Emma - Book Summary

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Emma is a novel of manners written by Jane Austen. Published anonymously in 1815, it was the last of Austen’s novels to be issued before her death. While her other novels center around their female protagonists’ quests for financial security in the form of appropriate husbands, Emma focuses on a wealthy and beautiful heroine with no financial incentive to marry. Instead, the novel focuses on Emma’s meddling, taking on a lighter, more comedic tone than much of Austen’s other work.

At the center of the novel is Emma Woodhouse, a 20 year-old heiress who lives with her widowed father at their estate, Hartfield. Unlike many of the young women around her, she has no particular need to marry, as she does not need a husband to supply her fortune. Emma’s beauty and cleverness is wasted on the small village of Highbury, but she takes pride in her matchmaking skills. Her latest matchmaking coup is the recent marriage of Emma's governess, Miss Taylor, to Mr. Weston, the wealthy owner of Randalls, a nearby estate.

Without Miss Taylor, Emma feels lonely and decides to adopt the orphaned Harriet Smith as her new protégé. Although Harriet knows nothing of her parents, Emma supposes that Harriet's father must have been a gentleman and advises the innocent Harriet to avoid the lowly Martins, a family of farmers whose son, Robert, has paid Harriet much attention. Instead, Emma plans to play matchmaker for Harriet and Mr. Elton, the vicar of the church in Highbury.

The friendship between Emma and Harriet does little good for either of them, a fact of which Mr. Knightley, the Woodhouses’ neighbor and old friend, takes notice. Emma fills Harriet with grand pretensions that do not match her low situation in society. Harriet indulges Emma's meddling, such that when Robert Martin proposes to her, she rejects him as too common based on Emma's advice. Although Mr. Knightley scolds Emma for interfering, Emma maintains that Mr. Elton is a more suitable prospect.

At first, Emma’s attempts to bring Harriet and Mr. Elton together seem successful. But when Harriet is unable to attend the Westons' party on Christmas Eve, Mr. Elton professes his love for Emma on the carriage ride home. Emma rejects Mr. Elton, who is in turn offended by the suggestion of a match with Harriet and leaves Highbury for a stay in Bath. Emma is shocked by her poor judgment, and Harriet is broken-hearted.

Meanwhile, the village of Highbury eagerly anticipates the visit of Frank Churchill, Mr. Weston’s son. Frank is thought to be an ideal match for Emma, but as she spends more time with him, she notices that he is prone to superficial indulgences, like traveling to London solely for a haircut. Mr. Knightley expresses suspicion towards Frank’s motives, while Emma in turn suspects that Mr. Knightley might be in love with Jane Fairfax, a middle-class girl visiting Highbury who is otherwise Emma’s equal.

Soon, Frank learns that his aunt, an insufferable woman who exercises great authority over him, is unwell and leaves to care for her. Although Emma has convinced herself that she is in love with Frank, she is as happy when he is absent as she was when he was present. When Mr. Elton brings his new wife back to Highbury, Emma realizes that Mrs. Elton is a vapid name-dropper and takes an instant dislike to her. In return, Mrs. Elton takes an instant dislike to Emma, too.

When Frank Churchill returns, he and Emma sponsor a ball at the Crown Inn. While it is generally assumed that Frank and Emma are romantically attached, Emma has already begun to distance herself from him, and to think of Frank as a potential suitor for Harriet. When Mr. Elton takes the opportunity to humiliate Harriet by snubbing her in front of the other guests, Mr. Knightley dances with her instead, earning Emma’s approval.

Harriet is attacked by a group of gypsy beggars during her walk home the next day, and Frank saves her. His gallant rescue becomes the talk of Highbury, confirming Emma’s belief that he and Harriet are suitably matched. While Harriet admits to Emma that she has feelings for the man of higher social standing who saved her, she does not explicitly name Frank.

Soon, Mr. Knightley begins to suspect that Frank has a secret relationship with Jane Fairfax. Emma laughs off the idea and continues to flirt with him, but on an outing at Box Hill, Emma’s jealousy towards Jane comes to a head. When Emma openly insults Jane’s spinster aunt, Miss Bates, Mr. Knightley chastises Emma for her behavior, upsetting Emma deeply.

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