The aim of this Master’s thesis is to investigate the modern Swedish reader’s possibilities to understand the literary allusions in Jane Austen’s first three novels in light of young people’s decreasing reading and understanding of classic literature. This is done by examining historical overviews of literature written in Swedish, curriculums for literature courses at three Swedish universities and library holdings in Swedish libraries, both public and academic. In the thesis three different elements are combined – information about the alluded authors and texts, a comparison between the Swedish and the English versions of the novels and the result from the above mentioned investigation. The description of the alluded authors and texts provide information about the connotations that can be made by an allusion to them. The comparison between the English and the Swedish novels show whether or not the allusions still exists in the translated text and if there are any differences that might affect the understanding of the novels. The theoretical framework is based upon literary sociology, especially the work of Escarpit. His concept creative treason is an inspiration for the thesis. The hermeneutic theory of understanding is also consulted. That previous understanding effect the interpretation of a text is a fundamental idea upon which the importance of the three chosen resources (curriculums, historical overviews of literature, library holdings) are based.