Upon its publication in 1815, Emma Woodhouse by Emma Austen has had its fair share of adversaries and obstacles. What fascinated early readers was not that it did not contain style and energy, but that its plot was uneventful and dull. Even Emma’s famous publisher John Murray claimed it lacked romance and incident. According to Ellis, Maria Edgeworth, a contemporary writer so highly esteemed by Austen that she gave her one of the twelve copies used for presentation allotted by her publisher, could not interpret past the initial volume and lamented “there was no plot in it .”Ironically, what the two prominent personalities in the literary world regarded as weakness turned out to be Emma’s greatest strength.
In perspective, Johnson gives an insight into the literary work; with an overview. An epitome of this is where the critic sheds on Emma’s greatest fear; that she would be left alone with her father. The novel commences at a low point of such nervousness after Emma’s previous governess marries and leaves them. How was she to bear the change? This is the inner question that portrays the description of Emma’s father as a nervous, easily depressed man. On the first sorrowful night, she spared no exertions to hold the happier flow of thoughts; that she indirectly influence. From this breath taking circumstance the neighborly Mr. Knightley helps her by coming to spend time with them.
Looking beyond the surface would reveal the intricate nature of the story that focuses on the shrewd social reproof and characterization which Austen is celebrated for. The main character of the novel; the self confessed, spoiled and self- conceited Emma Woodhouse could not be as interesting as the author’s clever and sparkling character Elizabeth Bennet of “pride and prejudice,” but the characterization offers the audience a rougher wrought and more worthwhile completion. Like Ms. Woodhouse who claims that she is aware of what is best for everybody else. We should trust Jane Austen’s perceptions for what she attests to be the best narrative and subject style. Since numerous artists and scholars regard Emma as a masterpiece of the universal literature, Jane Austen has the last laugh on her initial critics. The novel may concern no particular topic and lack romance, however, what a pleasure it is to be so brilliantly deficient.
With the exclusion of Emma, the characters are collectively static ones. They do not evolve; however, they are generally confined in their perceptions, for they exist and recognize an unwavering if stagnant society. Among the least developed, but critical ones, we may observe Mr. Woodhouse, Augusta Elton, and John Knightley. They are presented as one-dimensional since they persistently reveal their single dominant coloring, and further as handling of them in the literature is involved. Mr. Woodhouse, in his relaxed selfishness, is the rather paramount-conservative, wanting entirely nothing to transform and persistently turning out to be apprehensive as far as health matters are concerned. John is similar, however, in domestic terms; he is quite nonsocial because of his desire to rest content with his dear family in their domestic privacy.
George Knightley is one of the rather critical personalities in the book, although in, numerous events, he is fairly in the background of events. He is a gentleman of benevolence ad is the only one able enough to astonish Emma with significant good sense. He is, therefore, the only sensible one she can marry. He is specifically crucial to the book, nonetheless because he is the spokesman character for Ms. Austen. His judgment and commentaries upon outcomes are quite much those of the authoress, and he consists a rational magnitude of cohesiveness operating through the novel.
Ford indirectly terms George Knightley as naive because of his inability to sense the affection that Emma had gradually developed with time. I the narrative, we are told that Emma grows abundantly unhappy; finally it emerges that she loves Mr. Knightley and is distressed as she thinks that Harriet and Mr. Knightley are on the edge of getting in a marriage relationship. Mr. Knightley was terrified that Frank has imposed a negative impact on Emma. When his aunt died, he is now free to broadcast his engagement to Jane Fairfax. They had been keeping it secret for long to avoid his aunt’s approval. Emma is surprised, but considers she had never in the past had romantic attractions towards Franc Churchill. Nevertheless, she doubts that Harriet has feelings towards Mr. Knightley.
Emma’s reaction towards her feelings for Mr. Knight have also been put in the limelight. She becomes unpleasant because of what she feels for Mr. Knightley. In the end, it occurs that she is in love with Mr. Knightley. After Mr. Knightley‘s unraveling of the truth relating to the status of Emma and Churchill, he declares his affections to Emma and makes a marriage proposal to her .
Ellis reflects that in contemplating on the matter of characterization of the novel, one ought to remind oneself that; no matter much they are developed for their personality, they also supply the purposes of comparison and contrast. The distancing that Austen acquires through the point of view impacts a kind of equilibrium between the place of the individual in a satirically communal context and the individual himself.
Works cited
Ellis, Lorna. Appearing to diminish : female development and the British Bildungsroman. Lewisburg : Bucknell Univ. Press London : Associated Univ. Presses., 2005.
Ford, Susan Allen. "Jana Austen society of North America." Journals of the Jane Austen Society of North America (2005): 3.
Johnson, Claudia. Jane Austen : women, politics, and the novel. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2009.
