SCALE OF EGOTISM

The characters can be arranged on a scale of egotism, ranging from vanity to a proper self-respect which
does not subordinate others to one's self.

Frank Churchill was arguably the most successful and the most dangerous egotist in the novel. A master
game player, he fooled everyone except Mr. Knightley. Frank not only manipulated others and events to
gratify himself, but also enjoyed the manipulations and the sense of superiority they gave him. He
laughed with such enjoyment at memories of his previous dissembling that Emma charged, "I am sure it
was a source of high entertainment to you to feel that you were taking us all in" (pp. 407-8). Frank was
willing to ignore the pain that his manipulations and self-gratification caused; he ignored Jane's
tiredness in urging her to sing one more song with him, causing Mr. Knightley to intervene; he ignored
her distress at his flirting with Emma and at his teasing about Mr. Dixon.

At all times his game-playing (secrecy) excluded everyone except Jane, and even at times when he
seemed to be flirting or allied with Emma, she was excluded from his real purpose and meaning. Thus he
disrupted social harmony and cohesiveness. Also, Highbury was a world of recognition and
predictability; people recognized the meaning and behavior of others and knew what to expect; does
Frank's behavior disrupt their security as well as society's stability by violating these basic premises?

Most of Emma's efforts to shape people and events to her fancy were unsuccessful, though her egotism
deluded her into believing she was autonomous and had the power to direct other people's lives. She
regretted the pain that she unintentionally caused others when her schemes failed; neverntheless, her
self-involvement could make her unconscious of how her behavior was affecting others; if Harriet had
loved Frank as Emma believed, wouldn't her flirtation at Box Hill with Frank have wounded Harriet
deeply?

Mr. Woodhouse, with his "gentle selfishness" (p. 29), contends with Frank for the title of most
successful egotist or manipulator. He could not imagine that anyone else saw the world differently from
himself and, through his nervousness and delicate health, bent all others to his will. He was, at the same
time, concerned about the health and well-being of others, in his own way, and as a host treated his
guests courteously and welcomingly.

Mr. Weston displayed the egotism of a parent, with his pride in Frank. In his conversations with Mrs.
Elton at his own home and at the ball, he was interested only as long as he could discuss Frank, even
taking advantage of Mrs. Elton's cough to hold forth about Frank.

The egotism of Mrs. Elton, who acts as a foil for Emma, was glaringly obvious. Mr. Elton's egotism
motivated him to aspire to Emma.

How would you assess Harriet's egotism? or was she selfless? or did she change in this regard as a result
of Emma's encouragement?

Do Mr. Knightley, Mrs. Weston, and Miss Bates illustrate self-respect and a proper selflessness that
contributes to individual well being and to social harmony?
OTHER SCALES

The characters can be arranged on other scales, reflecting other major themes, like sociability. At one
end of the scale can be ranged the characters whose sociability was marked by snobbery and a lack of
consideration for others. Who do you think they would be? Then there is Mr. Weston, whose genuine
friendliness or amiability lacked judgment; Emma, thinking of his "unmanageable good will" (p. 306),
decided, "General benevolence, but not general friendship, made a man what he ought to be. She could
fancy such a man" (p. 279). How would you rate Mr. John Knightley and his preference for domesticity
with his own family, Miss Bates, Jane, Mr. Woodhouse, Mrs. Weston, and Mr. Knightley? Do any
characters represent the ideal sociability in Austen's view? Clearly, Mr. Knightley represented Emma's
ideal, though she was unaware of this fact until the end.

I have discussed egotism and sociability separately, but in the novel and in life they are intertwined. Mr.
Elton is an egotistic snob; Frank's ostensible openness and gregariousness conceal his egotism; John
Knightley's sociability is egotistic in its limitation to family; Mr. Woodhouse is selfish sociability.