Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Observations on Jane Austen's Emma

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I  recently reread Emma recently and was struck by a number of themes (including one surprise mention of slavery that I'll put in another post) and structural parallels.


The right thing to do is the kind thing

Emma is redeemable for all her faults because she has a kind heart. Her father does, as well, though it manifests itself in fussing about warmth, food, calling in the doctor, etc. We see this clearly in the novel when he sends the pig portion to the Bates household, and Emma orders it to be an even more generous cut.


They have consideration for their servants, as does Mr. Knightley. It's clear that -- in contrast to Mrs. Elton -- he knows their names and tries to minimize their trouble. Part of the reason why he insists on the meal being served in the home rather than outside when he allows visitors to pick the estate's strawberries is because that makes things easier for the servants.


Mr. Knight only takes a carriage to the dance in order to be able to bring in Miss Bates and Jane. He does things in a quiet way. Also important to note that in the novel it is made clear that he doesn’t normally dance, so his dancing with Harriet after she is snubbed by Elton becomes even more significant. 


The novels also shows examples of false kindness. They include Mrs. Elton pressing Jane into a governess job she doesn’t want, Emma pushing Harriet to aspire higher than Robert Martin, and Frank Churchill gifting Jane with a piano with no notice, giving rise to all kinds of speculation.

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Mentorship

Mr. Knightley mentors Robert Martin purely to be helpful. He also serves as a mentor to Emma. His goal is 
to make her the best person she can be and recognize her duty in her society where she is the 19th century equivalent of an influencer.

On the other hand,  Emma mentors Harriet Smith with mixed motives and questionable guidance at times. But she is not as self-serving as Augusta Elton who takes on Jane Fairfax to enhance her view of herself as helpful when she is wholly bossy and manipulative.


Couples

Mr. Knightly brings out the best Emma. His love for her doesn't blind him to her faults (in contrast to Emma's sister who is always blind to the faults of those she loves). Mrs. Elton brings out her husband’s mean side and encourages it, pushing him on to humiliate Harriet by refusing to dance with her. In contrast, as Mr. Knightly suggests, Jane Fairfax will be a positive influence on Frank Churchill.




Related posts
Three Janes, Two Governesses, and the Abolitionist Movement
Jane Austen and Autism

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