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$Pretitle{}
$Title{Works of Jane Austen
Emma: Chapters 1 - 13}
$Subtitle{}
$Author{Austen, Jane}
$Affiliation{Instructor Of English, Rutgers University}
$Subject{emma
harriet
knightley
elton
harriet's
emma's
martin
chapter
weston
father}
$Date{}
$Log{}
Title:       Works of Jane Austen
Book:        Emma
Author:      Austen, Jane
Critic:      Fitzpatrick, William J.
Affiliation: Instructor Of English, Rutgers University

Emma: Chapters 1 - 13

Chapter 1

     "Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and
happy disposition seemed to unite some of the blessings of existence; and had
lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex
her." Because her older sister is married and her mother dead, Emma is the
mistress of her father's house. She has been brought up by a governess who has
let her have her own way, and Emma has "a disposition to think a little too
well of herself." Her former governess of sixteen years, Miss Taylor, has
recently married Mr. Weston - a pleasant, easy-going man. Emma and her father,
however, very much regret losing the company of Miss Taylor, even though, as
Mrs. Weston, she is now living only half a mile away. (But Emma is somewhat
consoled by the thought that she had promoted the match.)

     Mr. Woodhouse is a "valetudinarian" - a man who exaggerates his sickly
constitution, whose chief concern and anxiety is his health and comfort.
Furthermore, he is generally opposed to marriage because it disturbs settled
situations. Emma's older sister, Isabella, is married, has five children and
lives at Brunswick Square in London, sixteen miles from Hartfield. Hartfield,
the Woodhouse residence, is in the village of Highbury, where Emma has no
equal for cleverness and wit. Emma tries to console her father, who complains
about losing Miss Taylor to Mr. Weston. That evening, Mr. George Knightley,
elder brother of Isabella's husband, calls on the Woodhouses. Mr. Knightley,
who is thirty-seven or eight years old, lives about a mile from Highbury at
Donwell Abbey and is the first gentleman of the vicinity. Mr. Knightley
congratulates the Woodhouses on Miss Taylor's good fortune.

     Mr. Knightley is the only person in town who presumes to criticize Emma.
Emma brags to Mr. Knightley that at least she has the consolation of knowing
that she planned the marriage herself between her former governess and Mr.
Weston, who had been a self-contented widower so long. But Mr. Knightley
rebukes her, saying that she only made a lucky guess and that anyway she has
no business wasting her time trying to bring about marriages. He insists that
interference in the lives of others can bring only harm to Emma.

     Mr. Woodhouse says that Emma never thinks of herself if she can do good
to others. Emma then goes on to say that she wants to find a wife for Mr.
Elton, the village priest (Anglican Church). Mr. Knightley warns her to leave
him alone, for a man can take care of himself.

Comment:

     In this chapter we learn the basic faults of Emma's character. Because,
with her superior wit and will, she dominates Highbury, because she is the
mistress of her household and of her rather simple-minded father, because she
has been "a spoiled child," she tends to be a proud, self-willed, vain, and
dominating young woman (and remember, she is not yet twenty-one). We also
learn the basic motive of the plot -that is, Emma's meddling in the lives of
others through matchmaking. The reader should take note of Mr. Knightley's
warnings (his chief role in the novel is that of Emma's critic and educator).
As the novel goes on, the reader will see the unconscious irony in Mr.
Woodhouse's remarking that Emma "never thinks of herself if she can do good to
others."

Chapter II

     Mr. Weston is a gentleman and a retired military man. His deceased wife
was a member of a great Yorkshire family, the Churchills. Miss Churchill's
brother and his wife would have nothing to do with the young couple because
they did not consider Mr. Weston a good "connection." Captain Weston's wife
died, however, after three years of marriage, and left him with a little boy.
When Mr. and Mrs. Churchill offered to bring up young Frank, Mr. Weston
consented because of the advantages of wealth and position he would have, and
sent him to live permanently with them. Although he continued to meet his
father every year in London, he grew up to adopt the name of Churchill and
became his childless uncle's heir. In the intervening years, Mr. Weston had
left the army, engaged in trade (business) and was able eventually to retire
on a decent income and to purchase Randalls, a small estate near Highbury,
before he married Miss Taylor.

     Mr. Weston's boasts of his son have made Frank Churchill (who is about
twenty-three or four) well thought of and talked about in Highbury even though
he has never visited there. But now that his father has gotten married, he
wrote to say that he would come to visit him and his new bride.

Chapter III

     Mr. Woodhouse enjoys having a few friends in for dinners and evening
parties. The Westons, Mr. Knightley, and Mr. Elton come very frequently. Also
Miss Bates and her mother, Mrs. Bates, and Mrs. Goddard (who ran a school for
girls in town) are frequently invited. Mrs. Bates is the widow of a former
vicar (pastor) of Highbury and is beginning to approach senility. She lives
with her daughter, Miss Bates, who is "neither young, handsome, rich, nor
married." She is a happy, amiable woman, in spite of her gossip,
scatter-brained run-on talk, and trivial intelligence. Although these three
ladies kept her father good company, they could afford Emma no pleasure.

     One day, Mrs. Goddard brings Harriet Smith with her to Hartfield. Emma is
happy to make the acquaintance of this pretty and well-behaved young girl of
seventeen, who is the illegitimate daughter of an unknown person who
anonymously maintains her as a boarder at Mrs. Goddard's school. Impressed
with Harriet's deference to her, Emma decides to undertake Harriet's
"improvement." She decides to separate her from her friends, the Martin
family, who rent a farm from Mr. Knightley. Mere farmers would be unworthy in
manners and elegance for a friend of Emma's.

Comment:

     Emma's decision to take charge of Harriet's social life derives from her
boredom, her vanity at Harriet's being impressed by her, and the joy she gets
in exercising her power to mold another's life.

Chapter IV

     Harriet Smith soon becomes a steady visitor at Hartfield, always ready
to be guided by Emma. Mrs. Weston, on the other hand, remains Emma's true
friend with whom she is on terms of singular intimacy and equality.

     Harriet does not know who her real parents are, and Emma is unable to
find out. She does discover that she spent two months at the Martins' (at
Abbey-Mill Farm). When Emma finds out that Mr. Martin is young and unmarried
and that Harriet is very impressed by him, she decides to "save" Harriet from
marrying "beneath" her. Mr. Martin appears to be an intelligent, practical
man who reads the Agricultural Reports and Oliver Goldsmith but has not wasted
his time reading the superficial romances (Romances of the Forest, The
Children of the Abbey) that Harriet knows. Emma informs Harriet that she would
have nothing to do with "yeomanry," in an effort to give Harriet the
impression that farmers are beneath her. Emma reminds Harriet that she is a
gentleman's daughter and, therefore, should be careful not to degrade herself
by associating with the woman Mr. Martin will marry, for in all likelihood he
will marry an inferior person. She should stay away from odd acquaintances.

     The next day Emma and Harriet meet Mr. Martin while out walking. Harriet
asks Emma what she thinks of him, and is told that he is "remarkably plain"
and wants "gentility" (graceful and elegant manners and bearing). Emma advises
her that he is a "very inferior creature." Emma invites Harriet to compare
Mr. Martin with Mr. Weston and Mr. Elton, who are real gentlemen. Emma goes
on to praise especially Mr. Elton as a model of good-humored gentlemanliness.
She tells Harriet a compliment Mr. Elton paid her. Thus Emma has decided to
make a match between Harriet and Mr. Elton, and sees no social obstacle in
Harriet's illegitimacy. Although not good enough for Emma of course, Mr.
Elton is found to be eminently suitable for Harriet.

Comment:

     The first significant step in Emma's "education" of Harriet is to impart
some of her snobbery to her. Mr. Martin is obviously an industrious and
well-mannered young man. But because Emma has ambitions for Harriet, that is,
because she wishes to make her according to her own standards, she
presumptuously begins to cut off a budding romance between Harriet and Mr.
Martin and shows herself to be an inconsiderate snob in the process.

Chapter V

     Mr. Knightley tells Mrs. Weston that he thinks Emma's intimacy with
Harriet Smith is "a bad thing." But Mrs. Weston thinks that the friendship
will be good for both of them. And in trying to improve Harriet, Emma will
read more herself. Mr. Knightley replies that Emma's intentions to read more
are meaningless because Emma is incapable of industry, patience and
discipline. Emma, he says, is spoiled because she is the cleverest one in the
family and used to boss Mrs. Weston when she was her governess. Harriet Smith
is a very bad companion because she is so far inferior to her and thus can
only flatter her. Emma can only give Harriet pretentions to which she has no
right. Mrs. Weston goes on to praise Emma's beauty and figure, and Mr.
Knightley agrees. But he persists in seeing harm to both Emma and Harriet in
their relationship. Mrs. Weston says that though Emma has declared she will
never marry, she would like to see her fall in love; but there is nobody in
the neighborhood to whom she might be attracted.

Comment:

     The purpose of this chapter is to alert the reader to the pitfalls which
await Emma; for Mr. Knightley is (nearly) always right and Emma is (nearly)
always wrong. She will suffer for her aggressive egotism.

Chapter VI

     Emma finds that her encouragement has resulted in Harriet's being
interested in Mr. Elton, and Emma is convinced that Mr. Elton is beginning to
fall in love with Harriet. Mr. Elton praises Emma for the good influence that
Emma has had on Harriet's character and manners. When Mr. Elton
enthusiastically supports Emma's suggestion that she paint Harriet's picture,
she becomes convinced that wedding bells are not far away.

     Emma has never really developed her talent for drawing and painting
because she could not persist in anything to the end, and almost all her
previous work was unfinished. But she completes the water-color of Harriet
because she has an ulterior motive. Mr. Elton very much admires Harriet's
picture. When Mrs. Weston says to him that Emma has greatly improved Harriet's
looks, he replies that it is a very good likeness. Mr. Elton eagerly agrees to
take the painting to London to choose a frame for it. Mr. Elton's behavior
during this affair makes Emma certain that he is in love with Harriet, though
she does observe that she, herself, has gotten a good many compliments from
him.

Comment:

     The reader will observe that in this and the following chapters, Mr.
Elton's behavior can be interpreted in two ways: he can be trying to please
Harriet or Emma.

Chapter VII

     The day that Mr. Elton goes to London for the frame, Harriet tells Emma
that she has gotten a letter from Mr. Martin proposing marriage. Emma, seeing
that Harriet is very much impressed by this proposal, sets out to sabotage
Mr. Martin's chances by telling Harriet he wishes to improve his social
status by marrying her. Although the letter is very well written with the
feeling and good sense of a gentleman, Emma cleverly contrives to make
Harriet decide to refuse him. While telling her she would not advise her
either way, Emma successfully communicates her opinion to Harriet and then,
when Harriet says that she will refuse Mr. Martin, Emma confirms Harret in her
judgment by telling her that of course she would not have been able to visit
Mrs. Robert Martin at the illiterate and vulgar Abbey-Mill Farm, and is glad,
therefore, for Harriet's decision. This only serves to strengthen Harriet's
desire to conform to the standards of "Miss Woodhouse." Emma subtly helps
Harriet compose her letter of refusal, and then goes on to distract her with
talk of Mr. Elton and his attentions to her.

Comment:

     That Emma is not without some awareness of the grossness of her meddling
is clearly apparent from two things in this chapter. She recognizes the merit
of style and feeling in Mr. Martin's letter; and she recognizes Harriet's bad
taste in mentioning its brevity. Nevertheless, she persists in manipulating
the emotions and prejudices of the weak willed Harriet in order that her
design to unite Miss Smith and Mr. Elton will materialize. There is a certain
viciousness and meanness in Emma's treatment of Mr. Martin, especially since
Harriet's own fickleness, superficiality, and equivocal social status
make her anything but superior to Mr. Martin.

Chapter VIII

     Harriet spends the night at Hartfield frequently, for Emma wants to keep
an eye on her to make sure that her scheme does not fall through.

     One day, Mr. Knightley calls and compliments Emma on having improved
Harriet's manners and on having cured her of her "school-girl's giggle." Mr.
Knightley then says that he believes that Harriet Smith will soon receive an
offer of marriage from Robert Martin. Mr. Martin had consulted Mr. Knightley
about it and Mr. Knightley had advised him to marry. Emma then informs him
that Mr. Martin proposed yesterday and that he was refused. Indignant and
angry, Mr. Knightley guesses that Emma pesuaded Harriet to refuse him. To
Emma's retort that Mr. Martin is not Harriet's equal, Knightley replies
sternly that he is indeed much her superior; for Harriet, as the illegitimate
daughter of unknown parents, has no respectable relations and no outstanding
intelligence or education. In short, it was Harriet who stood to gain from the
match. Emma replies that Mr. Martin is inferior in social status. She is
convinced that Harriet's father was a gentleman and a man of fortune. But Mr.
Knightley insists that she has not been very well cultivated and really has
very little to bring to a respectable, intelligent gentleman farmer. It is
only from Emma that Harriet has gotten any sense of superiority, and Emma has
been a poor friend. Though Emma admits that Harriet is not clever, she thinks
that Harriet's beauty and good-naturedness are sufficient possessions. She
even remarks playfully that she would be a good catch for Mr. Knightley, but
Mr. Knightley clear-sightedly asserts that Emma will make Harriet vain by
giving her ideas to which she has no just claim. "Men of sense do no want
silly wives." Men of family would not connect themselves with a girl of such
obscure birth. For Emma to encourage her to marry above Mr. Martin is in all
likelihood to condemn Harriet to spinsterhood. Emma begins to feel a little
uncomfortable. Mr. Knightley goes on to predict that if Elton is the man that
Emma has in mind for Harriet, she is laboring in vain because he would never
marry "imprudently." Mr. Knightley departs very much upset at the pain that
Emma has caused Robert Martin.

     Though Emma has not changed her mind, she is still uneasy at having Mr.
Knightley disapprove of her judgment. Harriet then joins Emma and talks of Mr.
Elton, who has gone off to London for the picture frame.
Comment:

     The reader should bear in mind Emma's playful comment about Harriet's
being a good catch for Mr. Knightley.

Chapter IX

     Although sorry about her quarrel with Mr. Knightley, Emma remains
convinced that she is right about Harriet and Mr. Elton and continues to
contrive to bring them together. Mr. Elton returns from London with the framed
picture; it is hung in the sitting room at Hartfield, where he admires it
profusely. Superficial Harriet quickly forgets about Mr. Martin and becomes
attached to Mr. Elton.

     Emma's plans for improving her friend's mind through reading never
develop. Harriet's activity consists in collecting riddles and copying them
into a notebook, and Emma finds it easier to help her with this than with the
discipline of serious reading. Mr. Elton is asked to contribute to the
collection. When Emma asks him to write one himself, he replies that he has no
talent in that direction. But the next day he returns with a "charade" that
the says a friend of his wrote to a young lady he admired. Because it is his
friend's, he cannot offer it for Harriet's collection, but he gives it to
Emma. (A charade consists of a series of verses describing the syllables of
the word which is to be spelled out. Mr. Elton's charade spells out court,
ship: courtship.) Emma understands it immediately, but slower-witted Harriet
cannot figure it out without Emma's help.

     Emma is convinced that Mr. Elton wrote the charade for and to Harriet.
And she predicts to her that she will soon be living at the parsonage. Harriet
replies that if Emma had not told her of Mr. Elton's affection, she would
never have imagined it. Emma tells her that she can rely on her judgment.
Harriet and Mr. Elton are suited to each other "by every circumstance of your
respective homes." Harriet's unknown relations will be pleased at such a
match.

Comment:

     The reader will note that Mr. Elton gave the charade to Emma, and when
Emma speaks of her judgment and of Harriet's circumstances "being suited to
Mr. Elton's," he will recall Mr. Knightley's remarks on this subject in
Chapter VIII.

     Mr. Woodhouse comes in and speaks of Isabella and John Knightley's coming
to visit next week. He thinks that it is sad that she got married and was
taken away from Hartfield. Isabella named her eldest boy Henry - that is,
after her father rather than her husband. Her devotion to her father is
matched by a similarity in character.

     Mr. Elton then calls at Hartfield, and Emma senses in his manner a
curiosity at the reaction to his charade. In a flowery manner, he remarks
that his "friend" would be extremely proud to have his charade copied in the
book. Emma thinks to herself that Mr. Elton's affected and pretentious
speeches are laughable.

Comment:

     This chapter reveals that Emma is not really interested in "improving"
Harriet's mind, but rather in arranging a match between her and Mr. Elton. And
Emma's low opinion of Mr. Elton's manners shows that she does not really
consider that Harriet, for whom she intends him, has much potential for
improvement.

Chapter X

     The next day, Emma takes Harriet along on a charitable visit to a poor,
sick family. On the way, they pass Mr. Elton's vicarage and Emma remarks that
Harriet will soon be living there. Harriet wonders why "Miss Woodhouse" (she
always calls her "Miss Woodhouse") is not planning to be married. Emma
replies that she has very little intention of ever marrying. Not only does
she not expect to find someone sufficiently superior for her, but she does not
wish to find him, so pleased is she with her pleasant situation. It is not in
her nature to fall in love, and anyway she thinks that few married women would
be as important in their own homes as she is at Hartfield. Harriet's objection
that she would be "an old maid" does not bother Emma, who says that the public
only makes fun of an unmarried woman if she is poor. But Emma has no fear of
that or of becoming narrow-minded because of her material circumstances. Miss
Bates, who is "an old maid," is poor; but, admits Emma, it is rather her
silliness which annoys Emma. Emma says that she has an active, busy mind which
will keep her occupied in old age, and she has all her nieces and nephews to
supply affection. Harriet asks if she knows Miss Bates' niece, Jane Fairfax.
Emma replies that she has known her for some time, but is annoyed at Miss
Bates' consistent chatter about Jane Fairfax.

Comment:

     Emma's resolution not to marry and her declarations of self-sufficiency
point up her selfishness and vanity. She is the center of attention in her
present situation at Hartfield and Highbury, and her natural desire to marry
is perverted into arranging the marriage of others.

     Emma is very thoughtful and helpful to the poor family she visits and to
the poor in general. But Harriet's and Emma's thoughts of the sufferings of
the poor are soon driven away by the sight of Mr. Elton on the road ahead. He
was on his way to visit Hartfield and he now decides to accompany them. Emma
pretends to tie her shoelace in order to let Mr. Elton and Harriet walk on
ahead together alone. When she catches up with them, she is disappointed to
find Mr. Elton most unromantically talking about a dinner he had at a
friend's. In order to maneuver them into the vicarage, Emma breaks the lace on
her boot, throws it into a ditch, and asks Mr. Elton if she can ask his
housekeeper for a piece of string to repair her boot. Mr. Elton is delighted
to invite them into his parlor, where Emma leaves the two "lovers" alone while
she goes to see the housekeeper. Although no proposal results from her
contrivings, Emma remains pleased and expectant.

Chapter XI

     Emma is soon distracted from the "romance" of Harriet and Mr. Elton by
the arrival, for a ten-day visit, of her sister Isabella, her brother-in-law
John Knightley, and their five children. Whereas Emma takes after her
deceased mother, Isabella takes after her father. She is a devoted wife, a
doting mother, and has a pleasant disposition, but she lacks Emma's quick wit
and cleverness. She is like her father in worrying excessively about health.

     John Knightley, a very clever and successful lawyer, is not interested in
socializing outside the family. His temper is somewhat short and he is
sometimes not careful about the feelings of others in expressing his opinions.
Emma is not especially fond of him because he is not always patient with her
father nor flattering to her.

     Mr. Woodhouse talks to Isabella about the sad fact of Miss Taylor's
marriage, but Emma quickly reminds him that she is quite happy with the
excellent Mr. Weston and, furthermore, they see both of them almost every day.

     John Knightley inquires of Mr. Weston's son, Frank Churchill. Emma is
annoyed by John Knightley's saying that Mr. Weston's sociability made the
giving up of his son to the Churchills less difficult. But she does not take
up what might be a slight to Mr. Weston.

Chapter XII

     That evening, Mr. Knightley comes to dine with his brother John and the
Woodhouses at Hartfield. Though Emma will not concede that she has been in the
wrong, she is, nevertheless, eager to forget her quarrel with Mr. Knightley
and restore good relations. The presence of the children makes this easy. Mr.
Knightley agrees with Emma that their disagreements always result from her
being in the wrong. Since he is sixteen years older than she, his judgment is
necessarily superior. Emma thinks, however, that at twenty-one she is not
really at a disadvantage. She inquires after Mr. Martin's feelings, and Mr.
Knightley replies that he is very bitterly disappointed, but Emma and Mr.
Knightley nevertheless shake hands and make up.

     John and George Knightley then discuss together family affairs and
matters concerning their estate at Donwell. Isabella and her father chat on
about their health; and in order to prevent Mr. Woodhouse from pursuing his
thoughts about the danger of London air and of family excursions, Emma keeps
interrupting their conversation by reminding Isabella of various persons at
Highbury. When Isabella tells her husband that her father finds him looking
not well, he replies sharply that she should confine coddling and doctoring to
herself and the children. For the rest of the evening, Emma continues to
divert the conversations of her father and brother-in-law from touchy areas.
She is even willing to talk about Jane Fairfax in order to keep her father
from talking about the hazards which moving to London have brought to
Isabella. When Mr. Woodhouse remarks that Mr. Perry (the Highbury apothecary)
suggested that Isabella and her family would have been better off doing their
sea bathing at a different place than the one they went to, Mr. Knightley
retorts sharply that Mr. Perry should mind his own business. But Emma and
George Knightley manage to keep any dispute from being prolonged.

Chapter XIII

     The Knightleys, the Woodhouses, Mr. Elton, and Harriet Smith are invited
to dine at Mr. and Mrs. Weston's home, Randalls. But Harriet comes down with a
cold on the 24th of December and is confined to bed. When Emma informs Mr.
Elton of Harriet's cold, he hopes that Emma will be careful lest she get
infected. Thinking that Mr. Elton would have no wish to go to dinner if
Harriet is not there, she tries to provide him with an excuse to absent
himself by telling him that he ought not to travel out in the cold. But when
John Knightley offers to bring him in his carriage, he eagerly accepts. Emma
thinks that this is strange behavior for a lover. After he leaves to visit
Harriet, John Knightley remarks on Mr. Elton's affected manners with ladies.
Emma replies that he has only "moderate" abilities. Her brother-in-law says
that he thinks Mr. Elton is interested in her. Emma, astonished, denies that
Mr. Elton could be in love with her, but John says he thinks that her manners
to him have been encouraging. Emma is indignant at her brother for presuming
her to be "blind and ignorant" and in need of advice. She thinks of how people
with "high pretensions to judgment" make mistakes because they do not know the
whole situation.

Comment:

     The irony here is that Emma is the one with "high pretensions to
judgment" and who is wrong about the situation.

     John Knightley is very much annoyed at having to make this excursion to
Randalls in the cold and snow. He cannot understand why anyone would want to
"spend five dull hours in another man's house for no particular reason." When
they arrive at the Westons, Emma is surprised to see that Mr. Elton does not
appear to be especially concerned about Harriet's cold. He chats on about the
weather, and the Christmas season, and the pleasure of visiting friends.