Emma Woodhouse Essay - 1601 Words

Jane Austen, critically acclaimed English novelist, is known for her witty and elegantly structured satirical fiction. Born December 16, 1775, Jane Austen was the seventh of eight children, and was closest to older sister Claudia. Her father was the parish rector in Steventon, and, though not wealthy, her family was well connected and well educated. Austen briefly attended boarding school in Reading but received the majority of her education at home. As a child, Austen was encouraged to write which allowed her to write her first novel Love and Friendship at the mere age of fourteen (â€Å"About Jane Austen†). Now, her work marks the transition from something to something else. Although Pride and Prejudice is Austen’s more popular work, her†¦show more content†¦Throughout the novel, Austen mocks the social mannerisms of the characters and is able to poke at their flaws. Much of the irony in this novel derives from the narrator’s comments and tone allows A usten to expose her character’s misguided assumptions. For example, Emma’s lack of insight and her inability to see the truth of her own and other people’s situation creates the ironic tone of the novel. This is shown through Emma’s attempt to set up Harriet Smith and Mr. Elton and insisting that Mr. Martin is beneath Harriet in status, despite the warnings from Mr. Knightley. He is quick to point out that Mr. Elton is not a good match for Harriet and that Harriet should accept Mr. Martin’s proposal by saying, â€Å"What are Harriett Smith’s claims, either of birth, nature, or education, to any connection higher than Robert Martin? She is the natural daughter of nobody knows whom†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Austen 56). So Emma believe she is helping Harriet, although her help actually causes problems for Harriet by raising her hopes of a marriage above her social station and making her unhappy after hearing that Mr. Elton is not interested in her. Howev er, the main irony of the novel is that Emma’s preoccupation with playing matchmaker prevents her from realizing her love for Mr. Knightley. Only when she believes that Mr. Knightley and Harriet will marry, does she realize that she loves him. After trying so long to find a match for Harriet, she hopes thatShow MoreRelatedEmma Woodhouse Is Handsome, Clever, And Rich1111 Words   |  5 PagesEmma Woodhouse is handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition and has lived twenty-one years and has very little stress in her life. But what if Emma was taken from her Georgian-Regency England and placed in the Twentieth century; would she be just as accomplished or would she just be a silly little girl. Jane Austin herself stated that â€Å"I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like†. The narrator of the book Emma also describes her as being spoiledRead More The Flawed Character of Emma Woodhouse in Jane Austens Emma2164 Wor ds   |  9 PagesThe Flawed Character of Emma Woodhouse     Ã‚  Ã‚   In Emma Woodhouse, Jane Austen has created a wonderfully flawed heroine. Had Emma been perfect, her situation would have been of no interest to anyone; her flaws are what interest both reader and critic. Peter W. Graham is interested particularly with the first page of the novel where Emma is first introduced to the reader. He discusses how significant the beginning of the novel is to mapping out Emmas personal development(42). Walton A. LitzRead MoreRelationship Between Emma Woodhouse And George Knightley1089 Words   |  5 Pages This essay will analyse the relationship between Emma Woodhouse and George Knightley in the text Emma from a feminist perspective. The relationship in general contains two different personalities. Emma is one who believes that she can create the ‘perfect couple’, which gives her the belief of ‘knowing everything’. George Knightley is more of a moral compass for Emma, and he usually displays his approval and disapproval of her actions. Before the relationship is examined; it would be insightful toRead MoreBorn Into Blindness 966 Words   |  4 Pagesare all qualities that contribute to blindness within Jane Austen’s Emma; a blindness that Austen herself feels can be avoided. This form of blindness ultimately yields unhappiness due to an inaccurate perception of human situations and feelings. With Emma’s inability to perceive the truth and her lack of self-understanding, she becomes the victim of her own imaginative world of matchmaking and fals e happiness induced by Mr. Woodhouse, her father. This inducement is caused by his angst towards marriageRead MoreEmma: the Turning Point at Box Hill Essay examples1329 Words   |  6 PagesThe Climb Up to Box Hill Emma, a novel by Jane Austen, is the story of a young woman, Emma, who is rich, stubborn, conniving, and occupies her time meddling into others business. There are several recurring themes throughout the novel; the ideas of marriage, social class, womens confinement, and the power of imagination to blind the one from the truth, which all become delineated and reach a climax during the trip to Box Hill. The scene at Box Hill exposes many underlying emotions that haveRead MoreCharacter Analysis of Emma in Jane Austens quot;Emmaquot; Essay867 Words   |  4 Pages `Emma was written by Jane Austen in 1816. In all her novels, she is primarily a moral writer, striving to establish criteria of sound judgement and right conduct in human life. In Emma she presents her lesson so astutely and so dramatically, with such a minimum of exposition, that she places extreme demands upon the readers perceptiveness. Emma was her fourth novel. Lord David Cecil described it as `Jane Austens profoundest comedy. It has frequently been applauded for its `engaging, dearRead MoreFeminism, By Jane Austen1314 Words   |  6 Pagesnovel, Emma, Austen presents a view of feminism that, at this point in time is quite outstanding for her to do. Men were the dominant gender and in England women remained submissive to the men at all times. Women had specific roles in the household and in society. When the girls are young, they are expected to obey their fathers until they are grown and passed off to a husband so they are financially supported at all times during their life . Emma is a story about the everyday life of Emma WoodhouseRead MoreJane Austens Complex Main Characters in her Works954 Words   |  4 Pagesdifferent cultures, and so the success of Jane Austen’s novels can be attributed to her relatability. Complex characters are key to being relatable, and Jane Austen’s female protagonists are certainly so. Elizabeth Bennett, Catherine Morland, and Emma Woodhouse are good-natured and intelligent; but also flawed. These characteristics encourage the reader to identify with the protagonist and become invested in her story; thereby becoming invested in the novel itself. Elizabeth Bennett is the twentyRead MoreEmmas Management of Harriets Affairs in Jane Austens Emma Essay593 Words   |  3 PagesEmmas Management of Harriets Affairs in Jane Austens Emma In this novel, Jane Austen uses the relationship between Emma and Harriet to highlight the important issues. She uses Emmas management of Harriet to do this. She creates contrast between Emma and Harriet, she portrays Emma as beautiful and intelligent though we can still see faults in her personality. The main fault is her desire to control people and matchmake them. This also raises issues, including the Read MoreEmma Cultural Context1084 Words   |  5 PagesEmma by Jane Austen Cultural context The novel I have studied is Emma by Jane Austen. The cultural context to which we are introduced in the novel Emma by Jane Austen, is the world of the middle classes in the nineteenth century. In this essay I will look, firstly, at the role of women in this world. I will examine the very limited opportunities a woman had in terms of education and finding a career which would allow her to live an independent life in the world of the novel. Secondly, I will