The End

Now that I have finished reading "Emma," I can safely say the book was enjoyable. Emma was perhaps an annoying protagonist. She was extremely selfish and rarely cared about the feelings of others. If she did, it was only momentarily. But I think she did change slightly be the close of the book. Overall, I would recommend this book to any reader who loves British classics.

Knightley and Emma

It is considered by many to be rather odd that Knightley decides to move into Emma's Hartfield instead of Randall's after the two of them tie the knot. It could be seem as Emma being a domineering sort of  fiancee. Or perhaps he loves her enough to be willing to give up just a bit of his pride. At least their closest friends see nothing the matter with the arrangement. Mrs. Weston is more than thrilled: "who but Mr. Knightley could know and bear with Mr. Woodhouse, so as to make such an arrangement desirable!" (316). It also could be that Mr. Knightley is think of the future. Emma's father is surely not going to live much longer, and then the husband and wife will be able to move to his, probably more comfortable, home.
Another, rather odd, aspect about the relationship between Emma and Knightley is their age difference. This would not be such a problem if the way they interacted were different. Throughout the entire book, the two argue and bicker like siblings. Knightley often puts himself in a parents shoes, telling Emma he knows better than she does because he is older, or a male. Because of this, it is as if the Emma will be living with two father figures once she gets married. One she will have to take care of. And one who will guide her and tell her which are the wise choices.

Court Plaister

Harriet confesses to Emma that when she thought she was in love Mr. Elton, she would keep mementos that, to her, symbolized what their love could someday be. Now that he is married to another woman, she wants to get rid of these items so that she can be free and clear of her feelings of him forever. One of the things she kept was court plaister. Mr. Elton apparently cut himself and needed it to stop the the bleeding. Emma is in a state of both "wonder and amazement" that Harriet would keep such an object (227). There is a definite reason for these feelings. Court plaister was "an early form of sticking plaster, made from small pieces of silk, coated with a substance which became sticky when wetted." In essence, Harriet was saving a band-aid Mr. Elton had absentmindedly rolled around in his hand because he didn't need it. If anyone did that today, it would be considered mildly disgusting.
To learn more about the court plaister Harriet saves- http://austenonly.com/2010/01/14/austenonly-emma-season-harriets-most-precious-treasures/

Box Hill

Emma often assumes that people below her on the social ladder do not have as highly developed a sense of feeling as she does. In her eyes, since these people have not been brought up with all the advantages she has been privy to, they do not know what feelings they ought to have. Or at least do not feel things as keenly as Emma and her equals do. Even after Harriet proves people in a lower social sphere have feelings, Emma still supposes Miss Bates has a less developed sense of feeling. After making a joke at the lady’s expense when the entire party is at Box Hill for a picnic, Emma tells Mr. Knightley, “I dare say she did not understand me” (252). Miss Bates is much below Miss Woodhouse on the social ladder. She thinks her both “good” and “ridiculous” (252). These two characteristics, along with her social status, lead Emma to believe Miss Bates to not have highly developed feelings as her equals. Miss Bates’ reaction to the insult and her constant thanks for little compliments given to her show she has just as much, if not more feeling than the people above her in society.

Starting at about 2:50, I think this clip does a very good job of showing Miss Bates' reaction to Emma's insult.

Illness

Throughout the entire novel, the health of Jane Fairfax is continually being worried about. Her aunts are concerned, even Mr. Knightley is concerned. It appears they all think she has something gravely wrong with her, even though all she complains about is fatigue and the odd cold. However, when Frank Churchill's aunt gets sick, people don't seem nearly as concerned with her well-being. Frank is just sent for from Highbury because his aunt can't be without him in her last moments. There may have been something to Jane's ill health after all though. During the time Austen wrote the novel, one disease people commonly believed in was consumption. Jane had all of the physical characteristics people most prone to this disease had. She is "the right age and also of the physical type who was thought likely to become consumptive." She is tall, slender, and uses her voice more than the average person. She also has a family history with consumption as her mother died from it. All of these factors make the worrying of her friends and family beneficial.
(To see more on this topic : http://austenonly.com/2009/11/03/were-they-right-to-worry-about-jane-fairfaxs-health/ )

Clever Boy....

Frank Churchill, though Emma alternately admires him and thinks him rude, is quite the clever man. When Jane Fairfax is staying with her aunts in Highbury he conspires to visit her, but does so without anyone noticing. A new instrument is delivered to the aunts and Jane. Frank tells his mother that she promised the Bates' she would go and hear it played. But he told her this the day after they hosted a party, a busy time when she would not likely remember everything that had gone on during that time. On their way, they run into Emma. In an effort to keep his mission a secret, he suggests that he go along with her to Hartfield. But then immediately decides that he would only be in her way and annoy her: "Miss Woodhouse looks as if she does not want me" (156). The man is very clever at hiding from everyone that he is in love with Jane.

Foppery

I find it extraordinarily ironic that Emma takes offense at even the small defects in Frank Churchill's character. Perhaps this is because she feels the pain of her dear friend Mrs. Weston, but she herself is really no better than the man. Churchill goes to London to get a haircut and Emma thinks "there was an air of foppery and nonsense in it" (136). While his going to London could be taken to mean that he doesn't want to spend time with his family, I think that is reading into the situation a bit much. And really, Emma, has no place to judge the man for his actions. She is continually getting into other people's business and causing them pain. The only difference between her and Frank Churchill is that Emma perhaps causes pain a bit more than Churchill does.

Human Nature

Austen's quote about human nature is rather thought provoking. She says, "human nature is so well disposed towards those who are in interesting situations, that a young person, who either marries or dies, is sure of being kindly spoken of" (120). Here she is talking about Mr. Elton's new wife. Everyone was sure he was going to marry Harriet, but when he left and married someone else, they immediately fell in love with that lady. Simply because she was in an interesting situation. If Mr. Elton had died instead of gotten married, the people of Highbury would have been just as interested in his life as they were interested in his wife. As it is, they have all decided to adore her before meeting her, mainly because she married their beloved vicar.

Jane and Emma Portrayed in Film

I find it interesting that in the book, Jane Fairfax is said to be a simply gorgeous woman. In fact, she might have competition for the girl she grew up with, but the family did not hold her good looks against. In film, however, it seems as if directors cast Emma as the prettier of the two ladies. For example, in the 1996 version of "Emma" by Miramax, Laura Pyper was cast as Jane and Gywneth Paltrow as Emma. I think it might have something to do with the public's need to believe that the leading lady in films end up the happiest. 

http://z8.invisionfree.com/DYK/index.php?showtopic=344 

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