwise it’s just a bit too heartbreaking.”

Ultimately, Miss Austen is the story of how much Jane and Cassy loved each other.