EMMA

Jane Austen

Context

Jane Austen, whom some critics consider Englands best novelist, was born in1775 in
Steventon, England. he seventh o! eight children, Austen lived with her "arents !or her
entire li!e, !irst in Steventon and later in #ath, Southam"ton, and Chawton. $er !ather
was the "arish rector in Steventon, and, though not wealth%, her !amil% was well
connected and well educated. Austen brie!l% attended boarding school in &eading but
received the ma'orit% o! her education at home. According to rumor, she had a brie! love
a!!air when she was twent%(!ive, but it did not lead to a marriage "ro"osal. wo %ears
later she acce"ted and then )uic*l% re'ected a "ro"osal. She remained unmarried !or the
rest o! her li!e. Austen died in 1+17, at age !ort%(one, o! Addisons disease.
Austen began writing stories at a ver% %oung age and com"leted her !irst novel in her
earl% twenties. $owever, she did not "ublish until 1+11, whenSense and
Sensibility a""eared anon%mousl%, (!ollowed b%Pride and Prejudice ,1+1-.
andMansfield Park ,1+1/.. Emma,which a""eared in 1+10, was the last novel "ublished
(during Austens li!etime. ,Northanger Abbey and Persuasion a""eared "osthumousl%..
Austens novels received little critical or "o"ular recognition during her li!etime, and her
identit% as a novelist was not revealed until a!ter her death. As admired as Austens
novels later became, critics have had a di!!icult time "lacing them within literar% histor%.
She is *nown !or her gentl% satirical "ortraits o! village li!e and o! the rituals o! courtshi"
and marriage, but she wrote during the &omantic "eriod, when most ma'or writers were
concerned with a ver% di!!erent set o! interests and values. &omantic "oets con!ronted the
ho"es and !ailures o! the 1rench &evolution and !ormulated new literar% values centered
on individual !reedom, "assion, and intensit%. 2n com"arison, Austens detailed
examination o! the rules o! decorum that govern social relationshi"s, and her insistence
that reason and moderation are necessar% chec*s on !eeling, ma*e her seem out o! ste"
with the literar% times. 3ne wa% to understand Austens "lace in literar% histor% is to
thin* o! her as "art o! the earlier eighteenth centur%, the Age o! &eason, when literature
was associated with wit, "oise, and "ro"riet%. $er novels certainl% belong to an
eighteenth(centur% genre, the comed% o! manners, which examines the behavior o! men
and women o! a single social class.
&ather than dismiss Austen as a writer who shuns the artistic and "olitical movements o!
her time, it is "erha"s more use!ul to thin* o! her as an earl% !eminist. Critics have
"ointed out that the &omantics, who were almost exclusivel% male, o!!ered a "oor model
o! literar% !ul!illment !or the ambitious woman o! the time. 4hile male writers such as
5erc% #%sshe Shelle% and 6ord #%ron "ossessed the !reedom to "romote their own
individualit% through wide travel and sexual and militar% adventurism, women were
largel% denied these !reedoms. 1or women, the "enalt% !or sexual !reedom was social
ostracism, "overt%, and worse. 2n Sense and Sensibility, Austen describes ex"licitl% the
danger that cultivating emotion "osed !or women o! her time.
2n this social context, Austens commitment to reason and moderation can be seen as
!eminist and "rogressive rather than conservative. he intelligence and resource!ulness o!
her heroines stand in constant contrast to the limits o! the constricted world o! courtshi"
and marriage de!ining their s"here o! action. 4hile reading Emma it is interesting to
consider to what extent Austen acce"ts or )uestions the idea that marriage re"resents a
womans maturit% and !ul!illment.
Some consider Emma Austens best and most re"resentative novel. 2t is also her longest
novel, and b% man% accounts, her most di!!icult. 6ong "raised !or its rich domestic
realism, Emma also "resents "u77ling )uestions8 how can a character as intelligent as
Emma be wrong so o!ten9 4hen does Austen ex"ect us to s%m"athi7e with Emma, and
when does she ex"ect us to critici7e her9 2s the ending as genuinel% ha""% as it is
"resented to be, or does Austen subtl% in'ect a note o! subversive iron% into it9 hat these
)uestions are on some level unanswerable ensures that Emma will be read again and
again.

5lot 3verview

Although convinced that she hersel! will never marr%, Emma 4oodhouse, a "recocious
twent%(%ear(old resident o! the village o! $ighbur%, imagines hersel! to be naturall%
gi!ted in con'uring love matches. A!ter sel!(declared success at matchma*ing between her
governess and :r. 4eston, a village widower, Emma ta*es it u"on hersel! to !ind an
eligible match !or her new !riend, $arriet Smith. hough $arriets "arentage is un*nown,
Emma is convinced that $arriet deserves to be a gentlemans wi!e and sets her !riends
sights on :r. Elton, the village vicar. :eanwhile, Emma "ersuades $arriet to re'ect the
"ro"osal o! &obert :artin, a well(to(do !armer !or whom $arriet clearl% has !eelings.
$arriet becomes in!atuated with :r. Elton under Emmas encouragement, but Emmas
"lans go awr% when Elton ma*es it clear that his a!!ection is !or Emma, not $arriet.
Emma reali7es that her obsession with ma*ing a match !or $arriet has blinded her to the
true nature o! the situation. :r. ;nightle%, Emmas brother(in(law and treasured !riend,
watches Emmas matchma*ing e!!orts with a critical e%e. $e believes that :r. :artin is a
worth% %oung man whom $arriet would be luc*% to marr%. $e and Emma )uarrel over
Emmas meddling, and, as usual, :r. ;nightle% "roves to be the wiser o! the "air. Elton,
s"urned b% Emma and o!!ended b% her insinuation that $arriet is his e)ual, leaves !or the
town o! #ath and marries a girl there almost immediatel%.
Emma is le!t to com!ort $arriet and to wonder about the character o! a new visitor
ex"ected in $ighbur%<:r. 4estons son, 1ran* Churchill. 1ran* is set to visit his !ather
in $ighbur% a!ter having been raised b% his aunt and uncle in 6ondon, who have ta*en
him as their heir. Emma *nows nothing about 1ran*, who has long been deterred !rom
visiting his !ather b% his aunts illnesses and com"laints. :r. ;nightle% is immediatel%
sus"icious o! the %oung man, es"eciall% a!ter 1ran* rushes bac* to 6ondon merel% to
have his hair cut. Emma, however, !inds 1ran* delight!ul and notices that his charms are
directed mainl% toward her. hough she "lans to discourage these charms, she !inds
hersel! !lattered and engaged in a !lirtation with the %oung man. Emma greets Jane
1air!ax, another addition to the $ighbur% set, with less enthusiasm. Jane is beauti!ul and
accom"lished, but Emma disli*es her because o! her reserve and, the narrator insinuates,
because she is 'ealous o! Jane.
Sus"icion, intrigue, and misunderstandings ensue. :r. ;nightle% de!ends Jane, sa%ing
that she deserves com"assion because, unli*e Emma, she has no inde"endent !ortune and
must soon leave home to wor* as a governess. :rs. 4eston sus"ects that the warmth o!
:r. ;nightle%s de!ense comes !rom romantic !eelings, an im"lication Emma resists.
Ever%one assumes that 1ran* and Emma are !orming an attachment, though Emma soon
dismisses 1ran* as a "otential suitor and imagines him as a match !or $arriet. At a village
ball, ;nightle% earns Emmas a""roval b% o!!ering to dance with $arriet, who has 'ust
been humiliated b% :r. Elton and his new wi!e. he next da%, 1ran* saves $arriet !rom
=%"s% beggars. 4hen $arriet tells Emma that she has !allen in love with a man above her
social station, Emma believes that she means 1ran*. ;nightle% begins to sus"ect that
1ran* and Jane have a secret understanding, and he attem"ts to warn Emma. Emma
laughs at ;nightle%s suggestion and loses ;nightle%s a""roval when she !lirts with
1ran* and insults :iss #ates, a *indhearted s"inster and Janes aunt, at a "icnic. 4hen
;nightle% re"rimands Emma, she wee"s.
>ews comes that 1ran*s aunt has died, and this event "aves the wa% !or an unex"ected
revelation that slowl% solves the m%steries. 1ran* and Jane have been secretl% engaged?
his attentions to Emma have been a screen to hide his true "re!erence. 4ith his aunts
death and his uncles a""roval, 1ran* can now marr% Jane, the woman he loves. Emma
worries that $arriet will be crushed, but she soon discovers that it is ;nightle%, not 1ran*,
who is the ob'ect o! $arriets a!!ection. $arriet believes that ;nightle% shares her
!eelings. Emma !inds hersel! u"set b% $arriets revelation, and her distress !orces her to
reali7e that she is in love with ;nightle%. Emma ex"ects ;nightle% to tell her he loves
$arriet, but, to her delight, ;nightle% declares his love !or Emma. $arriet is soon
com!orted b% a second "ro"osal !rom &obert :artin, which she acce"ts. he novel ends
with the marriage o! $arriet and :r. :artin and that o! Emma and :r. ;nightle%,
resolving the )uestion o! who loves whom a!ter all.
Character 6ist

Emma Woodhouse ( he "rotagonist o! the novel. 2n the well(*nown !irst sentence o!

the novel, the narrator describes Emma as @handsome, clever, and rich, with a
com!ortable home and ha""% dis"osition.A 2n some wa%s, the twent%(%ear(old Emma is
mature !or her age. #ecause her mother is dead and her older sister married, she is
alread% the head o! her !athers household. She cares !or her !ather and oversees the
social goings(on in the village o! $ighbur%. Emmas mis"laced con!idence in her abilities
as a matchma*er and her "rudish !ear o! love constitute the central !ocus o! the novel,
which traces Emmas mista*es and growing sel!(understanding.
&ead an in(de"th anal%sis o! Emma 4oodhouse.
Mr. George Knightley ( Emmas brother(in(law and the 4oodhouses trusted !riend and
advisor. ;nightle% is a res"ected landowner in his late thirties. $e lives at Bonwell Abbe%
and leases "ro"ert% to the :artins, a !amil% o! wealth% !armers whom he li*es and
counsels. ;nightle% is the onl% character who is o"enl% critical o! Emma, "ointing out her
!laws and !oibles with !ran*ness, out o! genuine concern and care !or her. 2n this res"ect,
he acts as a stand(in !or Austens and the readers 'udgments o! Emma.
Mr. Woodhouse ( Emmas !ather and the "atriarch o! $art!ield, the 4oodhouse estate.
hough :r. 4oodhouse is nervous, !rail, and "rone to h%"ochondria, he is also *nown
!or his !riendliness and his attachment to his daughter. $e is ver% resistant to change, to
the "oint that he is unha""% to see his daughters or Emmas governess marr%. 2n this
sense, he im"edes Emmas growth and acce"tance o! her adult destin%. $e is o!ten !oolish
and clearl% not Emmas intellectual e)ual, but she com!orts and entertains him with
insight and a!!ection.
Harriet Smith ( A "rett% but unremar*able seventeen(%ear(old woman o! uncertain
"arentage, who lives at the local boarding school. $arriet becomes Emmas "rotCgC and
the ob'ect o! her matchma*ing schemes.
Frank Churchill ( :r. 4estons son and :rs. 4estons ste"son. 1ran* Churchill lives
at Enscombe with his aunt and uncle, :r. and :rs. Churchill. $e is considered a
"otential suitor !or Emma, but she learns that though 1ran* is attractive, charming, and
clever, he is also irres"onsible, deceit!ul, rash, and ultimatel% unsuited to her.
&ead an in(de"th anal%sis o! 1ran* Churchill.
Jane Faira! ( :iss #atess niece, whose arrival in $ighbur% irritates Emma. Jane rivals
Emma in accom"lishment and beaut%? she "ossesses a *ind heart and a reserved
tem"erament. #ecause Jane lac*s Emmas !ortune, she must consider em"lo%ment as a
governess, but her marriage to 1ran* Churchill saves her !rom that !ate.
&ead an in(de"th anal%sis o! Jane 1air!ax.
Mrs. Weston ( 1ormerl% :iss a%lor, Emmas beloved governess and com"anion.
;nown !or her *ind tem"erament and her devotion to Emma, :rs. 4eston lives at
&andalls with her husband, 1ran* Churchills !ather.
Mr. Weston ( he widower and "ro"rietor o! &andalls, who has 'ust married :iss a%lor
when the novel begins. :r. 4eston has a son, 1ran*, !rom his !irst marriage to :iss
Churchill ,1ran* was raised b% :iss Churchills sister and brother(in(law.. :r. 4eston is
warm, sociable, and "er"etuall% o"timistic.
Mr. Elton ( he village vicar, a handsome and agreeable man considered a welcome
addition to an% social gathering. 4hen he reveals his indi!!erence to $arriet and his
desire to marr% Emma, onl% to ta*e a bride at #ath shortl% therea!ter, he comes to seem
"roud, conceited, and su"er!icial.
Mr. "o#ert Martin ( A twent%(!our(%ear(old !armer. :r. :artin is industrious and
good(hearted, though he lac*s the re!inements o! a gentleman. $e lives at Abbe%(:ill
1arm, a "ro"ert% owned b% ;nightle%, with his mother and sisters.
Miss $ates ( 1riend o! :r. 4oodhouse and aunt o! Jane 1air!ax, :iss #ates is a middle(
aged s"inster without beaut% or cleverness but with universal goodwill and a gentle
tem"erament. Emmas im"atient treatment o! her reveals the less attractive "arts o!
Emmas character.
%sa#ella Knightley ( Emmas older sister, who lives in 6ondon with her husband, :r.
John ;nightle%, and their !ive children. 2sabella is "rett%, amiable, and com"letel%
devoted to her !amil%, but slow and di!!ident com"ared to Emma. $er domesticit%
"rovides a contrast to the inde"endent celibac% Emma imagines !or hersel!.
Mr. John Knightley ( Emmas brother(in(law, and :r. =eorge ;nightle%s brother. As a
law%er, John ;nightle% is clear(minded but somewhat shar" in tem"er, and Emma and
her !ather are sometimes dis"leased with his severit%.
Mrs. Elton ( 1ormerl% Augusta $aw*ins, :rs. Elton hails !rom #ristol and meets :r.
Elton in #ath. She is somewhat attractive and accom"lished? she has some !ortune and a
well(married sister, but her vanit%, su"er!icialit%, and vulgar over!amiliarit% o!!set her
admirable )ualities.
Mrs. Churchill ( :r. 4estons ailing !ormer sister(in(law and 1ran* Churchills aunt
and guardian. She is *nown to be ca"ricious, ill(tem"ered, and extremel% "ossessive o!
1ran*. 1ran* is able to marr% Jane 1air!ax, as he desires, onl% a!ter :rs. Churchills
death.
Colonel Cam&#ell ( A !riend o! Jane 1air!axs !ather who lives in 6ondon and who ta*es
charge o! or"haned Jane when she is eight %ears old. Colonel Cam"bell !eels great
a!!ection !or Jane but is unable to "rovide her with an inheritance.
Mrs. 'i!on ( he Cam"bells daughter and Janes !riend. :rs. Bixon lac*s beaut% and
lives with her husband in 2reland.
Mr. 'i!on ( $usband to the Cam"bells daughter. Emma sus"ects that :r. Bixon had a
romance with Jane 1air!ax be!ore his marriage.
Mrs. Goddard ( :istress o! the local boarding school. :rs. =oddard introduces $arriet
Smith to the 4oodhouses.
Mrs. $ates ( :other to :iss #ates and !riend o! :r. 4oodhouse. An elderl% woman,
:rs. #ates is )uiet, amiable, and somewhat dea!.
Mr. (erry ( An a"othecar% and associate o! Emmas !ather. :r. 5err% is highl% esteemed
b% :r. 4oodhouse !or his medical advice even though he is not a "ro"er "h%sician, and
:r. 4oodhouse argues with his daughter 2sabella over 5err%s recommendations.
Eli)a#eth Martin ( :r. :artins *ind sister, with whom $arriet was good !riends be!ore
meeting Emma and turning down :r. :artins marriage "ro"osal. $arriets !eelings o!
guilt and her desire to re*indle her relationshi" with Eli7abeth "ose a dilemma !or Emma,
who !inds the :artins "leasant, worth% "eo"le, but worries that $arriet ma% be tem"ted
to acce"t :r. :artins o!!er i! she again grows close with the !amil%.
Mr. and Mrs. Cole ( rades"eo"le and longtime residents o! $ighbur% whose good
!ortune o! the "ast several %ears has led them to ado"t a luxurious li!est%le that is onl% a
notch below that o! the 4oodhouses. 3!!ended b% their attem"t to transcend their @onl%
moderatel% genteelA social status, Emma has long been "re"aring to turn down an% dinner
invitation !rom the Coles in order to teach them their !oll% in thin*ing the% can interact
sociall% with the li*es o! her !amil%. 6i*e the :artins, the Coles are the means through
which Emma demonstrates her class(consciousness.
Anal%sis o! :a'or Characters

Emma Woodhouse
he narrator introduces Emma to us b% em"hasi7ing her good !ortune8 @handsome,
clever, and rich, with a com!ortable home and ha""% dis"osition,A Emma @had lived
nearl% twent%(one %ears in the world with ver% little to distress or vex her.A #ut, the
narrator warns us, Emma "ossesses @the "ower o! having rather too much her own wa%,
and a dis"osition to thin* a little too well o! hersel!.A Emmas stubbornness and vanit%
"roduce man% o! the novels con!licts, as Emma struggles to develo" emotionall%.
Emma ma*es three ma'or mista*es. 1irst, she attem"ts to ma*e $arriet into the wi!e o! a
gentleman, when $arriets social "osition dictates that she would be better suited to the
!armer who loves her. hen, she !lirts with 1ran* Churchill even though she does not care
!or him, ma*ing un!air comments about Jane 1air!ax along the wa%. :ost im"ortant, she
does not reali7e that, rather than being committed to sta%ing single ,as she alwa%s
claims., she is in love with and wants to marr% :r. ;nightle%. hough these mista*es
seriousl% threaten $arriets ha""iness, cause Emma embarrassment, and create obstacles
to Emmas own achievement o! true love, none o! them has lasting conse)uences.
hroughout the novel, ;nightle% corrects and guides Emma? in marr%ing ;nightle%,
Emma signals that her 'udgment has aligned with his.
Austen "redicted that Emma would be @a character whom no one but me will much li*e.A
hough most o! Austens readers have "roven her wrong, her narration creates man%
ambiguities. he novel is narrated using !ree indirect discourse, which means that,
although the all(*nowing narrator s"ea*s in the third "erson, she o!ten relates things !rom
Emmas "oint o! view and describes things in language we might imagine Emma using.
his st%le o! narration creates a com"lex mixture o! s%m"ath% with Emma and ironic
'udgment on her behavior. 2t is not alwa%s clear when we are to share Emmas
"erce"tions and when we are to see through them. >or do we *now how harshl% Austen
ex"ects us to 'udge Emmas behavior. hough this narrative strateg% creates "roblems o!
inter"retation !or the reader, it ma*es Emma a richl% multidimensional character.
Emma does not have one s"eci!ic !oil, but the im"licit distinctions made between her and
the other women in the novel o!!er us a context within which to evaluate her character.
Jane is similar to Emma in most wa%s, but she does not have Emmas !inancial
inde"endence, so her di!!iculties underscore Emmas "rivileged nature. :rs. Elton, li*e
Emma, is inde"endent and im"oses her will u"on her !riends, but her crudeness and
vanit% rein!orce our sense o! Emmas re!inement and !undamentall% good heart. Emmas
sister, 2sabella, is stereo(t%"icall% !eminine<so!t(hearted, com"letel% devoted to her
!amil%, de"endent, and not terribl% bright. he novel im"licitl% "re!ers Emmas
inde"endence and cleverness to her sisters more traditional de"ortment, although we are
still !aced with the "aradox that though Emma is clever, she is almost alwa%s mista*en.
Mr. Knightley
:r. ;nightle% serves as the novels model o! good sense. 1rom his ver% !irst conversation
with Emma and her !ather in Cha"ter 1, his "ur"ose<to correct the excesses and
misste"s o! those around him<is clear. $e is un!ailingl% honest but tem"ers his honest%
with tact and *indheartedness. Almost alwa%s, we can de"end u"on him to "rovide the
correct evaluation o! the other characters behavior and "ersonal worth. $e intuitivel%
understands and *indl% ma*es allowances !or :r. 4oodhouses whims? he is s%m"athetic
and "rotective o! the women in the communit%, including Jane, $arriet, and :iss #ates?
and, most o! all, even though he !re)uentl% disa""roves o! her behavior, he dotes on
Emma.
;nightle%s love !or Emma<the one emotion he cannot govern !ull%<leads to his onl%
la"ses o! 'udgment and sel!(control. #e!ore even meeting 1ran*, ;nightle% decides that
he does not li*e him. 2t graduall% becomes clear that ;nightle% !eels 'ealous<he does not
welcome a rival. 4hen ;nightle% believes Emma has become too attached to 1ran*, he
acts with uncharacteristic im"ulsiveness in running awa% to 6ondon. $is declaration o!
love on his return bursts out uncontrollabl%, unli*e most o! his "rudent, well("lanned
actions. Det ;nightle%s loss o! control humani7es him rather than ma*ing him seem li*e
a !ailure.
6i*e Emma, ;nightle% stands out in com"arison to his "eers. $is brother, :r. John
;nightle%, shares his clear(sightedness but lac*s his un!ailing *indness and tact. #oth
1ran* and ;nightle% are "erce"tive, warm(hearted, and d%namic? but whereas 1ran* uses
his intelligence to conceal his real !eelings and invent clever com"liments to "lease those
around him, ;nightle% uses his intelligence to discern right moral conduct. ;nightle% has
little use !or cleverness !or its own sa*e? he rates "ro"riet% and concern !or others more
highl%.
Frank Churchill
1ran* e"itomi7es attractiveness in s"eech, manner, and a""earance. $e goes out o! his
wa% to "lease ever%one, and, while the more "erce"tive characters )uestion his
seriousness, ever%one exce"t ;nightle% is charmed enough to be willing to indulge him.
1ran* is the character who most resembles Emma, a connection she "oints out at the
novels close when she states that @destin% E connectFsG us with two characters so much
su"erior to our own.A 6i*e Emma, 1ran* develo"s over the course o! the novel b% trading
a somewhat vain and su"er!icial "ers"ective on the world !or the seriousness brought on
b% the ex"erience o! genuine su!!ering and love. $e is a com"lex character because
though we *now we should 'udge him harshl% in moral terms, we cannot hel" but li*e
him more than he deserves to be li*ed.
Jane Faira!
Janes beaut% and accom"lishment immediatel% ma*e her stand out, but we are li*el% to
!ollow Emmas lead at !irst and 'udge Jane uninteresting on account o! her reserve. As
Jane graduall% betra%s more "ersonalit% and emotion, she indicates that she harbors some
secret sorrow. Eventuall%, she and Emma "ush the cloud% con!usion behind and become
!riends. he contrast between Janes delicate sense o! "ro"riet% and moralit% and the
"assionate nature o! her !eelings is much more dramatic than an% o! the con!licts that
Emma ex"eriences. Janes situation too is much more dire than Emmas8 i! Jane does not
wed, she must become a governess, because she lac*s an% mone% o! her own. he
revelation o! Janes secret engagement to 1ran* ma*es Jane seem more human, 'ust as
;nightle%s humanit% is brought out b% his love !or Emma.
hemes, :oti!s H S%mbols

*hemes
Themes are the fundamental and often universal ideas exlored in a literary !ork"
Marriage and Social Status
Emma is structured around a number o! marriages recentl% consummated or antici"ated,
and, in each case, the match solidi!ies the "artici"ants social status. 2n Austens time,
social status was determined b% a combination o! !amil% bac*ground, re"utation, and
wealth<marriage was one o! the main wa%s in which one could raise ones social status.
his method o! social advancement was es"eciall% crucial to women, who were denied
the "ossibilit% o! im"roving their status through hard wor* or "ersonal achievement.
Det, the novel suggests, marr%ing too !ar above onesel! leads to stri!e. :r. 4estons !irst
marriage to :iss Churchill had ostensibl% been a good move !or him, because she came
!rom a wealth% and well(connected !amil% ,:r. 4eston is a tradesman., but the ine)ualit%
o! the relationshi" caused hardshi" to both. $e marries :rs. 4eston 'ust "rior to the
novels o"ening, and this second marriage is ha""ier because their social statuses are
more e)ual<:rs. 4eston is a governess, and thus ver% !ortunate to be rescued !rom her
need to wor* b% her marriage. Emmas attem"t to match $arriet with :r. Elton is also
shunned b% the other characters as ina""ro"riate. Since $arriets "arentage is un*nown,
Emma believes that $arriet ma% have noble blood and encourages her to re'ect what turns
out to be a more a""ro"riate match with &obert :artin. #% the time it is revealed that
$arriet is the daughter o! a tradesman, Emma admits that :r. :artin is more suitable !or
her !riend.
he relationshi" between marriage and social status creates hardshi" !or other characters.
1ran* Churchill must *ee" his engagement to the or"han Jane 1air!ax secret because his
wealth% aunt would disa""rove. Jane, in the absence o! a good match, is !orced to
consider ta*ing the "osition o! a governess. he unmarried :iss #ates is threatened with
increasing "overt% without a husband to ta*e care o! her and her mother. 1inall%, the
match between Emma and :r. ;nightle% is considered a good one not onl% because the%
are well matched in tem"erament but also because the% are well matched in social class.
The Confined Nature of Womens Existence
he novels limited, almost claustro"hobic sco"e o! action gives us a strong sense o! the
con!ined nature o! a womans existence in earl%(nineteenth(centur% rural England. Emma
"ossesses a great deal o! intelligence and energ%, but the best use she can ma*e o! these is
to attem"t to guide the marital destinies o! her !riends, a "ro'ect that gets her into trouble.
he alternative "astimes de"icted in the boo*<social visits, charit% visits, music, artistic
endeavors<seem relativel% trivial, at times even monotonous. 2sabella is the onl% mother
!ocused on in the stor%, and her "ortra%al suggests that a mothers li!e o!!ers a woman
little use o! her intellect. Det, when Jane com"ares the governess "ro!ession to the slave
trade, she ma*es it clear that the li!e o! a wor*ing woman is in no wa% "re!erable to the
idleness o! a woman o! !ortune. he novel !ocuses on marriage because marriage o!!ers
women a chance to exert their "ower, i! onl% !or a brie! time, and to a!!ect their own
destinies without ado"ting the labors or e!!orts o! the wor*ing class. 5artici"ating in the
rituals o! courtshi" and acce"ting or re'ecting "ro"osals is "erha"s the most active role
that women are "ermitted to "la% in Emmas world.
The Blinding Power of Imagination
he novel o!!ers shar"l% critical illustrations o! the wa%s in which "ersonal biases or
desires blind ob'ective 'udgment. Emma cannot understand the motives that guide :r.
Eltons behavior because she imagines that he is in love with $arriet. She later admits to
hersel! that @FsGhe had ta*en u" the idea, she su""osed, and made ever%thing bend to it.A
:eanwhile, :r. Eltons !eelings !or Emma cause him to mista*e her behavior !or
encouragement. he generall% in!allible :r. ;nightle% cannot !orm an unbiased
'udgment o! 1ran* Churchill because he is 'ealous o! 1ran*s claim on Emma, and Emma
s"ea*s cruell% o! Jane because her vanit% ma*es her 'ealous o! Janes accom"lishments.
Emmas biases cause her to invent an attachment between $arriet and 1ran* and blind
her to the !act that $arriet actuall% has !eelings !or ;nightle%. At the same time, 1ran*s
desire to use Emma as a screen !or his real "re!erence causes him to believe mista*enl%
that she is aware o! the situation between him and Jane. he admirable, !re)uentl% ironic
detachment o! the narrator allows us to see man% o! these misunderstandings be!ore the
characters do, along with the humorous as"ects o! their behavior. And the "lot is "owered
b% a series o! reali7ations that "ermit each character to ma*e !uller, more ob'ective
'udgments.
The Ostacles to O!en Ex!ression
he misunderstandings that "ermeate the novel are created, in "art, b% the conventions o!
social "ro"riet%. o di!!ering degrees, characters are unable to ex"ress their !eelings
directl% and o"enl%, and their !eelings are there!ore mista*en. 4hile the novel b% no
means suggests that the manners and rituals o! social interaction should be eliminated,
Austen im"lies that the overl% clever, com"lex s"eech o! :r. Elton, 1ran* Churchill, and
Emma deserves censure. She "resents :r. :artins natural, warm, and direct manner o!
ex"ressing himsel! as "re!erable to :r. Eltons ostentatious and insincere st%le o!
com"limenting "eo"le. 1ran* too "ossesses a talent !or telling "eo"le exactl% what the%
want to hear, and ;nightle%s sus"icions o! 1ran*s integrit% are "roven valid when it
turns out that 1ran* has been misleading $ighbur% and hiding his true !eelings !or Jane.
he cleverness o! 1ran*s and Emmas banter gets them both into trouble b% u"setting
Jane, about whom Emma sa%s indiscreet and un!air things. Emma and 1ran*s !lirting at
the #ox $ill "art% hurts both ;nightle% and Jane. :oreover, Emma !orgets hersel! to the
extent that she cruell% insults :iss #ates. Austen seems to "re!er ;nightle% and :artins
tact!ul tacitness to the sometimes overl% gregarious commentar% o! Emma, :r. Elton,
and 1ran*, and, as a result, the author gives the latter characters contrived s"eech a
misleading in!luence on the stor% as a whole.
Motis
Motifs are recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices that can hel to develo
and inform the text#s major themes"
"isits
he main events o! the novel ta*e "lace during visits that the characters "a% to each other.
he !re)uenc% and length o! visits between characters indicates the level o! intimac% and
attachment between them. 1ran*s !re)uent visits to $art!ield show his relationshi" with
Emma to be close, though in hindsight we recogni7e that 1ran* also continuall% !inds
excuses to visit Jane. :r. ;nightle%s constant "resence at $art!ield indicates his
a!!ection and regard !or Emma. Emma encourages $arriet to limit a visit with the :artin
!amil% to !i!teen minutes, because such a short visit clearl% indicates that an% !ormer
interest has been lost. Emma is chastised !or her !ailure to visit :iss #ates and Jane more
o!ten? when she ta*es ste"s to recti!% this situation, she indicates a new concern !or :iss
#ates and a new regard !or Jane.
Parties
:ore !ormal than visits, "arties are organi7ed around social conventions more than
around individual attachments<Emmas hosting a dinner "art% !or :rs. Elton, a woman
she disli*es, exem"li!ies this characteristic. here are six im"ortant "arties in the novel8
the Christmas Eve "art% at &andalls, the dinner "art% at the Coles, the dinner "art% given
!or :rs. Elton, the dance at the Crown 2nn, the morning "art% at Bonwell Abbe%, and the
"icnic at #ox $ill. Each occasion "rovides the o""ortunit% !or social intrigue and
misunderstandings, and !or vanities to be satis!ied and connections !ormed. 5arties also
give characters the chance to observe other "eo"les interactions. ;nightle% observes
Emmas behavior toward 1ran* and 1ran*s behavior toward Jane. 5arties are
microcosms o! the social interactions that ma*e u" the novel as a whole.
Con#ersational Sutexts
:uch o! the dialogue in Emma has double or even tri"le meanings, with di!!erent
characters inter"reting a single comment in di!!erent wa%s. Sometimes these double
meanings are a""arent to individual characters, and sometimes the% are a""arent onl% to
the alert reader. 1or exam"le, when :r. Elton sa%s o! Emmas "ortrait o! $arriet, @2
cannot *ee" m% e%es !rom it,A he means to com"liment Emma, but she thin*s he is
com"limenting $arriet. 4hen, during the scene in which :r. ;nightle% "ro"oses to
Emma, Emma sa%s, @2 seem to have been doomed to blindness,A ;nightle% believes she
s"ea*s o! her blindness to 1ran*s love o! Jane, but she actuall% re!ers to her blindness
about her own !eelings. 3ne o! our main tas*s in reading the novel is to decode all o! the
subtexts underl%ing seemingl% casual interactions, 'ust as the main characters must. he
novel concludes b% unraveling the m%ster% behind who loves whom, which allows us to
understand Austens subtext more !ull%.
Sym#ols
Symbols are objects, characters, figures, or colors used to reresent abstract ideas or
concets"
The $iddle
Also *nown as charades, riddles in the novel ta*e the !orm o! elaborate word"la%. he%
s%mboli7e the "ervasive subtexts that wait to be decoded in characters larger social
interactions. 2n Cha"ter I, :r. Elton "resents a riddle to Emma and $arriet. Emma
decodes it immediatel%, as @courtshi",A but she decodes it wrongl% in the sense that she
believes it is meant !or $arriet rather than hersel!. his word"la% also ma*es an
a""earance during the #ox $ill "art%, when :r. 4eston ma*es an acrostic !or Emma.
The Word %ame
Similar to the riddle, a word game is "la%ed in Cha"ter /1 between Emma, 1ran*, and
Jane. 2t !unctions as a meta"hor !or the "artial understandings and misunderstandings that
exist among Emma, 1ran*, Jane, and :r. ;nightle%. As :r. ;nightle% loo*s on, 1ran*
uses childs bloc*s to create words !or the ladies to decode, though these words mean
di!!erent things to each o! them. 1ran* ma*es the word @blunder,A which Jane
understands as re!erring to a mista*e he has 'ust made, but whose meaning is o"a)ue to
Emma and ;nightle%. $e then ma*es the word @Bixon,A which Emma understands as a
'o*e on Jane, and which ba!!les ;nightle%. 2n truth, ever%one @blundersA in di!!erent wa%s
that evening, because no one "ossesses com"lete enough in!ormation to inter"ret
correctl% ever%thing that is going on.
To&ens of 'ffection
A number o! ob'ects in the novel ta*e on s%mbolic signi!icance as to*ens o! a!!ection. :r.
Elton !rames Emmas "ortrait o! $arriet as a s%mbol o! a!!ection !or her, though Emma
misunderstands it as a s%mbol o! a!!ection !or $arriet. $arriet *ee"s court "laster and a
"encil stub as souvenirs o! :r. Elton. 4hen the engagement between Jane and 1ran* is
brie!l% called o!!, she returns his letters to s%mboli7e her relin)uishment o! his a!!ection.