Although convinced thatshe herself will never marry, Emma Woodhouse, a precocious twenty-year-oldresident of the village of Highbury, imagines herself to be naturallygifted in conjuring love matches. After self-declared success atmatchmaking between her governess and Mr. Weston, a village widower,Emma takes it upon herself to find an eligible match for her newfriend, Harriet Smith. Though Harriet’s parentage is unknown, Emmais convinced that Harriet deserves to be a gentleman’s wife andsets her friend’s sights on Mr. Elton, the village vicar. Meanwhile,Emma persuades Harriet to reject the proposal of Robert Martin,a well-to-do farmer for whom Harriet clearly has feelings.
Harriet becomes infatuated with Mr. Elton under Emma’s encouragement,but Emma’s plans go awry when Elton makes it clear that his affectionis for Emma, not Harriet. Emma realizes that her obsession withmaking a match for Harriet has blinded her to the true nature ofthe situation. Mr. Knightley, Emma’s brother-in-law and treasuredfriend, watches Emma’s matchmaking efforts with a critical eye.He believes that Mr. Martin is a worthy young man whom Harriet wouldbe lucky to marry. He and Emma quarrel over Emma’s meddling, and,as usual, Mr. Knightley proves to be the wiser of the pair. Elton,spurned by Emma and offended by her insinuation that Harriet ishis equal, leaves for the town of Bath and marries a girl therealmost immediately.
Emma is left to comfort Harriet and to wonder about thecharacter of a new visitor expected in Highbury—Mr. Weston’s son,Frank Churchill. Frank is set to visit his father in Highbury afterhaving been raised by his aunt and uncle in London, who have takenhim as their heir. Emma knows nothing about Frank, who has longbeen deterred from visiting his father by his aunt’s illnesses andcomplaints. Mr. Knightley is immediately suspicious of the youngman, especially after Frank rushes back to London merely to havehis hair cut. Emma, however, finds Frank delightful and noticesthat his charms are directed mainly toward her. Though she plansto discourage these charms, she finds herself flattered and engagedin a flirtation with the young man. Emma greets Jane Fairfax, another additionto the Highbury set, with less enthusiasm. Jane is beautiful andaccomplished, but Emma dislikes her because of her reserve and,the narrator insinuates, because she is jealous of Jane.
Suspicion, intrigue, and misunderstandings ensue. Mr.Knightley defends Jane, saying that she deserves compassion because,unlike Emma, she has no independent fortune and must soon leavehome to work as a governess. Mrs. Weston suspects that the warmthof Mr. Knightley’s defense comes from romantic feelings, an implicationEmma resists. Everyone assumes that Frank and Emma are forming anattachment, though Emma soon dismisses Frank as a potential suitorand imagines him as a match for Harriet. At a village ball, Knightleyearns Emma’s approval by offering to dance with Harriet, who hasjust been humiliated by Mr. Elton and his new wife. The next day,Frank saves Harriet from Gypsy beggars. When Harriet tells Emmathat she has fallen in love with a man above her social station,Emma believes that she means Frank. Knightley begins to suspectthat Frank and Jane have a secret understanding, and he attemptsto warn Emma. Emma laughs at Knightley’s suggestion and loses Knightley’sapproval when she flirts with Frank and insults Miss Bates, a kindheartedspinster and Jane’s aunt, at a picnic. When Knightley reprimandsEmma, she weeps.
News comes that Frank’s aunt has died, and this eventpaves the way for an unexpected revelation that slowly solves themysteries. Frank and Jane have been secretly engaged; his attentionsto Emma have been a screen to hide his true preference. With hisaunt’s death and his uncle’s approval, Frank can now marry Jane,the woman he loves. Emma worries that Harriet will be crushed, butshe soon discovers that it is Knightley, not Frank, who is the objectof Harriet’s affection. Harriet believes that Knightley shares herfeelings. Emma finds herself upset by Harriet’s revelation, andher distress forces her to realize that she is in love with Knightley.Emma expects Knightley to tell her he loves Harriet, but, to herdelight, Knightley declares his love for Emma. Harriet is soon comfortedby a second proposal from Robert Martin, which she accepts. Thenovel ends with the marriage of Harriet and Mr. Martin and thatof Emma and Mr. Knightley, resolving the question of who loves whomafter all.
FAQs
Emma, fourth novel by Jane Austen, published in three volumes in 1815. Set in Highbury, England, in the early 19th century, the novel centres on Emma Woodhouse, a precocious young woman whose misplaced confidence in her matchmaking abilities occasions several romantic misadventures.
What is the main message of the book Emma? ›
The main themes of Emma are marriage, love, social class, and women's role in society. Themes are literary devices that explore underlying meaning or subtexts. These can be communicated through a combination of characters, setting, plot, dialogue, and style.
What happens in chapter 47 of Emma? ›
Summary: Chapter 47
Emma is filled with concern for Harriet. She is angrier at herself than she is at Frank, because she believes that she should have discouraged Harriet's attachment to him. Jane's behavior since her arrival in Highbury is also put into perspective.
Is Emma an easy read? ›
Subtleties of language and character make Emma most accessible to teens and up, but while younger readers may miss some nuances, there's no cause for parental concern on any other level.
What is the main conflict in Emma? ›
Major conflict Emma struggles to shed her vanity and her fear of confronting her own feelings, both of which cause her to misunderstand those around her and to meddle harmfully in the lives of others.
Why does Emma marry Mr. Knightley? ›
He decided to return to Hartfield to offer support to Emma, whom he believes to be in love with Mr. Churchill. On the spur of the moment, after finding this to be untrue, he declares his love to Emma and asks her to marry him, and she accepts.
What happens at the end of Emma? ›
Jane and Emma reconcile, and Frank and Jane visit the Westons. Once the mourning period for Frank's aunt ends, they will marry. Before the end of November, Emma and Mr. Knightley are married with the prospect of "perfect happiness."
What lesson does Emma learn? ›
Austen's Emma focuses chiefly on Emma's blunders, imperfections, and progression; by letting go of her prideful notions and uncompromising supervision of the people around her, empathizing and identifying with them, and trusting their judgements of themselves, Emma learns that despite the unpredictable world around her ...
What was the point of the nosebleed in Emma? ›
In sum, de Wilde's commitment to humanizing the characters and challenging romantic tropes is a hallmark of her adaptation of “Emma.” The nosebleed scene, as a symbol of vulnerability and imperfection, plays a pivotal role in achieving this vision.
What happens in chapter 52 of Emma? ›
Summary: Chapter 52
Harriet agrees to Emma's plan to send her to London on the pretense that she needs to see a dentist, which satisfies Emma since she does not want to hurt Harriet with news of Emma and Mr. Knightley's engagement. Emma decides not to tell her father of her engagement until Mrs.
Summary: Chapter 34
Fulfilling a social obligation, Emma plans a dinner party for Mrs. Elton. Harriet asks to be excused from attending, which gives Emma the opportunity to ease her conscience regarding Jane Fairfax, who, at Harriet's announced absence, is promptly invited to fill the empty eighth seat.
What happens in chapter 42 of Emma? ›
Summary: Chapter 42
Mrs. Elton seizes upon the idea, and Knightley has to be firm to prevent her from planning all the details. Meanwhile, the lame horse heals, and it is decided that the Box Hill party will follow the one at Donwell Abbey, Knightley's estate.
What is the saddest Jane Austen book? ›
Persuasion is Austen's last published work. She began it when she was nearly 40 years old, and when she finished it she was within a year of her death. Perhaps not surprisingly, it is one of her shortest – and it is certainly her saddest – novel.
What grade level is Emma? ›
Most high school students would be able to read and comprehend this book without a problem. High school students and beyond would have more success in reading and understanding this book compared to younger readers. Advanced readers in grades 6-8 may feel comfortable with the text.
What is the hardest Jane Austen book to read? ›
But there is still another factor; Mansfield Park is perhaps one of Austen's most demanding novels: subtler, slower, and structured around two central characters who are by no means effervescent.
What lesson does Emma learn in Emma? ›
Throughout Austen's Emma, Emma's navigation through her relationships with Mr. Woodhouse, Miss Bates, and Mr. Knightley reveals the importance of the awareness of one's self, mistakes, and ability to improve for personal growth.
Does Emma fall in love in Emma? ›
Although she has vowed she will never marry, she delights in making matches for others. She has a brief flirtation with Frank Churchill; however, she realises at the end of the novel that she loves Mr Knightley. Mr Knightley is a neighbour and close friend of Emma, aged 37 years. He is her only critic.
Does Emma movie have a happy ending? ›
Knightley are very much in love Emma is distressed at the thought of leaving her father all alone. To accommodate her wishes Mr. Knightley suggests that rather than having Emma quit her father's home he joins it. Emma happily agrees and the two are married.
Why does Emma have a period at the end? ›
When asked why she styled the title 'Emma. ' with a period at the end, director Autumn de Wilde replied, “Well, because . . . it's a period piece!” If you've seen the trailer for Autumn de Wilde's new adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma., it looks like a Gen Z fever dream.
