"I always deserve the best treatment, because I never put up with any other."
Emma is a 1816 romance novel by Jane Austen. It tells the story of the titular character as she becomes a matchmaker for several families living in the fictional town of Highbury.
Like Austen’s other novels, Emma explores feminism and the role of women in Regency England. It has also been one of Austen’s most famous works.
Plot Summary[]
Emma Woodhouse is a wealthy and beautiful young woman who resides in the town of Highbury. She convinces herself that she will never marry and imagines herself arranging love matches. After her governess, Miss Taylor, marries Mr. Weston, a wealthy widower with an adult son, Emma thinks she has made the match herself.
Mr. Knightley is a gentleman who lives in his wealthy estate, Donwell Abbey, and is a close friend to the Woodhouse family; even though Mr. Knightley has mostly land, the Woodhouses have more money. His brother, John Knightley, is married to Emma’s sister, Isabella. As Emma starts her matchmaking schemes, Mr. Knightley keeps a close eye on her and the couples she pairs up with.
Emma meets a lower-class girl named Harriet Smith and helps her find a suitable match. While Harriet’s parentage is unknown, Emma is convinced that her friend is fit to marry a gentleman. She plans to set Harriet up with Mr. Elton, the village vicar, and encourages Harriet to turn down a marriage proposal from Robert Martin, a young, respectable farmer with whom Harriet has feelings, but Emma believes he is beneath Harriet. With Emma’s encouragement, Harriet becomes infatuated with Mr. Elton, but the plan backfires when he shows more affection to Emma instead of Harriet. Mr. Knightley, infuriated by Emma’s matchmaking efforts, believes that Robert Martin is a more preferred match for Harriet, and Emma and Mr. Knightley have a quarrel about this. Humiliated by Emma’s rejection and being accused of attempting to court Harriet, Mr. Elton leaves town and travels to Bath. Emma vows never to engage in matchmaking again following this failure.
Frank Churchill, Mr. Weston’s son, arrives in Highbury to visit his father. He was raised by his aunt and uncle in London as their heir, although Mrs. Churchill is very possessive of him and his visits were constantly delayed by her illnesses and complaints. Mr. Knightley immediately takes a dislike to Frank while Emma becomes attracted to him and engages in a flirtation with him, but thinks he could be the right man for Harriet. Meanwhile, Jane Fairfax, the niece of the local spinster, Miss Bates, also arrives in Highbury. She was expected to spend time with her aunt before becoming a governess. She is also around Emma’s age and received an education from her father’s friend, Colonel Campbell. Emma becomes jealous of Jane due to her beauty and popularity in the social circle, but Mr. Knightley defends Jane, saying that she has no independent fortune.
Emma and Frank start spending some time together, and everyone assumes they are forming an attachment. However, Emma thinks he is not the right suitor for her and thinks he will be an ideal match for Harriet. At a village ball, Mr. Knightley dances with Harriet after she was humiliated by Mr. Elton and his new wife, Mrs. Elton. Emma suspects that Harriet could be in love with Frank after he rescued her from some gypsy beggars. But Mr. Knightley suspects a relationship between Frank and Jane, and he warns Emma about this. Emma doesn’t take his warning seriously and insults Miss Bates at a picnic after Frank shamelessly flirts with her. After Mr. Knightley reprimands Emma for her behaviour, she expresses remorse and improves her behaviour towards the Bates.
News arrives that Frank’s aunt has died, and he and Jane are secretly engaged. Frank’s courtship with Emma had been a cover to hide his true attachment, as his aunt didn’t appreciate him being engaged to a penniless woman. With his aunt’s death and uncle’s approval, Frank and Jane can finally be married. Emma worries that Harriet will be heartbroken, but discovers that Harriet is in love with Mr. Knightley. Additionally, Emma’s distress over the revelation makes her realize that she is also in love with Mr. Knightley and expects to hear him declare his love for Harriet. However, Mr. Knightley confesses to Emma that he is actually in love with her.
Emma is delighted to hear that Harriet has received a second proposal from Robert Martin, and Emma has reconciled with Jane. Both Emma and Mr. Knightley, as well as Harriet and Robert, then get married, while Frank and Jane will be married once the mourning period for his aunt is over.