Emma by: Jane Austen
Emma Summary
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| Emma by Jane Austen |
Like all Jane Austen novels, Emma is a novel about courtship and social morality. Much of the book centers around the theme of marriage: who gets married, who gets married, and why: love, work or necessity? At the center of the story is the main character, Emma Woodhouse, an heiress who lives with her widowed father in their home, Heartfield. Known for her beauty and intelligence, Emma is somewhat lost in the small town of Highbury, but takes great pride in her skills as a matchmaker. Unique among other women of her age, she does not particularly need to marry: she is in the unique position of not needing a husband to make a fortune.
At the start of the novel, Miss Taylor, Emma's nanny, is married to Mr. Weston, a wealthy man who owns the Randalls estate next door. Without Miss Taylor as a companion, Emma suddenly feels lonely and decides to adopt orphan Harriet Smith as her foster family. Harriet lives in a nearby boarding school and knows nothing of her parents. Emma concludes that Harriet's father must have been a gentleman and advises the innocent Harriet on almost everything, including her choice of company. She notices that Harriet no longer spends time with the Martins, a local farming family, and that their son, Robert, has given Harriet special attention. Instead, Emma plans to play matchmaker for Harriet and Mr. Elton, the Highbury church chaplain.
The friendship between Emma and Harriet is of no use to either of them, a fact Mr. Knightley, a neighbor and old friend, notices immediately. Harriet indulges in Emma's worst qualities, giving her the opportunity to step in and act solely to flatter her. Emma, for her part, showers Harriet Smith with a grand apology out of proportion to her low status in society. When Robert Martin proposes to Harriet, she turns him down on Emma's advice, believing it to be too common. Mr. Knightley criticizes Emma's match as he views Robert Martin as superior to Harriet; Although respectable, they are of uncertain origin. Emma's sister, Isabella, and her husband, Sir John Knightley, visit Highbury, and Emma uses their visit to reconcile with Sir Knightley after their argument over Harriet. However, he still thinks Mr Elton is a much more suitable candidate than Robert Martin.
At first, it seems Emma had some success in her attempts to set Harriet up with Mr. Elton. The three spend a lot of time together and seem receptive to all of Emma's suggestions. When Harriet can't make it to the Westons' Christmas party, Mr. Elton turns his attention only to Emma. As they ride home in a horse-drawn carriage after the party, Mr. Elton professes his love for Emma and rejects the idea of marrying Harriet Smith. Mr. Elton intends to advance in society and is interested in Emma primarily because of her social status and wealth. Emma immediately brushed off Mr Elton, who was deeply offended and immediately left Highbury for Bath.
Emma was shocked by her poor judgment of the situation and her belief that Mr. Elton would make a good match for Harriet. She realized that Mr. Knightley might have been right in some of his advice, but she still wasn't convinced that Harriet should put herself down by associating with Robert Martin. After Mr. Elton leaves, Emma is forced to break the news to a heartbroken Harriet.
The town of Highbury eagerly awaits the visit of Frank Churchill, Weston's son from his first marriage. After his wife's death, Mr. Weston sent the boy to raise his wife's family, realizing that he did not have enough wealth to support the boy. Frank is believed to be Emma's perfect match, and without meeting him, Emma accepts that his age and upbringing make him a good suitor to her.
The other character to occupy Emma's thoughts is Jane Fairfax, the granddaughter of Mrs. Bates, the poor widow of a former deputy, and the niece of Miss Bates, a gossipy spinster who lives with her mother. Jane is an equal Emma in all respects (beauty, education, talent) except for prestige and causes some jealousy in Emma. Jane will be visiting Highbury soon because the wealthy family she raised after her parents passed away are on vacation.
Meanwhile, Mr. Elton returns from Bath with the news that he is engaged to Miss Augusta Hawkins. This news, along with an awkward encounter with the Martins family, leaves poor Harriet deeply embarrassed.
Frank Churchill has finally visited the Westons and Emma is glad to find that it lives up to their expectations. Emma and Frank begin to spend time together, but she notices that he seems somewhat inconsistent and immature. He takes a day trip to London with the sole purpose of getting a haircut, an act that even Emma admits is superficial. As Frank and Emma continue to spend more time in each other's company, Mr. Knightley is somewhat jealous. He does not agree with Frank, convinced that he cannot be trusted, especially with the heart of Emma. Emma, in turn, is jealous, suspecting that Mr. Knightley might be in love with Jane Fairfax.
Emma's friendship with Frank Churchill was further enhanced by their seemingly shared disdain for Jane Fairfax. Frank confirms Emma's suspicions that Jane might be involved with Mr. Dixon, a married man, even though it's just gossip. Soon, Jane Fairfax received a piano from London, and Emma and Frank concluded that Mr. Dixon had sent it to her.
Frank Churchill must suddenly leave Highbury when he learns that his aunt is ill. She is an unbearable, proud and sterile woman, who exercises great power over her nephew. Believing that Frank is ready to internalize his love for her, Emma convinces herself that she is in love with him but she doesn't know how to know if her feelings are real or not. Finally, she realized that she shouldn't love him because she is just as happy in his absence as she is in his presence.
Mr. Elton brings his new wife to Highbury. She's a tasteless slut, she compares everything to her relatives' predatory lifestyle and speaks to her new Highbury mates with a surprising lack of formality. Emma takes an instant dislike to her, and realizing this, Mrs. Elton takes a dislike to Emma.
When Frank Churchill returns, he and Emma sponsor a ball at the Crown Inn. Frank and Emma are generally assumed to have formed a partnership, but Emma has actually stopped fantasizing about Frank as her own fiancé and she sees him as a potential lover for Harriet. During the dance, Mr. Elton takes the opportunity to humiliate Harriet, ignoring her in front of the other guests. Mr. Knightley undercuts this social insult by elegantly dancing with Harriet instead of Mr. Elton.
The next day, while she was on her way home, Harriet is attacked by a group of gypsy beggars, but is saved from her by Frank Churchill. Her brave rescue becomes the talk of Highbury and leads Emma to confirm her belief that she would be a suitable match for Harriet. As she discusses the event, Harriet admits that she has feelings for the man who saved her, though she does not explicitly mention Frank Churchill's name. Thanks to this new crush, Harriet has finally gotten over her grief over Mr. Elton.
Mr. Knightley begins to suspect that Frank Churchill is having a secret affair with Jane Fairfax, but Emma taunts him and continues to court Frank Churchill. On a walk up Box Hill, Frank Churchill's bad influence on Emma comes to a head and Emma insults Miss Bates to her face. Later, Mr. Knightley scolds Emma severely for her behavior. When Emma visits Miss Bates to apologize to her, she discovers how much she has been insulted by damaging her relationship with her family.
After his aunt's death, Frank is suddenly free to reveal his secret engagement to Jane Fairfax. The engagement would be kept secret due to his aunt's refusal and her threat to disown him if he played poorly. Frank Churchill's flirtatious behavior towards Emma turns out to be nothing more than a ploy intended to distract from his feelings for Jane. When Emma tries to pass along the bad news about Frank Churchill's engagement to Harriet, Emma learns that Harriet is in love with Mr. Knightley, who "saved" her at the Crown Inn ball. With Harriet exposed, Emma realizes that she herself is in love with Mr. Knightley. Emma concludes that not only has she placed her friend in greater pain, but she has done Harriet great harm by making her believe that she can aspire to such heights in society.
Mr. Knightley soon declared his love for Emma and they were planning to marry. However, there are two obstacles: first, if Emma remarries, she will have to leave her father, who cannot bear the separation; Second, she has to break the news to Harriet. Mr. Knightley decided to move to Heartfield after his marriage to allay Mr. Woodhouse's fears of being left alone. Harriet hears from Mr. Knightley Will and meets Robert Martin soon after. The novel ends with three marriages: Robert Martin, Harriet, Frank Churchill, and Jane Fairfax, and finally Mr. Knightley and Emma.
Emma Character List
Emma Woodhouse
"Handsome, clever and rich," Emma is a twenty-one year old daughter of a wealthy gentleman accustomed to "having her own way" and cursed with a "disposition to think a little too well of herself." Although a meddler who demonstrates a maddening self-confidence, Emma is generally well intentioned. The novel is essentially a story of how Emma matures from a clever young woman to a more modest and considerate woman, able to accept the idea of love.
Mr. George Knightley
A sensible man of thirty-seven, his brother had married Emma's elder sister, Isabella. Courteous, noble, sincere and intelligent, he is a paragon for behavior, yet not afraid to correct Emma for her mistakes. He marries Emma at the end of the novel.
Harriet Smith
A short, plump and fair girl of seventeen, she is of somewhat dubious origins. Emma is mostly responsible for bringing Harriet into Highbury society and constantly instructs and advises her, although not always to her benefit. Emma fills her with a pretension that is inappropriate for her status. In the end, she marries Mr. Martin, a farmer that Emma considers too coarse but is more appropriate in status for Harriet.
Frank Churchill
The son of Mr. Weston, he was brought up by his uncles, the Churchills, who could better support him at the time. Highbury society eagerly anticipates his visit to his newly married father, but he consistently delays. Frank Churchill is somewhat shallow, more interested in pursuing pleasure than any concrete pursuits, but he is also handsome and charming enough to attract Emma. He is secretly engaged to Jane Fairfax, but cannot reveal this because the aunt who raised him would strenuously object.
Jane Fairfax
An orphan, the only child of Mrs. Bates' youngest daughter. Upon her mother's death, she was taken in by Colonel Campbell, who served with her father in the army. The same age is Emma, she is equally talented, charming and well-regarded, a fact that quite vexes Emma. She is secretly engaged to Frank Churchill.
Mr. Philip Elton
The vicar of the church in Highbury whom Emma chooses as a possible suitor for Harriet Smith. Mr. Elton ultimately reveals his romantic interest in Emma herself, but she rejects him. He marries the pretentious and rude Augusta Hawkins.
Mr. Woodhouse
Emma's father is a wealthy man possessed of a large estate, Hartfield. Isolated in his estate, Mr. Woodhouse has few enjoyments. Although he dotes on Emma, he also indulges her more selfish tendencies and is largely unpleasant. His complaints and lack of activity make him appear a much older man than he actually is.
Miss Bates
The daughter of Mrs. Bates, Miss Bates is neither young, married, handsome or rich. She lacks any distinguishing traits such as intellect or cleverness, yet is generally happy and treats others with great goodwill. Emma's cruel treatment of Miss Bates during the picnic at Box Hill is one of the turning points of the novel.
Mrs. Anne Weston (Miss Taylor)
Emma's governess who essentially raised Emma after her mother died. At the beginning of the book she marries Mr. Weston, a somewhat older gentleman. Mrs. Weston is an exemplar for Emma, modest and self-possessed, but still fails to see many of the faults in Emma that Mr. Knightley strives to correct throughout the novel.
Mrs. Elton (Miss Augusta Hawkins)
The daughter of a Bristol merchant who marries Mr. Elton. Her status in society rests only on the fact that her sister married very well, and her behavior when she arrives at Highbury is presumptuous, arrogant and rude. She refuses to treat others with the proper respect they are accorded, including even Mr. Knightley.
Mr. Weston
The older man that Miss Taylor marries, Mr. Weston had been married much earlier. From this marriage he had a son, Frank Churchill, whom he sent away to be raised by his late wife's relatives. He is from a respectable family that has been progressively moving up in society and amassed a modest fortune.
Mrs. Bates
The widow of a former vicar of Highbury and the mother of Miss Bates. She is considered a harmless old lady and is largely ignored by Highbury society.
Mr. John Knightley
A tall, gentleman-like, clever man, respectable and reserved. He is married to Isabella, Emma's sister. Emma dislikes him somewhat for his severity and lack of patience.
Robert Martin
A likable farmer who lives on Mr. Knightley's estate. Emma convinces Harriet to reject his first proposal of marriage because she believes that he is too coarse. He marries Harriet at the end of the novel.
Mrs. Isabella Knightley
Emma's elder sister, a pretty, elegant woman of amiable disposition. She is delicate and pales in comparison to the more sharp-witted Emma.
Mrs. Goddard
The mistress of a Boarding school where girls might be sent to receive a little education. One of her former students is Harriet Smith, who now assists her.
Emma Themes
Courtship and marriage
As in all of Austen's novels, courtship and marriage play an important role in "Emma." The entire novel focuses on many love and romance relationships, from Harriet and Robert Martin to Jane Fairfax and Frank Churchill to Emma and Mr. Knightley. All of the conflicts in the novel also revolve around this theme, especially when it comes to the characters struggling to find the right partners. In this way, Austen presents marriage as an essential aspect of society during the period. While marriage promotes families and serves romantic purposes, it also supports the class structure of society by ensuring that people marry properly (like Harriet and Robert Martin, who belong to the same class). At the same time, Austin also uses marriage to highlight the social constraints that Emma and other characters face: in her small town, marriage and dating are the only catalysts for emotion or conflict.
Social class
Austen highlights the theme of caste throughout the novel, particularly regarding Emma's relationship with Harriet Smith. As a member of the richest family in Highbury, Emma holds the highest social position in society. Although he interacts with other characters of the same level (such as Mr. Knightley), he also has social responsibilities to the less fortunate, such as Miss Bates and Harriet Smith and the poor families who live on his property. Yes, although Austen encourages empathy and benevolence in members of the upper classes, she also maintains the importance of class distinctions. One of Emma's biggest mistakes was taking Harriet Smith out of the lower class and raising her to a near-equal social level. While Harriet is a benevolent character, Austen maintains that she is not a full member of high society and, in fact, would never have been accepted without Emma's influence. Because of this class confusion, Harriet develops inappropriate expectations for marriage and her future, and thus risks rejection by her peers, such as the Martin family. Austen also uses Mr. Weston's first marriage as an example: since Mr. Weston's first wife was of a higher social class, she was unable to adjust to his lower standard of living, and ultimately the marriage was unhappy.
Oppression of women
As a heroine, Emma possesses beauty, wealth, intelligence, high social status, and financial independence. However, Austin explains that Emma is unique in her surroundings; Most of the women in the novel lack Emma's financial independence and therefore have very limited options for her future. This speaks to the entrenched oppression of women in British society at the time. Most professions were deemed unsuitable for women (similar to prostitution), leaving women almost unable to support themselves independently. Jane Fairfax is held up as an example of this entrenched oppression of women. Although she has the same personal qualities as Emma, she lacks the wealth that can provide her economic and social security. The only option available to her is to marry or become a governess. Most of the other female characters in the novel face a similar choice: they could marry Harriet Smith or continue to work at Mrs. Goddard's school; Mrs. Weston marries Mr. Weston only after having worked as Emma's nanny. Although Emma is luckier than most of her, she has limited options for her future: get married or become a wealthy single. Ironically, Austen herself had to submit to this entrenched persecution: because she had never married and could not publicly claim her novels, she depended on her family for her support.
Miscommunication
Many of the novel's major conflicts are the direct result of miscommunication between the characters. A good example is Mr. Elton's misleading courtship of Emma, in which Emma assumes that Mr. Elton is courting Harriet Smith. This misconception persisted when Mr. Elton presented Emma with a riddle for Harriet's book. Since there is no real connection between the three characters, revealing Mr. Elton's true feelings is even more problematic. Similar issues arise due to a misunderstanding between Frank Churchill and Emma. While Emma initially sees Frank Churchill as her future husband, Frank secretly works with Jane Fairfax and manipulates Emma into promoting the show. Even Mr. Knightley gets into misunderstandings by not revealing his true feelings for Emma until the end of the novel. As such, Emma assumes that Harriet and Mr. Knightley are in love with each other. In each of these cases, the formalities required for social interaction end up confusing and hurting feelings. Ultimately, however, all of these social mishaps are resolved and each character is finally matched with a suitable partner.
Moral relativism
For most novels, Emma works on the assumption that she knows what's best for those around her. A notable example is Emma's relationship with Harriet Smith, in which Emma assumes that she has the right to determine Harriet's choice of husband and future happiness. She even takes responsibility for Harriet's character: she takes it upon herself to "improve" Harriet. Emma shares similar condescending behavior with many of the other characters in the novel, including Mr. and Mrs. Weston, her sister and father, Mr. Elton, and Frank Churchill. Emma's belief in her infallibility is undermined by her behavior towards Miss Bates on a Box Hill walk. Although Emma has made mistakes with Harriet and Mr. Elton, this is the first time Emma has acted so blatantly. This forces him to realize that his apparent infallibility over those around him is nothing but vanity and vanity.
Love
For most of the novel, Emma considers herself immune to romantic love. Although she thinks about the possibility of marrying Frank Churchill, she admits that she does not really love him, as she is as happy during his absence as she was during his presence. This ability to exist without love is linked to the larger theme of marriage that dominates the narrative. Austin makes it clear that love is not a condition of marriage and can damage the relationship (as was the case with Mr. Weston's first marriage). An individual must first take into account social status, wealth, and other logical qualities when deciding on a suitable partner. However, given Emma's financial independence, these logical considerations are superfluous: she is in a unique position to marry for pure love. Ironically, while Emma's ultimate choice is love, Mr. Knightley also combines all the logical qualities of wealth, social status, and education that make a good husband. In the end, Austen also makes sure that Harriet Smith and Jane Fairfax marry for love, although their marriages also serve the important purpose of providing them with financial and social security.
Social conduct
Because Emma places so much emphasis on social interaction and community, behavior plays a vital role. Austin uses it as a way to gauge the value of his characters, as well as identify characters who have behaved inappropriately. Although Emma is unaware of her mistakes for most of the novel, she is still acutely aware of her own behavior and good manners. She is also quick to recognize the bad behavior of those around her, such as Mr. Elton, Mrs. Elton, Frank Churchill, and his son-in-law. It should be noted that Emma's understanding of her bad behavior by insulting Miss Bates at a Box Hill picnic served as the catalyst for her personal improvement at the end of the novel. As a result of Frank Churchill's influence, Emma abandoned appropriate social behavior and symbolically lowered her status. However, she is forced to make amends directly to Miss Bates and is overwhelmed with guilt. However, by the end of the novel, Emma is able to regain her sense of behavior and marries the only other character with the same awareness of morals and upbringing: Mr. Knightley.
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