Emma (1815) (edit title/settings)

Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit see section history

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Summary edit see section history

Characters edit see section history

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• Mr. Knightly: Country gentleman
• Mr. Elton: Vicar
• Emma Woodhouse: the protagonist of the story, is a beautiful, high-spirited, intelligent, and 'slightly' spoiled young woman of 21. Her mother died when she was very young, and she has been mistress of the house ever since, certainly since her older sister got married. While she is in many ways mature for her age, Emma makes some serious mistakes, mainly due to her conviction that she is always right and her lack of real world experience. Although she has vowed she will never ever marry, she delights in making matches for others.
• George Knightley (Mr. Knightley): about 37 or 38. He is a close friend of Emma, and her only critic, though he cares deeply for her. Mr Knightley is the owner of the neighbouring estate of Donwell, which includes extensive grounds and a farm. He is the elder brother of Mr John Knightley—the husband of Emma's elder sister Isabella.
• Frank Churchill: Mr Weston's son by his previous marriage, an amiable young man who manages to be liked by everyone except Mr Knightley, who considers him quite immature. After his mother's death he was raised by his wealthy aunt and uncle, whose last name he took. Frank enjoys dancing and music and living life to the fullest. Frank may be viewed as a careless but less villainous version of characters from other Austen novels, such as Mr Wickham from Pride and Prejudice or Willoughby from Sense and Sensibility.
• Jane Fairfax: an orphan whose only family consists of an aunt, Miss Bates, and a grandmother, Mrs Bates. She is regarded as a very beautiful, clever, and elegant woman, with the best of manners, and is also very well-educated and exceptionally talented at singing and playing the piano; in fact, she is the sole person that Emma envies. She has little fortune, however, and seems destined to become a governess – a prospect she dislikes.
• Harriet Smith: a young friend of Emma's, is a very pretty but unsophisticated girl who is too easily led by others, especially Emma; she has been educated at a nearby school. The illegitimate daughter of initially unknown parents, she is taken under Emma's wing early in the novel, and she becomes the subject of some of Emma's misguided matchmaking attempts.
• Philip Elton: is a well mannered and ambitious young vicar.
• Augusta Hawkins: A new bride in Highbury
• Mrs. Anne Weston: formerly Miss Taylor, was Emma's governess for sixteen years and remains her closest friend and confidante after she marries Mr Weston in the opening chapter. She is a sensible woman who adores Emma. Mrs Weston acts as a surrogate mother to her former charge and, occasionally, as a voice of moderation and reason.
• Mr. Weston: a recently wealthy man living in the vicinity of Hartfield. He marries Emma's former governess, Miss Taylor, and by his first marriage is father to Frank Churchill, who was adopted and raised by his late wife's brother and sister-in-law. Mr Weston is a sanguine, optimistic man, who enjoys socializing.
• Miss Bates: a friendly, garrulous spinster whose mother, Mrs Bates, is a friend of Mr Woodhouse. Her accomplished niece, Jane Fairfax, is the light of her life.
• Mr. Henry Woodhouse: Emma's father, is always concerned for his own health and that of his friends, to the point of trying to deny his visitors foods he thinks too rich. He laments that "poor Isabella" and "poor Miss Taylor" have married and been taken away from him.
• Isabella Woodhouse Knightley: is the elder sister of Emma and daughter of Henry. She is married to John Knightley and her greatest concerns are for her family.
• Mr. John Knightley: is Isabella's husband and George's younger brother. He tends to be rather blunt and is an old acquaintance of Jane Fairfax.
• Robert Martin: A decent young farmer who loves Harriet Smith. Mr. George Knightley has a rather good opinion of him.
• Mrs Bates: Miss Bates's mother and a friend of Mr Woodhouse.
• Mrs. Dixon: friend of Jane's
• Donwell: minor character
• Miss Taylor: Emma's governess and friend
• James: minor character
• Col. Campbell: raised Jane Weston
• Miss Hawkins: minor character
• Martins: a family that rented a farm from Mr Knightly
• Hartfield: Emma's father's home
• Mrs. Goddard: owned a school
• Mrs. Elton: married the young minister
• Mrs. Cole: Add a description of this character.
• Mrs. Perry
• Highbury
• Randal

Quotes edit see section history

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• “Better be without sense, than misapply it as you do.”

  Mr. Knightley

• “Though he may like me, it does not follow that I should.”

  Harriet

• “One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.”

• “And then her reserve-I could never attach myself to any one so completely reserved.”

  Emma Woodhouse

• “There is safety in reserve, but no attraction. One cannot love a reserved person.”

  Frank Churchill

• “It was a delightful visit; perfect, in being much too short.”

  Narrator

• “To youth and natural cheerfulness like Emma's, though under temporary gloom at night, the return of day will hardly fail to bring return of spirits.”

  Narrator

• “Silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way.”

  Narrator

• “Her sensibilities, I suspect, are strong-and her temper excellent in its power of forbearance, patience, self-controul; but it wants openness. She is reserved, more reserved, I think, than she used to be-And I love an open temper.”

  Mr. Knightley

• “I do not admire it...It is too small-wants strength. It is like a woman's writing.”

  Mr. Knightley

• “Men of sense, whatever you may say, do not want silly wives!”

  Mr. Knightley

• “The most beautiful thing in the world is a match well made.”

  Emma Woodhouse

• “What is passable in youth is detestable in later age.”

Setting & Locations edit see section history

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• Highbury: A small town in the county Surrey in England. It is home to Emma Woodhouse's estate, Hartfield.
• Kingston: Kingston-Upon-Thames, now part of Greater London in Austen's time it was a town on the outskirts of London
• Windsor: A town in Berkshire in south-east England, best known as the location of Windsor castle
• Southend: A sea side town in Essex
• Bristol: A city in the South-West of England
• Brunswick Square: A public garden in Bloomsbury in the London Borough of Camden, it is the home of John Knightley and his wife.
• Maple Grove
• England: The country in which all the action is set, although the Campbells holiday in Ireland.
• Ireland: The Campbells, who took in Jane Fairfax after her father died, are holidaying in Ireland at the outset of the novel. Jane remains in England and stays with Mrs. Bates.
• Campbells
• Weymouth: A seaside town in the south west of England
• Randalls: The estate at which Emma's former governess Miss Anne Taylor lives with her new husband Captain Weston.
• Box Hill: A picnic venue with views of surrounding countryside
• Enscombe: Weston Churchill lives at the Enscombe estate which is owned by his father's brother in law.
• Richmond: In Austen's time a town on the outskirts of London, now part of the borough of Richmond in Greater London.
• London: The Capital City of England, Emma's older sister Isabella lives in London with her husband John Knightley and their four children.
• Hartfield: Emma's home
• Donwell Abbey: Mr. Knightley's home

First Sentence edit see section history

Table of Contents edit see section history

Series & Lists edit see section history

Preceded by Atlas Shrugged, and followed by The Lost Symbol.

Preceded by Dune, and followed by Anne of Green Gables.

Preceded by The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and followed by Persuasion.

Preceded by The Tale of Genji, and followed by Bleak House.

Preceded by The Shack, and followed by A Child Called "It".

Preceded by Rob Roy, and followed by Mansfield Park.

Preceded by Freakonomics, and followed by Slaughterhouse-Five.

Preceded by Freakonomics, and followed by The Firm.

Authors & Contributors edit see section history

1. Jane Austen (Author)

Other Contributors:

1. Stephen M. Parrish
2. Fiona J. Stafford
3. James Kinsley
4. Terry Castle
5. James Stevenson
6. Paul Cheetham
7. Annette Barnes
8. José Parreira Alves (Translator)
9. Studios P.E.A. (Cover Artist)
10. Sabrina Jeffries (Adapter)
11. Ana Ribeiro (Translator)
12. Idalina Morgado

First Edition edit see section history

Awards edit see section history

• BBC's Big Read (April 2003, #40)

Classification edit see section history

• Copyright Status: Public Domain
• Library of Congress: PR4034.E53 E4
• Dewey: 823.7

Notes for Parents edit see section history

Definitely appropriate for high school students though it ages well and is great as a re-read for adults.

Subjects edit see section history

• Books › Literature & Fiction › World Literature › British › Classics › Austen, Jane
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Authors, A-Z › ( A ) › Austen, Jane
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Women's Fiction › Friendship
• Books › Romance › Regency
• Books › Romance › Romantic Suspense
• Books › Literature & Fiction › Classics

Links to Supplemental Material edit see section history

• Wikipedia

Movie Connections edit see section history

• Emma (IMDb): 1996 Movie.
• Emma (IMDb): 1996 TV Movie.
• Emma (IMDb): 2009 TV Mini-series of four episodes.
• Emma (IMDb): 1972 TV Mini-series of six episodes.
• Emma (IMDb): 1948 TV Movie.
• Clueless (IMDb): 1995 Movie. A comedy film loosely based on Emma.
• Aisha (IMDb): 2010 Movie. A Bollywood adaptation of Emma.

More Books Like This edit see section history

Books with Additional Background Information edit see section history

Books Influenced by This Book edit see section history