Emma Woodhouse is the beautiful and wealthy mistress of Hartfield, the most notable house in Highbury. She lives a lonely life with her father. Miss Taylor, her governess, has recently married Mr Weston, isolating Emma further. Mr Knightley is a close friend of Emma. He has known her all her life and is the older brother of her brother-in-law. He is the only one who is critical of Emma's behaviour.
Emma makes friends with Harriet Smith, a young beautiful girl, but from a lower society than Emma. Harriet is attracted to Mr Martin, a local farmer and friend of Mr Knightley, but Emma feels this match is unworthy. So she pairs her friend with Mr Elton. However, her strategies backfire when Mr Elton proposes to her, and not Harriet. She says she will give up matchmaking, but soon changes her mind when the son of Mr Weston, Frank Churchill, arrives. He was adopted by his snobbish aunt and uncle on the death of his mother, and despite the secret wish of the Westons for him and Emma to be united, Emma decides to plan his marriage to Harriet. Only Mr Knightley dislikes him.
Jane Fairfax arrives in Highbury to stay with her grandmother, Mrs Bates. She is an orphan who has been living with the wealthy Campbell family as a companion for the young Miss Campbell. The marriage of her friend means Jane must now find employment as a governess. Emma dislikes this elegant and accomplished young woman. Soon after her arrival, the people of Highbury learn of Mr Elton's engagement to a Miss Hawkins whom he met in Bath.
Mrs Weston believes that Mr Knightley is falling in love with Jane Fairfax. Frank Churchill is called away to Yorkshire while he is in the middle of helping arrange a ball. Emma is convinced he was about to declare his love for her. .
When Frank's return is announced, the plans for the ball are begun once more. Mr Elton refuses Harriet's wish to dance, but Mr Knightley dances with her. But then when Frank rescues Harriet from gypsies the next day, Emma believes he is ready to fall in love with her friend.
Jane Austen, whom some critics consider England's best novelist, was born in 1775 in Steventon, England. ... Emma, which appeared in 1816, was the last novel published during Austen's lifetime. ... Some consider Emma Austen's best and most representative novel. ... Austen predicted that Emma would be "a character whom no one but me will much like." ... Nor do we know how harshly Austen expects us to judge Emma's behavior. ...
Discuss the characterization of Emma Woodhouse in the first chapter of Jane Austen's Emma. Introduction and short summary Jane Austen began writing Emma in 1814, and the book was published anonymously for the first time in 1816. ... Emma herself says about Miss Taylor that she 'fell little short of a mother in affection.' ... Jane Austen almost immediately gives us an appraisal on the main character of the book, Emma Woodhouse. ... Jane Austen finds that Emma must learn to be a better person with greater respect for others. ...