Emma
(Austen, Jane)
Emma Woodhouse is a very lucky twenty-one year old. An heiress, she is also beautiful and clever. She lives in the small village of Highbury with her hypochondriac father. As her governess and friend has just married a local gentleman, Mr. Weston, she is desperately needful of more stimulating company. This frequently arrives in the form of her brother in law Mr. Knightley, whose attempts to guide Emma are generally resisted by her, until she makes a foolish error and realizes she should have listened to his advice. Emma looks for friends in the wrong places - with a young pupil at a local school who is well-meaning but no match for Emma's wit and too easily manipulated. This leads to Emma's becoming determined to find a husband for Harriet, who happens to be illegitimate. Emma feels that local vicar Mr. Elton is a good choice but he unfortunately reveals himself to be in love with Emma herself. Rather than learning her lesson - that appearances can be deceptive - she instead embarrasses herself by embarking on an innappropriate flirtation with Frank Churchill, the stepson of her former governess, who is secretly engaged. His fiancee is an impoverished orphan, Jane Fairfax, who lives in the village. When this secret is reavealed Emma reaches maturity; she behaves much better in the future and takes her social position seriously by visiting the sick and poor of the village. There is still the matter of her own love-life to be resolved, however. She reaches true self-knowledge upon hearing that Harriet fancies herself in love with Mr. Knightley, realizing that in fact he 'must marry no one but herself'. One protracted mutual confession of love later, and the couple marry, having decided to live in Emma's father's house, to ensure his satisfaction with the match.
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