Emma is a novel by Jane Austen published in December 1815. Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever and rich, lives with her father in the village of Highbury and loves arranging other people's marriages. Her mistakes in matchmaking teach her painful lessons about herself. Austen called her a heroine whom no one but herself would much like.
The story
Emma persuades her young friend Harriet Smith to refuse a good farmer, Robert Martin, hoping to match her with the vicar, Mr Elton. The plan fails badly.
Misreading the feelings of those around her, including the mysterious Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax, Emma slowly discovers her own heart.
Village life
Highbury is a small world of visits, picnics, balls and gossip, with memorable characters such as the talkative Miss Bates and the anxious Mr Woodhouse.
The famous outing to Box Hill, where Emma is cruel to Miss Bates, is the turning point of her moral education.
Austen's art
Austen tells much of the story through Emma's own point of view, so that readers share her errors. This use of free indirect style was strikingly modern.
Emma is often considered Austen's most accomplished novel, admired for its perfect construction.
Anecdotes
Dedicated to the Prince Regent
The Prince Regent, an admirer of Austen's novels, let it be known that she could dedicate a book to him. She dedicated Emma to him, rather reluctantly.
Mr Knightley
George Knightley, Emma's neighbour and friend, is the only character who dares to criticize her openly, and he plays a key role in her growth.
Frequently asked questions
Who is Emma Woodhouse?
A rich young woman who loves matchmaking.
Where is the novel set?
In the village of Highbury.
When was it published?
In December 1815.