(This conversation will contain spoilers for the current chapters.)

R: Hallelujah! Emma sees the light. A little bit. She realised how wrong she was to encourage Harriet to like Mr. Elton, but in other ways she’s still blinded to her own behaviour. She recognises that some of her own attentions to Mr. Elton might have given him the wrong idea, but at the same time we see that she has a bloated concept of her own consequence. She doesn’t think that the clergyman is good enough for her because the Woodhouses are one of the most prominent families in the area. I’m glad that Emma is starting to understand the consequences of her interference.

S: Indeed! As I read Chapter 16, I was thinking of how we so easily convince ourselves we are in the right even as we see our wrong. Emma’s soliloquy is absolutely hilarious!

R: The next chapter is a short one, but has Emma making a difficult but mature step in imparting to Harriet Smith her error in encouraging an attachment between Harriet and Mr. Elton. It was good to see Emma not back off from admitting her mistake and comfort her friend as much as possible. This is somewhat difficult because Harriet can’t get away from the admiration of Mr. Elton by those at the boarding school where she lives.

When Mr. Frank Churchill doesn’t come when expected, Emma and Mr. Knightley have a discussion about the situation. Emma believes that Mr. Churchill will do as he pleases and come to see the Westons at some point, while Mr. Knightley believes that Mr. Churchill is a weak man, under the thumb of his family. This argument, especially when they speak of prejudice, reminds me a great deal of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy, especially their relationship at the beginning of Pride and Prejudice. 

S: Yes! So very true. I think Mr. Knightley is so very right and Emma is so very argumentative. The main thought in my mind as I read Chapters 17 and 18 is that Emma is so utterly prideful. It’s such a pity because there is much she is missing out on by being this way. It’s difficult to watch others shortchange themselves because of their pride.

R: I finished chapter 18 and discovered that my copy of Emma goes on with Volume II, Chapter 1 rather than continuing with a linear chapter numbering. Stacy’s copy doesn’t do this, so for the rest of this book, we will note the chapters both ways in case any of you are reading along and have chapters numbered like mine.

The next chapter gives us another glimpse at Emma’s attitude about her own consequence and that of her neighbours. She and Harriet are out and about and stop in to visit Mrs. and Miss Bates, even though Emma doesn’t really like them. She finds them boring. They learn that Jane Fairfax, Mrs. Bates’ granddaughter, is to visit, but Emma wants to get away before they read out all of Jane’s letter. While I can sort of understand Emma’s feelings about this, like many activities in life, sometimes you have to grin and bear it with grace. Everyone has those topics upon which they like to expound that their friends merely tolerate because they are friends.

S: Indeed! Really, the Bates are quite funny, sweet, innocent, and probably lonely people. While I also understand Emma’s attitude and hesitation about spending time with them now that we’ve met them, I still think she is letting her pride get in the way of developing a good relationship with them, even if it’s not a close friendship. It’s difficult to give others what they need when we are so self-focused.

R: Jane Fairfax arrives and we learn that Emma has an irrational and selfish dislike of the young lady. Emma seems to be partially resistant to friendship with her because everyone expects them to be friends. I sort of understand that. I have a tendency toward disliking things people insist I should like – contrarian human nature!

S: Ah, how true! How unfortunate for Emma that she doesn’t even try to get to know Jane, for she seems like such a sweetheart and to care nothing for gossip. Jealousy is so seductive, and comparison to another so dangerous.

You know, Jane Fairfax reminds me of Fanny from Mansfield Park, and Emma reminds me, as I’ve mentioned before, of Mary Crawford. I really do hope that Emma can get over her jealousy of Jane – it’s not very becoming.

(This conversation will contain spoilers for the current chapters.)

R: Emma’s sister Isabella and family arrive, and we learn that Mr. John Knightley, Isabella’s husband, doesn’t always tolerate his father-in-law’s idiosyncrasies very well, which puts him somewhat at odds with Emma.

S: Although very short, Chapter 11 gives a lot of insights into Emma’s extended family – her sister, Isabella, and husband and brother of Mr. Knightley, Mr. John Knightley. It’s obvious that Isabella is very missed as is Mrs. Weston (Miss Taylor). I’m beginning to think that Emma’s spoiledness comes from her father’s side of the family! Or it could just be that he’s ageing and, like a child, doesn’t want those around him to leave him.

R: That’s a good point. Mr. Woodhouse feels abandoned by family and close friends and probably doesn’t like change. When the other Mr. Knightley comes for dinner, Emma is able to make up with him from their earlier argument. They at least both agree that their nephews and nieces are quite the thing! While Emma acknowledges his ‘superior judgement’ and Mr. Knightley agrees to be friends again, he gets in a couple more digs at Emma first: ‘I have still the advantage of you by sixteen years’ experience, and by not being a pretty young woman and a spoiled child.’ Emma also learns that Mr. Martin is quite disappointed by Miss Smith’s refusal of his proposal. 

S: The exchange between Emma and Mr. Knightley is interesting on many counts: not only do we learn that he is sixteen years her senior, the reader also learns that they both appear to like children and neither of them want to be arguing with the other. Still, it’s very telling that Emma is young with much less life experience than Mr. Knightley when she insists to herself, ‘She certainly had not been in the wrong, and he would never own that he had. Concession must be out of the question…’. One of the ways to know one is ‘growing up’ is when one can admit when one has made a wrong choice. Also, I feel very sorry for Mr. Martin.

R: How very true. It’s difficult to have mature, meaningful relationships unless one can admit fault and wrongdoing, even if accidental. I think it’s important that admitting fault must both be external and internal. Saying you’re wrong while continuing to believe you were right only breeds resentment.

S: Mr. John Knightley is an interesting character and makes Mr. Knightley’s character, I think his first name is George according to the brotherly greeting read in Chapter 12, make more sense. He reminds me of Mr. Palmer from Sense and Sensibility. Although Emma tries to stay the flow of conversation that will put her father into one of his moods she is unable to single handedly, and it’s a good thing that both the Mr. Knightleys sense where Mr. Woodhouse is heading and help end the conversation. I like that Mr. John Knightley stands up for his decisions and for his wife, since it appears she has a difficult time standing up for herself.

R: What follows is quite a lot of blathering between Isabella and her father, and the decision that the whole family would be going to the Westons’ for dinner on Christmas Eve, along with Harriet Smith and Mr. Elton. At the last minute, Harriet becomes ill and isn’t able to come. Emma tries to encourage Mr. Elton to visit her and further fan the flames of love, but he is not moved nearly as much as Emma thinks he should be. 

S: Oh, Chapter 13 is so telling! Austen has dropped so many hints about Mr. Elton’s feelings and Emma’s inability to ‘…see him with clear vision…’! Austen also mentions how people who are quick to judge rarely see the whole picture and oftentimes make mistakes; how very, very true. I’m anxious to see how this plays out.

I agree with Mr. John Knightley: home is rather more pleasant, especially when one has to travel through the cold to get to one’s destination!

R: Amen! While I do enjoy going out and spending time with people in small doses, my absolute favourite thing to do is spend the day reading at home. 

S: I could feel Emma’s annoyance toward Mr. Elton after they arrive at the Weston’s! She is so, for lack of a better word, clueless about so many things it just makes me roll my eyes and shake my head. No wonder Mr. Knightley occasionally becomes frustrated with her and sees she can be more than she is.

R: This is when it starts becoming obvious to me that Mr. Elton has no romantic feelings toward Harriet. While he did visit Harriet, he seemed to do so out of duty at Emma’s request simply to report back to her the invalid’s condition right before the dinner party.

S: It’s astonishing to me how unrealistic Emma is being regarding Mr. Weston’s son, Mr. Frank Churchill. For all that she prides herself on good ideas and feeling like she knows a lot she seems very childish in her wish to meet him and, at some point, to hopefully marry him. She doesn’t even seem to understand what that would entail – he is rather under the thumb of Mrs. Churchill of Enscombe. As free spirited as she is, Emma hasn’t thought through what her life would probably be like with a husband who has no real say in where he goes or what he does. (This reminds me of the relationship between Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine de Bourgh from Pride and Prejudice!).

R: They keep mentioning Frank Churchill, and I feel sure that we’re going to be seeing him soon. It is odd that Emma has fixated on him as a potential mate when she’s never met him and knows absolutely nothing about him of substance. Mr. Collins and Lady Catherine are a very good parallel! 

S: It’s also funny to realise Emma actually knows very little of Mrs. Weston and her hopes for who Emma will marry. As we read about in Chapter 5, Mr. and Mrs. Weston seem to think that Emma and Mr. Knightley would make a good match! Further, we see that even though Mrs. Weston attempts to give Emma advice and to stay her from thinking too ill of Mrs. Churchill, Emma refuses to listen and stubbornly decides that Frank is the one being wronged and Mrs. Churchill is no good. (Also, does Emma have a ‘…sweet temper…’ as Mrs. Weston says? I have yet to see much of it.)

R: That was a funny moment! Of everyone in Emma’s life you’d think that her former governess would have the best perspective of Emma’s personality, but perhaps Mrs. Weston didn’t have much occasion to see Emma’s machinations and manipulations before.

S: I thought it was also amusing that Isabella talks about how horrible it would be to live under the roof of someone so picky and ‘ill-tempered’ because Mr. Woodhouse is essentially the same. This, of course, is seen very clearly again when he becomes agitated about the snow and the possible drive home through it or the possibility of not being able to get home. Thankfully, Mr. Knightley saves the day, despite his brother’s ‘poking the bear’ so to speak and agitating Mr. Woodhouse even more. Once they’re safe at home, it’s nice that Mr. John Knightley attends to his father-in-law and has the decency to be ashamed of his temper at the Weston’s.

R: This made me like Mr. John Knightley a bit where I was mostly annoyed with him before. He seems to sometimes pick on his wife and is often irritated by his father-in-law, but that he put himself out to then help manage Mr. Woodhouse showed some good in his character.

S: And oh, Mr. Elton! What an awkward and frustrating carriage ride home for him and Emma! Suspicions on the part of the reader are confirmed. I wonder how Harriet will react – having been persuaded by Emma to reject Mr. Martin and now without the attentions of Mr. Elton, she has really been treated unkindly. I hope she gets a happy ending.

R: I feel so sorry for Mr. Elton here! And for Harriet. Emma gets precisely what she deserves. Mr. Elton shows himself to be like Mr. Collins again in his misapprehension of Emma’s behaviours. He thinks that she’s known of his feelings the whole time and that her protestations are empty. The scene is both amusing and embarrassing for all. I feel like we won’t be seeing much of Mr. Elton in the rest of the book.

(This conversation will contain spoilers for the current chapters.)

R: Chapter 6 begins with Emma continuing to work on Mr. Elton’s feelings for Harriet Smith and vice versa by bringing them together and subtly convincing Mr. Elton to request that Emma do a painting of Miss Smith. As Emma works on the painting, Mrs. Weston shows that she can see Emma’s faults to an extent, noting that Emma hasn’t necessarily captured Harriet’s likeness faithfully. Mr. Elton has apparently fallen head over heels for Miss Smith and defends the portrait staunchly while Mr. Knightley also criticises. It’s a humorous scene, further detailing Emma’s character, for she’s not willing to admit that her painting has faults. 

S: I’ve a vague feeling that Mr. Elton is not at all interested in Harriet, but in Emma – he’s just a little too on board with her idea and a little too defending of a painting that is described as rather unlike the subject.

I feel frustrated for Harriet – it doesn’t seem as though she wants her picture drawn and Emma and Mr. Elton really bully her into it. It’s not a bad thing for her picture to be drawn per se, but the whole scene was a bit uncomfortable. 

I think the funniest line, and probably the most true in this chapter, is ‘She [Emma] was not much deceived as to her own skill…but she was not unwilling to have others deceived…’. This sums up Emma’s pride so succinctly! 

R: The next chapter makes me so angry at Emma! Blatant interference in the guise of ‘helping’ her friend leads Miss Smith to reject a proposal of marriage from Mr. Martin. Harriet had wanted to accept the proposal, but Emma slyly convinces her that to do so would lose Miss Smith Emma’s friendship because ‘It would have grieved me to lose your acquaintance, which must have been the consequence of your marrying Mr. Martin…it would have been the loss of a friend to me. I could not have visited Mrs. Robert Martin, of Abbey-Mill Farm. Now I am secure of you forever.’ It shows Emma’s selfishness and self-centeredness rather than any care for her ‘friend’.

S: I was really surprised that something of this magnitude happens so early in the story! I want to reach through the pages and pull Harriet out of them and tell her that Mr. Martin is a perfectly fine match. Despite Emma having had a bit of matchmaking success and things in life generally going her way, she has never been in love, has never really had to endure hardships. I think her pride and her entitlement are beginning to have an effect on the decisions she’s making. She is probably too afraid that things will not go her way and therefore encourages (manipulates) Harriet into rejecting Mr. Martin. I also feel badly for Mr. Martin and rather ashamed of Emma’s opinion of him. It is very rude and unkind and does not at all go along with the character many people paint of her.

R: Chapter 8 is intense. Mr. Knightley arrives at Hartfield to speak to Emma about Harriet Smith. It turns out that Mr. Martin had consulted Mr. Knightley before writing his proposal to Miss Smith and Mr. Knightley believes that they would suit each other very well. It’s interesting that Emma finds such a man beneath her station in life while Mr. Knightley, who is presumably of the same station as Emma, considers the same man his friend, or at least has a good deal of regard for him. Mr. Knightley is appalled at Emma’s interference and upbraids her quite harshly, which I believe was richly deserved. Emma remains unrepentant, however. 

S: This chapter really endears me to Mr. Knightley! Out of all Emma’s family and friends he is the only one who does not seem at all affected by her manipulations. He is very disappointed with her and frustrated at her pride. To me, Emma reads very much as a child and fancies she knows more about the world than she really does. As Proverbs 12:15 (NKJV) says, ‘The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a person who listens to advice is wise’. Emma is simply being foolish and refuses to listen to Mr. Knightley’s rebuke. She may tell herself and others that she is helping Harriet for Harriet’s benefit, but I think the truth is probably closer to what she tells Mr. Knightley about wanting to keep Harriet close – she doesn’t want to lose another close friend (or, rather, someone who takes her word as law).

As a side note, Mr. Woodhouse’s interaction with Mr. Knightley at the beginning of the chapter is just so ridiculous! I wonder if Mr. Woodhouse is trying a little matchmaking of his own.

R: Oh! I hadn’t considered that. I wonder if you might be right.

Emma and Harriet begin a project of collecting riddles and such and copying them down. Mr. Elton brings them one that he requests not be included, but Emma goes ahead and does so anyway, leaving out a portion of it. She believes that the charade, which from context seems to be a certain kind of riddle, is meant to refer to Miss Smith because the clues work out to be the word ‘courtship’. I’m having a sneaking suspicion that Mr. Elton’s attentions might not be focused on Miss Harriet Smith.

S: This chapter, from the outset, seems like a chapter that should bore me, but in reality it does the opposite. I was having trouble figuring out what a charade was so I’m glad Austen explains it. Emma’s assumptions regarding Mr. Elton’s affections for Harriet are just too much, despite how everything appears. Honestly I think the charade also describes Emma and her father: the first part (court) could mean her father’s high station in life and the second (ship) could mean herself because she is alone and above everyone else. As we know too well from Harriet’s interactions with Emma, and from what others, mainly Mr. Knightley has implied and said, Emma is the one who really has wit.

Again, I just shake my head at Mr. Woodhouse. He’s such a nervous person, and so gloomy!

R: Chapter 10 mostly consists of Emma trying to get Mr. Elton and Miss Smith on their own when she and Miss Smith are out and about on an errand of mercy, in which attempts she is mostly thwarted by the pair themselves. Emma also makes it known to Harriet that she has no real inclination nor intent to marry. Overall, I think we gain more understanding of Emma’s character. While she has good intentions, she goes about making things happen in an underhanded and selfish manner. Mr. Knightley seems to be just about the only person who has a clear understanding of Emma. I’ll be interested to see how things develop with Mr. Elton and wonder whether there is any chance that Mr. Martin will have another opportunity to seek Miss Smith’s hand. 

S: This chapter really doesn’t paint Emma in a kind light and honestly makes her seem rather clueless about love; I suppose having never had the opportunity to see it modelled that makes sense. Austen does point out that she does care about helping those who are poor and ill, but again, as you note, it is to her own advantage. I was also very sad about how she speaks of Miss Bates and how she assumes that being rich and unmarried will be so much better than being poor and unmarried. She doesn’t appear to take into consideration other things that Miss Bates has in abundance. She sounds jealous, actually, of Miss Bates’s niece, Jane Fairfax. I wonder, too, if when she told Mr. Knightly about her wanting Harriet to never leave her that in a way she may envision them both as old maids. I really hope that Harriet sees that Mr. Martin would be the better choice for her!

(This conversation will contain spoilers for the current chapters.)

S: Colour me surprised! I was prepared to not like this book from the get go, just because others have mentioned to me I may not like it, but I laughed out loud quite a bit from the first sentence.

The first chapter is very interesting and quite different from the previous three books. Austen lays everything on the table so the reader can be sure of what they’re getting into. Emma, we find, is spoiled and is never really reprimanded by her father, older sister, or her nurse/friend. There doesn’t seem to have been much discipline for her, which is a shame, but at least we know where she’s starting. She almost sounds like Miss Crawford! I’m very interested to see how her story is going to play out. Will she grow as a person, which we unfortunately didn’t get to see Miss Crawford do, or will she have a more happy ending?

R: Austen certainly drops the reader right into the middle of things in Emma. After the long, slow introduction of Mansfield Park, I was grateful for this quick opening. We are brought right into a scene with what I believe are most of the main characters, and given a good overview of all of them.

S: I agree! I liked the quick introduction; it seems fitting for the type of character Emma appears to be. Her father is an old widower who seems to not want to marry again and is very self-focused. In fact, he reminds me quite strongly of Lady Bertram! I’m excited to see if the Mr. Knightley character plays a large role in the book since he’s really the only one who stands up to Emma when she’s wrong. 

R: Mr. Woodhouse definitely has Lady Bertram vibes! It’s fun to see the characters who have similarities to previous books. Mr. Woodhouse also reminds me a lot of Mrs. Bennet. 

S: Yes! He does remind me of Mrs. Bennet! That’s funny.

R: I like the interplay between Emma and Mr. Knightley. He reminds me a little of Mr. Darcy, though he’s perhaps not quite as severe, and he sees Emma’s matchmaking endeavours as meddlesome. I think Emma may be the most negatively-viewed protagonist of any of Austen’s books so far. 

S: I feel like I’m in a constant state of waiting and wondering what in the world she will do next mainly because she just makes me roll my eyes and laugh.

I felt a little lost during most of Chapter 2 until I figured out that it was a flashback of sorts, and even writing out my thoughts I had to go back and reread – there are so many people mentioned! The important point, however, is that Emma’s scheme of marrying off her governess, Miss Taylor to Mr. Weston, has come to fruition.

R: Chapter 2 does seem to make an abrupt shift of topics; but the backstory is interesting, and I believe it is important for later.

S: In Chapter 3 we are introduced to even more characters, my favourite being Miss Bates. I love this line about her and stopped reading for a time to just enjoy its beauty: ‘And yet she was a happy woman, and a woman whom no one named without good-will. It was her own universal good-will and contented temper which worked such wonders’. Isn’t that lovely? After reading it a few times the only thought in my mind was, ‘I want to be just such a woman’. 

R: That is a lovely description. Miss Bates is similar to Emma in wanting good for others, but I have a feeling she doesn’t go around meddling in their affairs to bring about what she believes is for their good.

Mr. Woodhouse is funny in a potentially irritating way. He likes company, but only on his terms, at his house. And he’s always trying to get his guests to have less of all the good things that usually come with dinner parties. I do like how Emma manages him: ‘Emma allowed her father to talk–but supplied her visitors in a much more satisfactory style…’

S: Oh, that section was so funny to read!

We are also introduced to Harriet Smith and, in a roundabout way, to Mr. Martin, who I believe are going to play large roles in Emma’s character development. Her discourse with Miss Smith left me feeling very uncomfortable and I want Miss Smith’s character to not be swayed by Emma, but I’m not sure that will happen. My initial reaction to Emma’s bigotry against Mr. Martin was shock, but after thinking about it and about what we know of her already it makes sense. I was offended on Mr. Martin’s behalf and embarrassed for Emma! She may be rather clever, but her opinions are rather rude. 

R: Oh, yes. This scene with Miss Smith shows Emma’s character at its worst. Harriet likes Mr. Martin, but Emma doesn’t think he’s good enough for Miss Smith. She wants what she thinks is best for Harriet and manipulates her to try to bring it about.

S: Chapter 5 is quite amusing and I laughed aloud a number of times. The discourse between Mr. Knightley and Mrs. Weston is cute and lets the reader know where each character stands regarding Emma. I agree with Mr. Knightley – I don’t fancy Emma and Miss Smith being intimate acquaintances. I’m afraid it’s going to turn out very badly and someone, if not both of them, will end up hurt. 

My favourite part of Chapter 5 is when Austen casually mentions without mentioning that Mr. and Mrs. Weston think Mr. Knightley and Emma should marry. Again, Austen’s command of story and of the English language is beautiful!

R: This was an interesting chapter. I feel that Austen is giving more insight into the main character than we usually get by this point, but I like that she’s done so from the perspective of other characters rather than telling us directly. Mr. Knightly’s opinion of Emma reminds me a little of how Mr. Darcy viewed Elizabeth at the beginning of Pride and Prejudice. 

I agree with you about Emma and Harriet Smith. I don’t think that relationship will be good for Miss Smith, certainly, and maybe not for Emma either. She doesn’t need someone who does whatever she says, but someone who will stand up to her and push back.

S: I feel like Austen has taken her writing to another level in her fourth novel and I am loving it! There is so much snarkiness and so much satire! I think that parts of this are going to be uncomfortable to read, but I am very much looking forward to reading the story nonetheless.

R: As am I! This was an excellent start to this novel and I am excited to continue the story.