Essay about Emma in Jane Austens Emma - 731 Words

Emma in Jane Austens Emma For the greater part of the book, Emma is allowed a much greater level of social and moral freedom than any other character in the book. As the opening chapter has it, the real evils of Emmas situation were having rather too much her own way. For Austen, the use of the word evil is not as a throwaway term, it is meant to give a very strong impression of how the heroine is trapped by her freedom into becoming arrogant and interfering. Emma indulges herself considerably, her response to learning of how disastrous her attempt at making a match between Harriet and Mr Elton is immediately to think of a match between Harriet and William Cox and although she stopped to†¦show more content†¦It could be argued that Austen is simply to fond of her Handsome, clever and rich creation. It may also be that the annoying traits of the other characters serve to highlight the fact that Emmas weaknesses are considerably deeper than those many of her companions display. Emma is the victim of pride, and proof of this is the extent to which this rubs of on Harriet. In Emmas own thoughts If Harriet, from being humble, had grown vain, it was her own fault. According to the Christian moral values held by Jane Austen, Pride and Vanity were the sources of all the other deadly sins. It was through pride, after all that Lucifer fell. Emma too can be seen as an angel being condemned for her arrogance. Just after her hurtful remark at Box Hill, she is described by Knightly as guiding the opinion of many of those present. She has a certain power and prestige that she abuses, in ding so reveals herself, at least in the eyes of Austen to be beyond mockery and instead deserving of remonstrance and Knightly describes his lecture. The apparent indulgence with which Emma is treated by Austen does serve one very important purpose in the novel. It allows her to make a fool of herself at regular intervals and through doing so to improve, if rather slowly, her character. Austen provides a powerful insight into the process of self-improvement. Emma does not experienceShow MoreRelated Jane Austens Emma Essay869 Words   |  4 PagesJane Austens Emma Jane Austen does indeed present a picture of a community who look to each other for entertainment as well as support, and are content with their limited outlook. The story never leaves the close surroundings of Highbury and there is no desire to do so. When the party goes to Box Hill, away from Highbury, there is tension and the trip is not enjoyed. It is interesting to note that the three characters that come into Highbury, are those which have the potential to ruinRead MoreJane Austens Emma Essay1958 Words   |  8 PagesChantal Fauconier This essay shall explore Jane Austen’s novel, Emma. Jane Austen’s writings were greatly influenced by the society she came from. She grew up in the Victorian era whereby the status of women was very limited. 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Eventually, the dream comes to an end as reality creeps into sleep and the fantasy finishes. The story of Jane Austen’s Emma is one of a similar account. Emma Woodhouse, the main character, has an active imagination that causes her to loose sight of reality like getting lost in dreaming. Her imagination and â€Å"disposition to think a little too wellRead MoreEssay on Hierarchy of Language in Jane Austens Emma6386 Words   |  26 Pages Jane Austen writes social novels. Her societies are microcosms of relative stability in a rapidly changing world. Within these restricted realms, class structure is rigid; however, members of this society participate in one common activity: discourse. Due to the vagaries and incompetencies among the characters, not all conversations in Emma conform to the ideals of communication, and in fact, contribute to the promulgation of t he central conflict. Henry Fielding proposed in his Miscellanies, thatRead More Societal Authority in Jane Austens Emma Essay2054 Words   |  9 Pagesthan in Jane Austen’s Emma. In Emma, Austen uses narrative style, characterization, and the plot device of word games to illustrate the ever-present power of hierarchical control. Emmas plot seemingly hovers around the superficial theme of strategic matchmaking. But while this is an important aspect of Emma, it serves primarily as a catalyst to illustrate the much bigger idea of societal authority present in the novel. Word games play a huge role in the plot development of Emma. . . . Emma is itself