As indicated by the novel's title, Emma is its central protagonist and the focus from which we either see or miss the drama. Chapter one introduces Emma Woodhouse and immediately allows the reader to see many of her faults. We are told that she is handsome, clever, and rich' and seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence', the word seemed already implying that there is something less than perfect in Emma's seemingly ideal world.
It is quickly apparent that Emma is spoilt; having lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her'. Emma is also selfish, clearly seen when Miss Taylor, Emma's governess and friend, married. We are notified that it was on the wedding day of this beloved friend that Emma first sat in mournful thought of any countenance' and how was she to bear the change?' between a Mrs Weston half a mile from them, and a Miss Taylor in the house'. Emma's objectification of Mrs Weston highlights her selfishness and causes her to appear an almost grotesque figure at this point. Ironically, it was Emma who made the match' between Miss Taylor and Mr Weston, and so her meddling nature is also revealed early on.
Jane Austen spoke of Emma as a heroin whom no one will like except myself' and consequently justifies Emma's behaviour in the novel. In this same first chapter in which we have met Emma as a monster, Austen also tells us that Emma's mother had died too long ago for her to have more than an indistinct remembrance of her caresses' and so we realise that Emma has been spoilt by, and takes after her father, Mr Woodhouse, who is also self centred and never able to suppose that other people could feel differently from himself'. He seems a lot older than his years and is preoccupied with food and especially health, these self delusions rub off on Emma, resulting in her having to work her social life around her father's needs .
Mr George Knightley is another key character, who from chapter one is established to be the voice of reason. Emma shows their intimacy by telling her father that we always say what we like to one another', and Knightley ends the chapter by telling Emma to allow Mr Elton to chuse his own wife', therefore pointing out to Emma her interfering manner.
Emma's problem is hubris, a feeling of excessive pride and self love which was responsible for the downfall of many Classical protagonists, perhaps most famously Oedipus from the tragedies of Sophocles. Lionel Trilling writes in his essay Emma and the legend of Jane Austen' in Beyond Culture, that:
'The self-love that we do countenance in women is of a limited and passive kind, and we are troubled if it is as assertive as the self-love of men is permitted, and expected, to be'.
Apart from her vanity, Emma seems to have the more assertive self-love more common in men, and perhaps it is this that makes her female behaviour so shockingly awful.
Like Oedipus, Emma's hubris causes her to be blind to her faults, despite Knightley's warnings. As she progresses throughout the novel she changes for the worse; until she faces losing the man she loves. It is at this crucial point that she truly makes the realisation that her self love has lead her to be a self deceiver, and matures before it is too late.
There are several key events that bring about the growth of Emma's character, the first event being her meeting with Harriet in chapter three. Emma's domineering nature is clear from the way she takes over the rule of Harriet's life and sees Harriet as the something which her home required' and a valuable addition to her privileges'. Harriet could accompany her on the long walks that Mr Woodhouse would not attempt, and so Emma objectifies Harriet in the same way she did Miss Taylor.
Upon meeting Harriet, Emma quickly assumes that the Martins, who Harriet had recently parted from, are coarse and unpolished', and unfit to be intimates of a girl who wanted only a little more knowledge and elegance to be quite perfect'. Emma's disregard for the Martins is instant, even though she has never met them at this point, and is based purely on their social status as farmers renting from Knightley. She decides to introduce Harriet into good society, mould her opinions and manners, and detach her' from those Emma considered being her bad acquaintance.' Harriet, who is an illegitimate child and a simple woman, looked up to Emma, hanging on her every word.
Emma's first major error is when she causes Harriet to refuse a marriage proposal from Robert Martin, convincing her that he is not good enough for her and that Mr Elton would be a better match. Emma wrongly believes that Mr Elton is interested in Harriet and reassures Harriet of this. Upon a first reading of the novel, the reader seeing Elton's actions through Emma's eyes believes this also. However, Emma's snobbery towards Robert Martin is actually preventing Harriet great opportunity, as Mr Elton wants only to improve his social standing, and turns out to be more interested in Emma.
In chapter eight, Mr Knightley rebukes Emma for her part in Harriet's refusal, and shows that he considers Mr Martin to be a good man and a friend despite his class. Emma's view of Mr Martin is of complete contrast to this, further illustrating her snobbery, Emma considers Robert Martin to be the last sort of person to raise her curiosity' and previously stated that the yeomanry are precisely the order of people with whom' she feels she can have nothing to do with'. Knightley sees reason and past class, while Emma can not, and even the reader sees her snobbery as unjust in this case.
Knightley warns Emma that Mr Elton is not the type of man, who will be interested in Harriet, and even John Knightley warns Emma that Mr Elton seems to be attracted to her, but she remains blind to both men's words of reason. Throughout Knightley's rebuke, Emma insists that she is right, and so when Mr Elton foolishly proposes to her, she is most shocked. Rather than realise her misconception and error, at this stage she puts it down to drunkenness and therefore could hope that it might belong only the passing hour'. It is only later, in chapter sixteen, that she at least considers a mistake in her judgement over Harriet and Elton. She feels remorse for Harriet, and vows to never match make again, but quickly recovers and consequently breaks this vow almost as soon as making it. Although this is a temporary recognition of her errors, it remains to be the first stage of Emma's growth in the novel.
Elton's actions cause him to leave Highbury for a little while and swiftly marry Augusta Hawkins for her dowry. We meet Mrs Elton for the first time in chapter thirty two, where we learn that she is pompous, snobby and in fact a more grotesque Emma figure. Because of Mrs Elton's vulgarity, the reader thinks less of Emma's snobbery towards her. Even Jane Austen asserts to the reader in chapter thirty three, that for once Emma's judgement is accurate, and that Emma was not required by any subsequent discovery, to retract her ill opinion of Mrs Elton'. Mrs Elton's proprietorship of Jane also serves as a warning to Emma regarding her own patronage of Harriet. Mrs Elton can be seen as a representative of the grotesque possibility of what Emma will be like if she doesn't change. Likewise, Miss Bates, a spinster and a gossip is the other grotesque possibility for Emma's future.
Apart from her meddling and snobbery, Emma also shows unkindness at certain points in the novel, and this aspect of her is made worse when she meets Frank Churchill, who encourages her. Their friendship brings us to the next level of her growth. Emma's interest in Frank stems from vanity, he is a well thought of young man and a good relationship between the two of them is expected because of their ties to Mr and Mrs Weston. Even before she meets him, she imagines herself in love with him, but Frank is secretly engaged to Jane Fairfax. This secret explains Jane having what Emma considers being too much reserve', as it forces Jane to keep people at a distance, and Frank knows this.
It is clear from chapter twenty that there is a deep jealousy and dislike in Emma towards Jane, seeing as a role model for Emma to measure herself against and her accomplishments as a threat. Mr Knightley had once told Emma that:
'She saw in her the really accomplished young women, which she wanted to be thought herself; and though the accusation had been eagerly refuted at the time; there were moments of self-examination in which her conscience could not acquit her'.
However, despite Emma's dislike for Jane, they are of the same age and she is expected to be friendly to her, so Emma pretends to show concern by always asking after Jane, when encountering Miss Bates:
'Emma was sorry; to have to pay civilities to a person she did not like through three long months! - to be always doing more than she wished, and less than she ought!'.
Typically, at this stage in the novel, Emma is sorry, but only for herself.
Frank flirts with Emma and plays on her elevated view of herself and her expectations to help hide the secret. He allows her to gossip to him about Jane's supposed affair with Mr Dixon, Emma tells him that if she (Jane) continued to play whenever she was asked by Mr Dixon, one may guess what one chuses', and Frank encourages this idea to help himself. He even goes so far as to criticise Jane's reserve himself, claiming it is unattractive. Frank also encourages Emma to speculate over the piano, again to protect himself. In chapter twenty eight, we see Frank tease Jane in public with Emma's theories, and this causes embarrassment for Jane. This bad behaviour on Frank's part results in Jane secretly calling off their engagement.
Emma does begin to recognize that Frank is reckless and vain, believing him to go all the way to London for a haircut in chapter twenty five. With regards to this, Emma sees Frank as having an air of foppery and nonsense in it which she could not approve', and so she does show a small sign of maturity here.
By chapter thirty one, Emma also realises that she is not really in love with Frank after all, but makes another error in judgement by believing him to be undoubtedly very much in love' with her. Their friendship continues, but Emma decides to be on guard not to encourage' his affections, showing a further sign of maturity despite her misconception.
Although Emma is not fond of Miss Bates' constant rambling, she does tolerate it and remains civil to her throughout the novel, until the picnic at Box Hill, where she insults and subsequently hurts Miss Bates. Emma was seeking a cheap laugh, again under the encouragement of Frank who initiated the word game. Frank was using Emma to help make Jane jealous, but Emma saw the opportunity and could not resist' telling Miss Bates that she is limited to saying only three' dull things at once'.
This is the peak of Emma's unkindness and her worst error, Knightley rebukes Emma for her insult, and this is the key incident that results in several successive developments in Emma's character. Although at first, she tries to laugh off the rebuke, she does soon realise the seriousness of her actions. Knightley believes Emma has abused her status and set a bad example in public on how to treat someone of a lower standing. He argues that Miss Bates' situation should secure your (Emma's) compassion' and that others would be entirely guided by your (Emma's) treatment of her'. Knightley's anger leaves Emma most forcibly struck' and she could not speak', unlike with previous occasions, time did not compose her' and she does not make a quick recovery from her error, but remains depressed in the knowledge that Knightley, whom she considers to be a very good friend, is seriously unhappy with her. It is Emma's fear that she has lost him, that brings about her real maturing.
While Knightley goes out of town for a while, Emma attempts to apologise to Jane, who is ill and will not see her. Emma shows genuine concern for Jane for the first time in the novel, and therefore shows care for someone else besides herself. Emma understands that she's been making further mistakes in her judgements when she learns Jane and Frank are an item, from Mr Weston in chapter forty six. Now, she fears more trouble, because she believes Harriet to be in love with Frank following his rescuing her from the gipsies. As with Harriet's previous attraction to Mr Elton, this attraction had also been encouraged by Emma.
At this point, Emma again genuinely thinks of another person, she feels miserable for Harriet and genuinely thinks badly of herself, as having been no friend of Harriet' in her knowledge that this will now be the second time Harriet has been the dupe' of Emma's misconceptions and flattery'. Emma has now truly realised the danger of such judgements and also realises that Jane's recent disregard for her status, focuses on them both as people and females. Emma now understands that status is not as important after all and was sorry, very sorry'.
Emma soon learns that Harriet was never in love with Frank, but Knightley, who had danced with her at the ball when Mr Elton had snubbed her. This makes Emma further grasp her misconceptions, and she is suddenly struck that she has always subconsciously loved Knightley herself, which explains their close relationship and her deep hurt at their fall out, but she now fears that she has lost him to Harriet who believes he likes her in return.
Knightley, however, returns to comfort Emma, thinking she is hurt over the news about Jane and Frank, and ends up confessing his love to Emma who accepts his proposal of marriage. Emma's equilibrium is restored by this second chance, and she reconciles herself with Jane. Frank apologises to all for his bad behaviour and the novel ends with three marriages of love not convenience, Frank and Jane, Harriet and Robert Martin, and Knightley and Emma.
As the reader we see Emma's mistakes in all their details even when she is blind to them herself, so we act as her helpless conscience. Emma's hubris means that she is the one who can not see, and is made to see by the blunders she makes in her own life, especially at the Box Hill picnic, the novel is about Emma's psychological spectacles. Emma was not the only character deceived by Frank, and at least she manages to make the right choice about not loving Frank, but the true gentlemen, Mr Knightley. Knightley and the reader also realises that it was Emma's strong attachment to her Father that prevented her thinking of romantic involvements for herself, throughout most of the novel. Knightley therefore gives up his personal comforts to live with Emma at Hartfield, to prevent her father becoming a further obstacle in her emotional growth.
Furthermore, in the same way that all the characters forgive each others faults in the end, the reader also forgives Emma. Perhaps Jane Austen was harsh in assuming that only she would like Emma, because in seeing Emma develop and change for the better, I fear that the reader ultimately does like the monster, Jane Austen created.
In the words of Lionel Trilling:
'Nothing is easier to pardon than the mistakes and excesses of self-love. If we are quick to condemn them, we take pleasure in forgiving them. And with good reason, for they are the extravagance of the first of virtues, the most basic and biological of the virtues, that of self-preservation'.
Bibliography
Austen, J. Emma (Penguin Popular Classics, 1994)
Trilling, L. Beyond Culture (Secker & Warburg, 1966)
Fagels, R. Sophocles' The Three Theban Plays (Viking Penguin Inc, 1982)