Author: Jane Austen, an English novelist of the late eighteenth century.
The protagonist of this delightful early-nineteenth-century English novel from the queen of comedy of manners is the spoiled but adorable twenty-one-year-old Emma Woodhouse. Though it has often drawn criticism for an absence of plot, it has been adapted frequently for stage, television, and film.
After the early death of Emma’s mother, Emma was brought up by governess Miss Taylor, now almost like a sister and friend. Emma’s elder sister Isabella, married to lawyer John Knightley, lives with her five children in London, sixteen miles away from Woodhouse estate Hartfield in Highbury, where the Woodhouse family is the most prominent. Independent headstrong Emma’s only social equal is Mr. Knightley, John’s elder brother George, of Donwell Abbey in the adjoining parish, sixteen years Emma’s senior.
Miss Taylor marries widower Weston and moves to Randalls less than a mile away. The Westons and Knightley visit Hartfield daily. Mr. Woodhouse is friendly though not bright, always afraid of catching cold or food being too rich, not only for his own delicate constitution, but everybody else’s as well. He regrets that ‘poor Isabella’ and ‘poor Miss Taylor’ were compelled to leave more salubrious and spacious Hartfield to live with their husbands, – a hardship he advises Emma against.
Pretty and naive seventeen-year-old Harriet Smith, ‘natural’ or illegitimate daughter of an unnamed father, ‘parlor-boarder’ of Mrs. Goddard’s school, becomes Emma’s protégée. A matchmaker at heart though determined never to marry herself, Emma unwisely grooms Harriet, – lacking birth, intelligence, or fortune, for a superior match. Under Emma’s misguided influence, Harriet rejects Knightley’s tenant farmer Martin, a very sensible and respectable young man according to Knightley, though she loves him. Knightley shrewdly deduces Emma wants handsome young vicar Elton for Harriet, warning Emma Elton will only marry a wealthy woman.
When Isabella and John visit, John observes Elton seems attached to Emma, rather than Harriet. Emma paints Harriet’s portrait, failing to understand ambitious Elton is enraptured with the affluent artist, not the subject. She is aghast when Elton proposes marriage to her, while Elton is insulted by Emma considering lowly Harriet his equal. Rebuffed by Emma, Elton travels to the seaside resort Bath, quickly becoming engaged to a woman with fortune, but no breeding.
Mrs. Bates, former vicar’s wife in straitened circumstances, and good-natured garrulous daughter, Miss Bates, are generously helped by neighbors, particularly Knightley. Mrs. Bates’ younger daughter and her husband have died, and their orphaned child Jane Fairfax was brought up by Jane’s father’s friend Colonel Campbell. When the Campbells visit their daughter in Ireland, beautiful accomplished Jane of twenty-one, a favorite of Knightley, visits Highbury instead of joining them, presumably since she must soon become a governess to support herself.
Weston’s son Frank Churchill, brought up by Weston’s late wife’s rich childless brother whose name he takes, visits Highbury for the first time, to pay respects to his new mother, after many postponements. Knightley believes even allowing for a tyrannical hypochondriac aunt, Frank could have visited earlier. Knightley declares Frank frivolous and vindicated when Frank travels to London for having his hair cut. Emma enjoys Frank’s playful flirtations, though she is not in love.
Jane and Frank are acquainted from a visit to the seaside town Weymouth, but Knightley’s conjecture of a warmer attachment between them is dismissed by Emma. A pianoforte arrives for Jane from an anonymous sender, Emma exchanging with Frank fanciful speculations regarding his identity. Emma dislikes reserved Jane, – Emma’s superior in all but wealth. The Westons throw a ball, at which Elton pointedly declines to dance with Harriet, snickering at her along with his conceited wife. Knightley immediately asks Harriet for the dance. Harriet is surrounded by gypsy children on a walk, and Frank frightens them away. Emma presumes Harriet is in love with Frank when Harriet extolls the gentleman’s kindness to Harriet without naming him.
On an excursion to Donwell Abbey, Frank is temperamental after arriving late. Insufferable Mrs. Elton has been patronizing Jane for weeks, now pestering her to take a position with an acquaintance of her rich sister. Jane surreptitiously leaves to escape her. While visiting picturesque Box Hill the next day, Frank flirts with Emma. He suggests a game of each narrating three entertaining things, and Emma insinuates Miss Bates cannot remain limited to three. Knightley reproaches her insolence which hurt Miss Bates, making Emma cry. Emma’s doting father and indulgent governess never criticized Emma, while Knightley persistently points out her errors.
Emma visits Miss Bates next morning in atonement and learns Jane has accepted Mrs. Elton’s offer. Jane does not meet Emma, pleading illness. She returns the food sent by Emma and does not ride in Emma’s carriage. Emma senses Jane is offended by her. Frank’s aunt expires, and he announces he became engaged to Jane at Weymouth. In a letter to Mrs. Weston, Frank explains that he forced Jane into the secret alliance against Jane’s better judgment, fearing his aunt’s objections. They quarreled at Donwell, and Jane felt affronted at Box Hill, breaking off their engagement.
Now obtaining his uncle’s approval for marriage, Frank is reunited with Jane, apologizing to Emma for using her to conceal his real object. Knightley severely criticizes such thoughtlessness, including sending the pianoforte. Emma is astonished at Harriet bearing her disappointment well, only to discover the unnamed gentleman she adores is not Frank, but Knightley, who rescued her at the dance. Emma realizes her folly in stoking Harriet’s irrational aspirations, but wonders whether Knightley might love Harriet.
With a pang of jealousy, Emma realizes she always loved only Knightley. When Knightley realizes Emma does not love Frank, he confesses having loved Emma since she was thirteen. In deference to Emma’s elderly father’s needs, Knightley decides to move to Hartfield. Emma arranges for Harriet to visit Isabella to divert her mind. Knightley sends Martin to John on business, and Harriet is reconciled there with Martin. Harriet and Martin are the first to be married by Elton, followed by Emma and Knightley, while Jane awaits the end of Frank’s mourning.
