Emma

Emma is a comic novel by Jane Austen, generally regarded as the most perfectly constructed of all her works, concerning the perils of misconstrued romance.

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The main character, Emma Woodhouse, is described in the opening paragraph as "rich, beautiful and clever," but is also rather spoiled. As a result of the recent marriage of her former governess, Emma prides herself on her ability to matchmake, and proceeds to take under her wing an illegitimate orphan, Harriet Smith, whom she hopes to marry off to the vicar, Mr Elton. So confident is she that she persuades Harriet to reject a proposal from a young farmer, Robert Martin, who is a much more suitable partner for the girl. This creates friction between Emma and her friend and neighbour, Mr Knightley (whose brother is married to Emma's sister).

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An exciting development for Emma is the arrival in the neighbourhood of Frank Churchill, the stepson of her ex-governess, whom she has never met but in whom she has a long-standing interest. Meanwhile, she is forced to reject a proposal of marriage from Mr Elton, who proves more interested in Emma's fortune than in Harriet's gentle character. Mr Elton proceeds to marry a vulgar woman who becomes part of Emma's social circle and is one of Austen's greatest comic creations. Another newcomer to the circle is Jane Fairfax, the reserved but beautiful niece of Emma's impoverished neighbour, Miss Bates.

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The plot becomes quite complex as Emma fancies herself in love with Frank Churchill, then decides that he would suit Harriet better. Having fallen out with Mr Knightley over an unintended insult to Miss Bates, she recognises serious failings in herself and sets out to heal the rift.

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Several of the characters in this novel resemble those in other Austen books. In particular, Frank Churchill is a less villainous version of Mr Wickham in Pride and Prejudice and Willoughby in Sense and Sensibility. Also, it should be noted that the father-figure is a particularly villanous version of the generally inept fathers portrayed in Austen's novels. As a heroine, Emma herself is less likeable but more believable than those of the other novels, and contrary to Austen's expectations (she wrote prior to starting the novel, "I am going to take a heroine whom no-one but myself will much like"), Emma is one of her best-loved characters, precisely for her faults.

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Comic: redirect comics...

Novel: A novel (from French nouvelle, "new") is an extended fictional narrative in prose. Down into the 18th century, the word referred specifically to short fictions of love and intrigue as opposed to romances—epic-length works about love and adventures. Having become one of the major literary genr...

Jane Austen: Jane Austen (December 16, 1775 – July 18, 1817) was a prominent English novelist whose work is considered part of the Western canon. Despite living the sheltered life of a spinster, her insights into women's lives and her mastery of form and irony made her arguably the most noted and influenti...

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