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FOOLISHNESS AND FOLLY.- EXPLORE.

Austen creates a world in which most of Emma's society is foolish in some way.

Perhaps the most noticeably foolish or laughable characters are those of miss Bates, Harriet smith and to an extent Mr. Woodhouse. Austen also paints Augusta Elton in a wryly satirical light, highlighting her vulgarity of manners and her foolishness with it.

Perhaps the least foolish characters in the novel are those of George Knightley and Jane Fairfax, whom seem the most balanced of temperament.

Through free indirect discourse, we see Emmas apparent disdain for Miss bates' lack of societal grace and propriety

However, we see that Emma too is capable of making a fool of herself- spurred on at Box Hill by Frank, perhaps too aware of the importance of the societal norms which dictate her life; unlike George, becoming too involved in the matchmaking of couples, allowing Harriet smith to become above her station?

Harriet Smith epitomises an innocent foolishness- contrasts emmas exposed foolishness as a result of her astuteness.

Miss Bates.

Miss Bates' foolishness is revealed by Austen in her portrayal of the character's dialogue.

The long, unbroken, banal and inconsiderate prose style she uses to capture miss Bates' character proves a perhaps stereotypical, giggly foolishness common of many of Austen's female characters.

However, unlike Mrs Elton, miss Bates is arguably the most affectionately portrayed than even Emma herself. She portrays the same foolish ignorance of Harriet smith.

She also represents another 'spinster' in the novel, perhaps paralleling some foolish aspects of Emma- her obsession with class, for example.

Emma on miss Bates : 'Miss Bates! so silly—so satisfied—so smiling—so prosing—so undistinguishing and unfastidious—and so apt to tell every thing relative to every body about me'

All this spoken extremely fast obliged Miss Bates to stop for breath; and Emma said something very civil about the excellence of Miss Fairfax's handwriting."You are extremely kind,"

Repetition of such phrases of Emma's kindness denotes miss Bates almost grovelling temperament

However it is ironic that Emma makes a fool of herself in trying to make a fool of miss Bates, and again Austen portrays her heroine with a critical eye: "Oh! very well," exclaimed Miss Bates, "then I need not be uneasy. 'Three things very dull indeed.' That will just do for me, you know. I shall be sure to say three dull things as soon as ever I open my mouth, shan't I? (looking round with the most good-humoured dependence on every body's assent)—Do not you all think I shall?"Emma could not resist.

"Ah! ma'am, but there may be a difficulty. Pardon me—but you will be limited as to number—only three at once."

Miss Bates, deceived by the mock ceremony of her manner, did not immediately catch her meaning; but, when it burst on her, it could not anger, though a slight blush shewed that it could pain her.

'I wish you could have heard her honouring your forbearance'... He had misinterpreted the feelings which had kept her face averted, and her tongue motionless. They were combined only of anger against herself, mortification, and deep concern. She had not been able to speak; and, on entering the carriage, sunk back for a moment overcome.'

'Miss Bates derives from the innumerable literary portraits of the comic old maids whose pretensions are measured against their limitations in varied misuses of language'

'She renders her old maid with a humanity that adds sympathy to our laughter'.

Austen 'using them (Bates and Woodhouse) to delineate the deep as well as superficial realities which surround this heroine'.

Miss Bates 'as a complex reflector to Emma'Maaja A. Stewart- 'the fools in Austen's Emma.''conversation filled with general approbation and smoothness'

' Miss Bates stood in the very worst predicament in the world for having much of the public favour; and she had no intellectual superiority to make atonement to herself, or frighten those who might hate her into outward respect'- denotes a dangerous, almost animalistic societal element to Highbury, as if its inhabitants have to fend for themselves through their reputation and status.

'neither young, handsome, rich, nor married.-- contrasts Emma's 'young, handsome and rich'.

'happy woman' vs. emma's 'happy disposition'- which is the more genuine? ------->> 'while miss Bates thinks of herself as fortunate, Emma unquestionably is fortunate'.Maaja A. Stewart- 'the fools in Austen's Emma.'.

Emma and her folly.

''he wrote, and was refused."This was obliged to be repeated before it could be believed; and Mr. Knightley actually looked red with surprize and displeasure, as he stood up, in tall indignation, and said,

"Then she is a greater simpleton than I ever believed her. What is the foolish girl about?"

"Oh! to be sure," cried Emma, "it is always incomprehensible to a man that a woman should ever refuse an offer of marriage. A man always imagines a woman to be ready for any body who asks her."

here we see how Emma's foolish control of Harriet makes a fool of Harriet herself. Too caught up in her own schemes for Harriet's greatness, Emma fails to recognise the genuine feeling which Harriet displays for mr. Martin, having had no experience of these feelings herself. 'You banished to Abbey-Mill Farm!—You confined to the society of the illiterate and vulgar all your life! '- she forgets that Harriet has come from a background in which marrying Martin would have been accepted and appropriate.

'

It is fitting to Emma's character and relationships that Knightley is the only person whom tends to see through Emma. Harriet follows her like a pet, ms Taylor has grown weary of her character, and Mr. Woodhouse is simply apathetic. Thus, although he notices that she has accomplished her goal of refining Harriet, he knows nothing good will come of it: '"Robert Martin has no great loss—if he can but think so; and I hope it will not be long before he does. Your views for Harriet are best known to yourself; but as you make no secret of your love of match-making, it is fair to suppose that views, and plans, and projects you have;—and as a friend I shall just hint to you that if Elton is the man, I think it will be all labour in vain."

This dimension of their relationship is extremely important to both Austen and the plot. The first observation of their relationship - 'Mr. Knightley, in fact, was one of the few people who could see faults in Emma Woodhouse, and the only one who ever told her of them:' - proves his almost paternal affection for her, as well as highlighting Emma's faults in comparison to his own level-headedness.

Her folly is highlighted in Elton's proposal to her; so caught up in matching Harriet she is blind to his love. Again she recognises her folly in light of Knightley's observations and predictions of it, in a self-realisation which Austen's narrative style lends itself to:

'She remembered what Mr. Knightley had once said to her about Mr. Elton, the caution he had given, the conviction he had professed that Mr. Elton would never marry indiscreetly; and blushed to think how much truer a knowledge of his character had been there shewn than any she had reached herself.'

'The first error and the worst lay at her door. It was foolish, it was wrong, to take so active a part in bringing any two people together. It was adventuring too far, assuming too much, making light of what ought to be serious, a trick of what ought to be simple. She was quite concerned and ashamed, and resolved to do such things no more.'

In the above we see an aspect of Emma's character; self-awareness of her shortcomings, although rare, still existent as a trait. Her recognised love of matchmaking, as George says, leads to her downfall in many areas, and although she resolves to quit, she is essentially unable to.

Another folly arises in her neglecting of Jane Fairfax and her lack of effort in causing friendship, after finding out about her relationship with Frank, as told by Mrs Taylor. She realises: 'had she endeavoured to find a friend there instead of in Harriet Smith; she must, in all probability, have been spared from every pain which pressed on her now.... in knowing her as she ought, and as she might, she must have been preserved from the abominable suspicions of an improper attachment to Mr. Dixon, which she had not only so foolishly fashioned and harboured herself, but had so unpardonably imparted; an idea which she greatly feared had been made a subject of material distress to the delicacy of Jane's feelings,'- her own foolishness in selfish behaviours and unawareness of Jane's feelings again make her a fool and make her worried she has made Jane look a fool. She curses her attention to Harriet and Frank, due to their being foolish also, and nothing in comparison to the potential great friend she would have found in Jane- as shown through Austen's portrayal of their similarities and more importantly great differences.

We also see Emma's folly in failing to realise her attraction and love for George Knightley, a plot strand which is of constant subtle exploration throughout. Emma only recognises her feelings in the foolishness of Harriet's own- how she explains his social rescue at the dance- Emma realises she is jealous and becomes possessive, cursing herself for getting involved in Harriet's failing love life once more.

'This was the knowledge of herself, on the first question of inquiry, which she reached; and without being long in reaching it.—She was most sorrowfully indignant; ashamed of every sensation but the one revealed to her... With insufferable vanity had she believed herself in the secret of every body's feelings; with unpardonable arrogance proposed to arrange every body's destiny. She was proved to have been universally mistaken; and she had not quite done nothing—for she had done mischief. She had brought evil on Harriet, on herself, and she too much feared, on Mr. Knightley.—Were this most unequal of all connexions to take place, on her must rest all the reproach of having given it a beginning; for his attachment, she must believe to be produced only by a consciousness of Harriet's;—and even were this not the case, he would never have known Harriet at all but for her folly.'- she realises the error of her ways, and regrets even introducing Harriet to Knightley, again foolishly failing to think rationally about the situation, another of her follies.

We essentially watch Emma make mistakes and realising she has made them, thus much of the action is spurred by this constant theme.

'the mysteries of other selves will remain impenetrable, when even the reactions of one of the simplest characters, Harriet, remain 'unaccountable' and 'unintelligible' to Emma.'Maaja A. Stewart- 'the fools in Austen's Emma.'

TURNING POINT- BOX HILL - 'THIS ACT SHOCKS EMMA OUT OF HER SELF-INDULGENT POSTURE'.

'Mrs. Elton was a vain woman, extremely well satisfied with herself, and thinking much of her own importance; that she meant to shine and be very superior, but with manners which had been formed in a bad school, pert and familiar; that all her notions were drawn from one set of people, and one style of living; that if not foolish she was ignorant, and that her society would certainly do Mr. Elton no good.'

Satirised portrayal of the stereotypes Austen seems to loathe, very similar to the characters of the Bingley sisters in Pride and Prejudice- scheming, rude, full of fake airs and graces and too fashion-conscious.

Her obsession with property and (in Regency terms) poorly derived status of trade, constant attention seeking and impropriety outline Emma's beneficial traits but ore importantly Jane Fairfax's.

Harriet was a little distressed—did look a little foolish at first: but having once owned that she had been presumptuous and silly, and self-deceived, before, her pain and confusion seemed to die away with the words, and leave her without a care for the past, and with the fullest exultation in the present and future; for, as to her friend's approbation, Emma had instantly removed every fear of that nature, by meeting her with the most unqualified congratulation...Harriet had always liked Robert Martin; and that his continuing to love her had been irresistible.—Beyond this, it must ever be unintelligible to Emma.

we mainly see harriet's foolishness through Emma's attempting to 'fix' it- she tries to create Harriet as an image and likeness of herslef, giving her all the accomplishments a woman in the Regency period could have.

is she foolish for following Emma? Or is Emma foolish in expecting to forcibly change her for the better?

Many positives do come of Harriets innocence, it is true that she needn't accept the first proposal. But Emma perhaps realises the conceited, haughty elements of Harriet's character which she herself has fashioned -- find this quote

'just recovering from her mania for Mr. Elton'-silly, girlish?

Mr. Woodhouse

'The fears of mr. Woodhouse had confined them to a foot pace'. foolishly neurotic, slow, pedantic.

'ceremonious, slow, ponderous, and obsessive' Maaja A. Stewart- 'the fools in Austen's Emma.'

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should suppose himself her equal in connexion or mind!—look down upon her friend, so well understanding the gradations of rank below him, and be so blind to what rose above, as to fancy himself shewing no presumption in addressing her!—It was most provoking.

property, note trade, history

He must know that the Woodhouses had been settled for several generations at Hartfield, the younger branch of a very ancient family—and that the Eltons were nobody. The landed property of Hartfield certainly was inconsiderable, being but a sort of notch in the Donwell Abbey estate, to which all the rest of Highbury belonged; but their fortune, from other sources, was such as to make them scarcely secondary to Donwell Abbey itself, in every other kind of consequence; and the Woodhouses had long held a high place in the consideration of the neighbourhood which Mr. Elton had first entered not two years ago, to make his way as he could, without any alliances but in trade, or any thing to recommend him to notice but his situation and his civility.

Harriet's parentage became known. She proved to be the daughter of a tradesman, rich enough to afford her the comfortable maintenance which had ever been hers, and decent enough to have always wished for concealment.—Such was the blood of gentility which Emma had formerly been so ready to vouch for!—It was likely to be as untainted, perhaps, as the blood of many a gentleman: but what a connexion had she been preparing for Mr. Knightley—or for the Churchills—or even for Mr. Elton!—The stain of illegitimacy, unbleached by nobility or wealth, would have been a stain indeed.

that there never had been a time when she did not consider Mr. Knightley as infinitely the superior, or when his regard for her had not been infinitely the most dear. She saw, that in persuading herself, in fancying, in acting to the contrary, she had been entirely under a delusion, totally ignorant of her own heart—and, in short, that she had never really cared for Frank Churchill at all!

on self realisation Maaja A. Stewart- 'the fools in Austen's Emma.'

'no longer does she think in terms of hierarchy but instead in terms of relationships. The structure of her valuations no longer rests on an ascending and descending scale that tries to establish distinctions between good, better, best'

'throughout most of the novel miss Bates and Jane Fairfax are kept at a distance from Emma, a distance consciously and wrong-headedly fashioned by Emma herself.'

'the natural and equal association Mr. Knightley urges between her and Jane.'

atmosphere in emma:

'will be the kind of dangerous atmosphere familiar to us in an English comedy of manners- a world of gossip and malice, of hypocrisy and vanity'

'the image of Hatfield as a place that will afford the necessary safety suggests the nature of Emma's reality in book One.'

mr w relinquishes the oppressing restraint he has on Emma in book one, and we see as the book progresses him turn into a background character- still ever-present and in emma's mind, but less restrictive as she matures throughout.

remember to talk about the theme of change and progression,whether natural or forced, and the difference between the two. as emma slef-relaisation dawns on her, the characters themselves seem less oppressive. once her knowledge of the self grows, as do the other characters in the book.:

mr. w in book one was desperate to leave the christmas dinner as soon as possible, whereas in book three he happily travels to donwell abbey

miss bates, once boring in her long monotonous dialogues, makes astute observation about jane, having just forgiven emma about her insult at box hill- 'when one is in great pain, you know one cannot feel any blessing quite as it may deserve'

this shift parallels the plot and character shifts that take place, which some argue reach a turning point at box hill

k: How can Emma imagine she has any thing to learn herself, while Harriet is presenting such a delightful inferiority?

society in general mocked what it feared, as Jane Austen has Emma explain to Harriet Smith. A woman with money who chooses to stay single will always be respected, because she has the means to support herself and maintain her position in society: "it is poverty only which makes celibacy contemptible to a generous public!"'.

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MARRIAGE- EXPLORE.

Marriages in Emma.

mr. Woodhouse and late mrs. Woodhouse- impact of absence of marriage/mother on Emma's life

ms. Taylor and mr. Weston

Isabella and John Knightley

Robert Martin and Harriet Smith

Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax

The Coles

mr. Elton and Augusta Hawkins

Emma and George Knightley

lack of --- miss bates, mr woodhouse, emma for much of the book.

QUOTE!!! --- 'Among Jane Austen's artistic achievements none is more deliberate than the gradual enlargement of the courtship and marriage plot into a variable pattern for detailing the growth of successive heroines'.

'The courtship and marriage convention of the novel of manners provided early British novelists with the necessary framework for their art'

W. H MAGEE , THE INSTRUMENT OF GROWTH.

When centred around a heroine, we see the female pursuit of the only available career- that of being a wife.

Ms. Taylor and Mr. Weston.

Emma's thoughts/ involvement.

'Sorrow came—a gentle sorrow—but not at all in the shape of any disagreeable consciousness.—Miss Taylor married. It was Miss Taylor's loss which first brought grief. It was on the wedding-day of this beloved friend that Emma first sat in mournful thought of any continuance. ' -the first actual event of the plot; first paragraph- shows this pivotal importance as we enter the next chapter of Emma's life alongside this heroine, almost beginning in media res.

' Mr. Weston was a man of unexceptionable character, easy fortune, suitable age, and pleasant manners;'- importance of fortune, acceptability, capability

How Emma's need for companionship and routine clouds the happiness of the change.

Mr. Woodhouse - constant lament - "Poor Miss Taylor!—I wish she were here again. What a pity it is that Mr. Weston ever thought of her!"- ironic

Is it a healthy marriage? We never see any criticism of it- Ms Taylor still has her independence and visits emma etc.

The impact of marriage upon Emma's life.

It has consequentially left her abandoned in Highbury and at Hartfield- her sister married off and moved out of Emma's comfort zone, Miss Taylor moved out, constantly absent mother figure.' '..'

Leads her to seek female companionship in fear of loneliness and to alleviate the responsibility of her relationship with her father. She makes Harriet a project to distract from the absence of her own marriage?

However, it is clear what Emma thinks of marriage, and in this way she is an anomaly of her time- a feminist of this period. Not unusual in Austen's heroines, and a view shared by the author herself, who never married.

We see that a lot of Austen's heroines are set on marrying for love- Elizabeth in pride and prejudice condemns her friend's view that 'happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance', and Catherine Morland in Northanger abbey declares ‘to marry for money is I think the wickedest thing in existence'.

This is not to say that Emma, like Austen in all of her novels, is not astutely aware of the importance of marriage for the securing of safety, fortune and societal reputation. It was a fact of life in high-society regency England that women should look for a husband on the premise of security and familial values.

Emma unusually does not face the predicament that much of Austen's heroines face. She is rich and secure, and it does not seem like her father wishes to marry her off immediately.

Mr. Woodhouse himself says - 'matrimony, as the origin of change, was always disagreeable.' His hatred for change hinders his views on marriage, and we see this happen against his weakened will. Emma also says he is 'no friend to matrimony'.

However, the concept of marriage shapes the entirety of the novel, ironic in that Emma maintains, as mr Knightley points out; '"She always declares she will never marry, which, of course, means just nothing at all. But I have no idea that she has yet ever seen a man she cared for. It would not be a bad thing for her to be very much in love with a proper object. I should like to see Emma in love, and in some doubt of a return; it would do her good. But there is nobody hereabouts to attach her; and she goes so seldom from home."

On age difference ' the difference in ages is a reason for the young woman not even to consider the possibility of the older man as a suitor, until late in each novel. ' - John Mullan. on emma and persuasion.

Mr. Knightley, however aware he is of Emma's resolution, does not alter in essentially playing the role of the husband to her- he offers her companionship and guidance, sometimes strong, whilst allowing her to maintain the independence she is so proud of. We see in Emma's unconventional views on marriage her unconventionality as a future wife.

It is ironic that Emma believes she knows everything on marriage when she is so reluctant to face it herself.

On proposal in Austen, as seen in Emma's rejection of the smug Mr . Elton- 'The rule in Austen’s novels seems clear: if a man proposes as if he cannot imagine that the answer will be no – the answer will be no. ' John Mullan.

Austen herself 'Austen herself accepted a proposal of marriage from Harris Bigg-Wither, the brother of family friends, only to change her mind by the next morning. ' John Mullan.

Emma is quick to point out to Knightley's frustrated reasoning about Robert and Harriet that 'A woman is not to marry a man merely because she is asked, or because he is attached to her, and can write a tolerable letter. ' She cannot see that she may be the only one in her society who can plausibly afford to reject a proposal, however Austen shows us her rejection of Mr Elton is certainly for the best, whereas harriet's rejection is certainly not.

Does Emma have a problem with the idea of matrimonial submission? - 'never could I expect to be so truly beloved and important; so always first and always right in any man's eyes as I am in my father's.' her dutiful love for her father outweighs the possibility of marriage.

And yet she is possessive of Knightley, subconsciously- 'Mr. Knightley must never marry. Little Henry must remain the heir of Donwell.'

Realisation of love for Knightley - ' there never had been a time when she did not consider Mr. Knightley as infinitely the superior, or when his regard for her had not been infinitely the most dear. She saw, that in persuading herself, in fancying, in acting to the contrary, she had been entirely under a delusion, totally ignorant of her own heart.'

Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax

Ironic pair in that their marriage is based on both truth and deceit.

They must deceive their families to conceal the truth of their relationship; but Austen suggests their genuine love through this.

However, she does not confirm it to be a healthy relationship ; in fact, far from it- at numerous occasions in the book we see Jane's panicked reactions descend into illness as Frank brazenly flirts with Emma, who is just as reciprocal.

They are therefore unequal in terms of character and good nature as well as fortune. Frank is wealthy and Jane is destined to be a governess.

However, as the shift occurs through free indirect discourse from the monetary and societal to the human and character-based, through Emma's own realisations and her accommodation of Knightley's views, we see the standards for judging marriages have changed, as Emma notes; 'It is fit that the fortune should be on his side, for I think the merit will be all on hers.'

Mr. Elton and Augusta.

How the change their marriage brings is noticable and actually provides Emma with some relief- 'The pain of his continued residence in Highbury, however, must certainly be lessened by his marriage. Many vain solicitudes would be prevented—many awkwardnesses smoothed by it.'

A satirised portrayal of a mismatched, frivolous relationship. Cringe 'caro sposo' moment basically sums it up in Austen's dry assassination of Augusta's character.

It is ironic that Emma believes Harriet is perfect for Elton, as she has such a low opinion of him after his proposal, tying intrinsically into the theme of status and wealth - 'should suppose himself her equal in connexion or mind!—look down upon her friend, so well understanding the gradations of rank below him, and be so blind to what rose above, as to fancy himself shewing no presumption in addressing her!'

Austen adds an element of satirisation of Emma's thoughts here, to use the paradox of her friend being deserving and her being the opposite.

Lack of Marriage.

Miss Bates represents a descent into boredom after a wasted youth. She is confined into living with her mother and spending her day filling conversation with idle gossip and obsession over Emma and Jane Fairfax.

'Emma Woodhouse takes away Harriet Smith's right to accept Robert Martin and assumes the power to manipulate her into a match with Mr. Elton... uses her position most unfairly and most dangerously- she does not consider the benefits of such a match for an illegitimate girl.'

society in general mocked what it feared, as Jane Austen has Emma explain to Harriet Smith. A woman with money who chooses to stay single will always be respected, because she has the means to support herself and maintain her position in society: "it is poverty only which makes celibacy contemptible to a generous public!"'.

Hazel Jones, Austen and marriage.

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HOME- EXPLORE.

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Consider the exploration of identity and self-knowledge in the novel

'Mr.Knightley's anachronistic view of society as a static neo-fuedal order where identity is a function of fixed societal occupation'.

David Aers- harsh views, indication of Austen's own capitalist values

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in what ways, and with what effect, is the world outside of Highbury used in Emma?

'Emma will relinquish the false control inherent in living a confined life'

'She will never become as far-ranging a traveller as Jane' - lacks this wrdly knowledge that Jane inherits essentially due to her lower, less implicated social status

'Emma's stasis, her geographic status, is finally not sustainable either in the England in which Austen lived or in the England which she created'

georgraphical arrangements are symbolic of political positioning of women in society

'by 1814, the year austen wrote Emma, the Wars (Napoleonic) had been defining national values for years in terms of active aggression and suffering'. The novel is a civilian version of these views- Mr. Woodhouse's militant approach to

susan morgan- geography and politics

a gradual takeover of people from wider ranging spheres as the book continues

highbury is used as a central ground to which the characters travel in and out of, whilst Emma stays put and gains information from these excursions.

The idea of home and family are extremely important to Emma, and we see she values her relationship with her father over matrimonial values.

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respect and reputation

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love

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wealth

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morality and ethics

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gender