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While Jane Austen is primarily known for her famous work Pride and Prejudice, I recently discovered, alongside some of my fellow McConnell Scholars, the treasure that is Emma. Emma is similar to Austen’s other works in that it takes place in regency England and consists of elements of romance, but romance is not the primary focus. The book is classic Jane Austen, but the story is distinct from her other novels.
For one, Emma is a comedy. The beautiful and rich, yet arrogant, main character has no intention to marry (a scandalous position to hold for a woman of her time) but loves to play matchmaker. With this desire and her forceful personality, Emma Woodhouse is uniquely capable of placing herself and other characters in rather awkward situations. Indeed, it made the story entertaining and very comical. Austen herself was worried that no one else would like the main character. I even found myself being frustrated with her denial of reality and inability to see things from another’s perspective.
However, this is one of the things that makes Emma a great main character: she was complicated. She was not the boring trope of a perfectly primed and positioned regency woman desperate to find a husband. While Emma had several desirable personality traits, the audience is forced to reckon with her flaws. Her moments of self-importance, manipulation, and carelessness would usually turn any reader off from a character. But this is part of the genius of Jane Austen’s literary prowess: she can take a clearly flawed individual and give her a depth and character development that makes the reader both sympathize and appreciate her.
Shifting the focus from the main character, Austen is skillful in utilizing the supporting characters to add to the comedic element of this novel. Take Emma’s father, a relentless hypochondriac who is never content with anybody doing anything. Or Mr. Knightly, a friend of the Woodhouses, who is the only one with the wit, status, and relational proximity to Emma to challenge what she says and does. Or Miss Bates, the one who is unable to restrain herself from chattering constantly. These elements all contribute to the comedic brilliance that is Emma.
I highly recommend this novel to anyone, but particularly those who are unfamiliar with Austen’s works, or those who are familiar but haven’t yet given Emma its due diligence. My fellow Janeites and I can attest that it is well worth your time.
Madelin Shelton is a McConnell Scholar in the class of 2022. She is studying political science and philosophy at the University of Louisville.