Emma

By Jane Austen

Introduction by A. Walton Litz
 
“Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her.” So begins Jane Austen’s comic masterpiece Emma. In Emma, Austen’s prose brilliantly elevates, in the words of Virginia Woolf, “the trivialities of day-to-day existence, of parties, picnics, and country dances” of early-nineteenth-century life in the English countryside to an unrivaled level of pleasure for the reader. At the center of this world is the inimitable Emma Woodhouse, a self-proclaimed matchmaker who, by the novel’s conclusion, may just find herself the victim of her own best intentions.
 
INCLUDES A MODERN LIBRARY READING GROUP GUIDE

• Language: English
• Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
• Release date: Oct 31, 2000
• ISBN: 9780679641087

Jane Austen

Born in 1775, Jane Austen published four of her six novels anonymously. Her work was not widely read until the late nineteenth century, and her fame grew from then on. Known for her wit and sharp insight into social conventions, her novels about love, relationships, and society are more popular year after year. She has earned a place in history as one of the most cherished writers of English literature.

Reviews for Emma

[ctpress_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is my fourth reading of Emma. My appreciation for Emma seems to grow with every reading. I started out on the Kindle but ended up listening to the last part on audiobook read by Juliet Stevenson. Let me just add a note on the humor in Emma. I appreciated it more this time. Like Mr. Wodehouse, the hypochondriac, and his diet plans:"Mrs. Bates, let me propose your venturing on one of these eggs. An egg boiled very soft is not unwholesome. Serle understands boiling an egg better than any body. I would not recommend an egg boiled by any body else; but you need not be afraid, they are very small, you see—one of our small eggs will not hurt you. Miss Bates, let Emma help you to a little bit of tart—a very little bit. Ours are all apple-tarts. You need not be afraid of unwholesome preserves here. I do not advise the custard. Mrs. Goddard, what say you to half a glass of wine? A small half-glass, put into a tumbler of water? I do not think it could disagree with you." And Juliet Stevenson take on Mrs. Bates is fantastic. So funny how a simple question by Emma (how are you?) end up with an account of the whole day's minor details. I laughed a lot. Also the foolishness of Mrs. Elton and her meddling.

[cheryl_in_cc_nv · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

It took me a while to get into the prose style, the syntax - I don't read these old books. But such is Austen's skill that I'm now looking forward to finally reading P&P, and maybe some Dickens, too.

I mean, while it's of course true that this 2 century old society of caste and protocol is alien to most of us now, human nature itself isn't. Young girls, for example, still do have passionate infatuations, and I'm sure teens now can easily see their friends in Harriet as she's told who to flirt with next, and as she compares two potential beaus to Emma: You must think one five hundred million times above me than the other."

This is still relevant, too: "Something occurred... to make Emma want their advice; and, which was still more lucky, she wanted exactly the advice they gave."

I did, personally, feel gypped that we didn't get to spend any time getting to know the children or servants at all - not even as much as we did in Jane Eyre.

Social intrigue still isn't my thing, really, but this was funny, and smart, and interesting. Thank you Costco for buying the pretty pink leather (vinyl?) WordCloud edition and persuading me to buy it so I could finally get around to reading this story.

(Said pretty edition avl. gratis to first US member who asks for it. :)"

[murderbydeath · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Well, Ms. Austen completely succeeds in her efforts to create a heroine that you both like and want to strangle at the same time (if indeed that was her design). Given the complete mess she makes playing with those around her, Emma hardly deserves to have anything go well for herself, yet I was cheering for her just the same. I found the book to be a bit long, and the dialog many times so tiresome I actually yelled at the speakers to "shut up!" (listening to audio edition) but the narration was outstanding, and for anyone looking for a good audio version of the book, I can recommend this one without reservation. Needless to say, this will remain at the bottom of my Jane Austen rankings and Pride and Prejudice will remain firmly at the top.

[gayla.bassham · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I must have read this book at least half a dozen times in the last 25 years, and I still love it. And I still can't read the Box Hill scene without cringing. I must say, though, that I am beginning to doubt Emma's and Mr. Knightley's long-term prospects. He is always correcting her -- isn't that going to drive her crazy after a while? And he is far too old for her.

[homeschoolmimzi · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

Boo on this one. I can't believe Emma is a classic. If there were soap operas in the 19th century, this would have made an excellent teleplay for one. There were no noble characters; all were rich gossips overly concerned with complexions, tea time and the weather. Everyone was so afraid of being sick because of drafts, rain, lack of good air, etc.. Also annoying was the tedious length it took someone to express a thought (and not a very worthwhile thought at that). What could be expressed in one sentence took about three paragraphs.
Emma was a rich, spoiled busybody who constantly tried to play matchmaker, and she was horrible at it. That's the basic story. Not worth reading. I was going to read some more Jane Austen but I think I need a break for now.

[thornton37814 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Emma Woodhouse sets out to be a matchmaker for her single female friends although her efforts are not very successful. This story chronicles the day to day life of women in the Regency period. Emma shows a few characteristics of an early feminist movement by trying to show that women do not need to be married to be happy. This is a classic tale and one of my favorite Austen novels.

[mickyfine · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Having just lost her former governess and companion to marriage, Emma Woodhouse fears that her life is about to become far more dull. However, upon making the acquaintance of Harriet Smith, the illegitimate daughter of a mystery individual who lives at the local boarding school, Emma takes Harriet under her wing. Despite the disapproval of her long-time neighbour and friend, Mr. Knightley, Emma strives to marry off Harriet. She quickly learns though that matchmaking is far more difficult than she expected and the chances for heartbreak for more than just Harriet are high.Emma was the first Jane Austen novel I ever read and thus, it always has a special place in my reading history. The tale of rich and spoiled Emma Woodhouse stirring up trouble in Highbury with her matchmaking efforts is always amusing. Emma and Mr. Knightley's verbal sparring is thoroughly enjoyable, particularly given his annoying habit of always being right. The supporting characters are equally sparkling and full of foibles that never cease to amuse. Of course, there is the requisite misunderstandings between the primary characters and the ultimate happy ending and marriage that makes these novels such a comfort. No matter how many times I read it, Emma remains witty and charming.

[bryndahlquis · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very good, but I don't think I'm ever going to desperately want to read it again. It seemed very long, and often tedious, and it was very predictable. But I loved the ending!

[mrsdanaalbasha · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

When I first read Emma, I couldn't like her, she seemed just too perfect and too judgemental, or so it seemed.

But after watching the 2009 edition and rereading the book with new eyes, I grew to love Emma Woodhouse. It is hard not to love a character by Jane Austen. Emma is a happy person, you can witness that in the way she talks and acts. I really love her now; she is like sunshine, and Mr. Knightly is very hot and such a great male leading character. I prefer him now more than Mr. Darcy, he's real, approachable, sensible, and good at observation.

I never thought about how sometimes meeting a person could affect someone's life so profoundly even for the worst until it happened to me, I now understand where Mr. Knightly protectiveness came from.

Such a favorite, dear book! My favorite adaptation is the 2009 miniseries and the indian movie Aisha... and let's not forget Clueless!

[aharey · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Emma tells the tale of Emma Woodhouse, a woman of means, who is an unrelenting matchmaker in early 19th century England. Emma, the sole caretaker of her father, spends her time trying to set people up, often with disastrous results.

Emma, published in 1815, is a Comedy of Errors novel. This type of novel satirizes a particular class of people. In the case of this novel, it is the gentry of 19th century rural England. Comedies of Errors tend to have stereotypical characters. Two that appear in Emma are the fop, someone who is overly concerned with his appearance, and the rake, someone who is a heartless womanizer. We see these two characters in Mr. Elton and Frank Churchill (though Frank may not be as heartless as he appears).

Jane Austen wrote Emma with the intention of creating a main character who no one would like. Emma at first appears to be frivolous and interfering. However, through the novel, we actually see Emma evolve into a much more mature character who recognizes her faults and shortcomings. The character of Emma was a departure for Austen, in the fact that Emma was not worried about income. Also, the character of Mr. Knightley is someone Emma has always known, as opposed to Austen’s other novels.

Emma has always been one of my favorite novels. It strikes me as being more similar to the modern world than Austen’s other novels. I have always loved Mr. Knightley’s character, almost more than Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice. It is a novel I read again and again, never tiring of the different adventures Emma finds herself in.

[dianemb_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is classic Jane Austen which her fans, including me, love. Emma is not her most loveable of heroes, but endeared herself to the reader as she regrets some of her worst transgressions. Of course, we all love the handsome and courtly Mr. Knightley.

[lizzybeans11 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

This is another one of those classic books that I love to read every now-and-then. The first time I tried to read it without having any prior knowledge of the plot, I had trouble keeping all the characters straight (name changes and using only surnames is difficult to follow sometimes). I find that to be true of many period novels. However, after watching a few film and TV versions it's much easier and I picked up on the little nuances of the relationships. This story definitely makes for a great screenplay, but I adore the novel as well.

[savvyescapades · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

I can’t remember the last book I disliked as much as I dislike Emma. GoodReads informs me that I have been struggling through this book since the middle of October, but in actuality this book has been haunting me for at least ten years. I bought it sometime before I went to boarding school. Though I remember starting it several times, I never made it past page 30. As I vociferously complained about this book as I was reading it this time, both M and my mother asked me why I was reading it if I disliked it so much. I didn’t really have a good answer at the time, but now I know. Leaving this book unread for so long was haunting me. I really don’t like leaving things undone, and I wanted to challenge myself as a reader. As an apprentice-writer, you are supposed to read as much as you can. If left solely to my own devices, I would mostly read YA, so Classics and Modern, Adult Lit are good for me.Usually, I like reading about Austen’s heroines. I enjoyed Pride and Prejudice. Northanger Abbey was a fun read. But Emma Woodhouse makes me want to hit people. Okay, mostly I just want to hit her. So what were my issues?In Northanger Abbey, the heroine is also fairly naive and kind of creates the problems in her life. But you know what? She feels badly about it! And she learns! Emma’s excessively high opinion of herself pissed me off beyond belief, and though she feels bad for a minute or two, in another 30 pages she’ll be doing exactly whatever it was that got her into trouble last time. In fact, I don’t think she focuses too much on starting the rumor about Jane Fairfax being in love with a married man. If she even thinks about it, it wasn’t for very long. In fact, she focuses more on making a catty comment to Jane’s aunt (whose ridiculously chatty dialog is *painful* to read), and that’s primarily just because Knightly chastises her for it.Which brings me to my other issue: Knightly. Not a super-hot Austen heroine, in my opinion. Call me a crazy modern woman, but patronizing guys just aren’t attractive to me. Now, I think he’s perfect for Emma, who continues to act exactly like a spoiled child/Mean Girl, but I couldn’t get 100% behind a relationship predominately based on him trying to fix her and get her to grow up. Maybe I’m missing something, and I’d love to see your thoughts or defenses of the book in comments. But really I’m just glad I accomplished that. Hopefully my other 10+ year book that is haunting me, The Phantom of the Opera, won’t be as painful.Rating: 2 stars— At least I will never have to start this book again.

[stefany_6 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I don't know what it is about Jane Austen's novels, but I've read two of them now and I find that I really do enjoy them. The characters that she creates come alive on the page and even though nothing terribly exciting happens besides the usual day to day, I find myself drawn into the lives and events anyway. In the introduction to my version of Emma, there is a comment that Emma is basically a book about nothing. While this is true in a way, Emma is about a lot more than nothing and gives the reader a fascinating glimpse into the world of Emma's England. There is also the great intrigue (insert tongue into cheek a bit) of whom will be matched up with whom and when these courtships will commence, etc. Ms. Austen's easy to read style and sense of humor really do make this an enjoyable book to read and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a lighthearted frolic through classic literature in old England.

[bellenuitoeil_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I love electronics, cars, and all things made available by modern technology. But reading Emma (or any Austen, really) makes me want to live back in the 1800's. So lovely.

[eljabo · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

OK - thankfully, it got better. The first part of the book was torturous - Emma was an unbearable snobbish brat. The book improved once Jane Fairfax and Frank Church entered the picture. And I must confess a major crush on Mr. Knightley.I think I read too much, however, because I knew who was going to hook up with who from the very beginning. I had all the couples properly paired -- maybe I should be a matchmaker!Emma was bratty - although she seemed to improve a bit by the end. I'm glad I don't have to hang out with her in real life, but at least she demonstrated some redeeming qualities.

[simonea_533972 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The thing I like most about Emma is the fact that she is not perfect, like a lot of other novel characters. What adds to that, is the fact that, as a reader, you pick up on a lot of things that Emma doesn't realize, so you can sort of gloat about her naivety. The mini-series that was recently made is very good, and for me added to the fun I had while rereading the book.

[mojomomma_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A classic I never got around to reading until it came up as a freebie download on my Kindle. In honor of my daughter Emma, who is NOT named after Miss Emma Woodhouse, who turned out to be a very poor match-maker.

[mbmackay · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Jane Austen's fourth published work, and a little different from the earlier novels in having a flawed heroine. Emma is spoilt and gets things wrong - making her more realistic than earlier leading characters. Other characters in the book are also vividly drawn - the hypochondriac father, the slightly careless mother (Emma's sister) etc. Austen continues to demonstrate her talent for "describing, not telling" in which she minimises the input of the omniscient narrator and allows the events and conversation to tell the story - very modern. Read as ebook March 2011.

[arteehazari · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

A wonderful book true reflections of Jane Austen's work. Loved it for the classiness of it but then Jane is one of my favorite authors. A story woven around the matchmaker's mind.

[khoov00 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I thought that this book would be one of my favorite Jane Austen books since it is sort of the feminist "you don't need to get married to be happy" type of story. The thing is that I just couldn't quite get into her character and the story fell a bit flat for me. That said, it is still a very enjoyable read and I think it only pales in comparison to Jane's other works that I love so much. The weird thing is that I love, love, love (and so does my husband) the movie "Clueless" which is a modern day adaptation. I guess no matter how cultured you believe you are sometimes a bit of chicklit (referring to the movie version) is still fun. I would still recommend this book and actually purchased this as part of a Jane Austen set for my niece as a present.

[june6bug · Rating: 1 out of 5 stars]

I really didn't find Emma to be a sympathetic character - she's so condescending and self-centered. She does grow throughout the novel, but I didn't grow to like her any better. I think part of the problem is my personal bias against the social norms described in the novel; I just can't stand the class-ism or the obvious scorn for people who work for a living. Maybe I hate it because I have to work for a living, which would make me an outcast in this society!

[kellyjane1212 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I adore Emma despite her unrepentant snobbery, the only 'sour taste' about her character remaining for me by the novel's conclusion. But I suppose I must excuse this fault as something of a common product of her times. I do love how Jane Austen seems to wrap ironies within more ironies: Emma, who fancies herself so sagacious a matchmaker that she gives not a thought to meddling into the matters of others' hearts, by doing so distracts herself from recognizing her own true heart's match, which literally had been staring her in the face all throughout. It took the ultimate backfire of her worst meddling-- the final perversion, through sweet witless Harriet, of Emma's instigating perversity-- to arouse in Emma an unexpected, mortified jealousy: "Omigoodness, not Harriet and Mr. Knightly! -- no!-- because ... because ... I love Mr, Knightly! ... omigod ..."The action of the story is primarily interior, not exterior-- but very rich in that sense. Some of the dialogue between Emma and Mr. Knightly seems remarkable in verisimilitude, as though a man might even have stepped in and nudging Jane Austen aside for just a sec, written some of Mr. Knightly's replies and comebacks. It seems to me that Jane outdid herself in fashioning a realistic male counterpoise to Emma's tapestried dimensionality; these (unacknowledged) lovers do sound like robust, clever lovers who by turns verbally embrace or put each other off, with sparks sometimes a-flying. I'm really not sure that Hepburn & Tracey could have boasted too much better. And although none of the romance is explicit even to the last-- it feels to me that this of all the Austen couplings will enjoy the richest, most mature and even most passionate of marriages. They are simply a perfect fit, come together at the perfect time and in the perfect way for their particular personalities.Emma and Elizabeth Bennett (from Pride & Prejudice) are both represented in their respective novels to be young marriageable women not far advanced from adolescense; but I can tell that Elizabeth Bennett was crafted by a woman not far advanced from adolescence herself, while Emma Woodhouse was crafted by a woman recalling that age from a greater distance. One feels that the narrarator wraps Emma in an affectionate head-shaking smile all throughout: we must forebear this exasperating foolishness with a measure of indulgence-- it will come out okay, that tacit smile seems to promise. And so we do, and it does, and we smirk or laugh when Jane Austen does, and hope for the best as she does, and when we finally finish we have to put the book down to attend some neglected domestic matters, as she probably did too.I enjoy the charming tone and spirit of this novel if not always the surface events and sensibilities at every moment. Of external action there is very little; probably this novel will underwhelm those who are not fans of primarily psychological drama. But I think Jane Austen in some senses is at her most delightfully wicked and subversive, turning things on their heads only to turn them round on their heads again. The animation, wit, irony, and precision are all there-- and as always, her heroine, if only she learns from a mistake or two, will be rewarded by life for it, however things may have started or proceeded along the way.

[rachissy · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

** spoiler alert ** I managed to finally finish Emma by Jane Austen tonight. I hope the die-hard Austen fans don't string me up for saying this, but I really didn't like it. It started out fine and I was interested for the first 100+ pages but then it just started to drag on, by the end it was all I could do to finish it. Nothing but parties and dinner and visiting the neighbors. There is no drama or excitement at all. I suppose all the Frank Churchill/Jane Fairfax secrecy could be construed as drama but by then I just didn't care. I realize that Pride and Prejudice was heavy on the neighbor visits as well but at least there was the Lydia/Wickham scandal to peak my interest. That's much more interesting drama than some stupid secret engagement. Yawn. Plus Elizabeth Bennett was much more likable.Not to mention, I really couldn't stand Emma herself. The girl is a complete and total snot. I found her to be almost completely unlikeable. By the end I didn't care who she ended up with so long as she quit screwing up everyone else's lives. She just sort of forces Harriet to like whomever she thinks is appropriate and completely ignores Harriet's own feelings. Matchmaking is one thing but trying to force two people together for your own amusement is just plain selfish.Then the way she acts towards Jane Fairfax and her family is deplorable. She goes on about how she can't stand her and gets irritated when her aunt wants to show Emma her letters and it makes me beg the question. Why go visit these people you don't like? I guess it's the "proper" thing to do but I think it's better to go against propriety than to continue to be friends with people and then talk smack about them behind their back. I won't lie, I have been guilty of talking crap behind peoples backs (I am a woman afterall), but I didn't go around pretending to be their friend either. If these women are so irritating, just make excuses so as not to see them. Eventually they'll get the hint.Honestly I thought Emma and Mr. Churchill were actually perfect for each other and should have ended up together so that no one else would be stuck with them.Churchill is a total jerk. Sure, he has to keep his engagement a secret, fine, but don't go around making fun of your fiance and flirting with other women. Seriously? Emma is perfect for Churchill. Mr. Knightley is far too good for her and would have been better off with anyone else.As it was, the one thing I liked about Emma was that she was a total daddy's girl. As a proud daddy's girl myself I can respect that. However my dad taught me to keep my nose out of other people's business and to not meddle in their affairs. Maybe Emma could come and hang out with my dad for awhile and learn some manners.

[vibrantminds · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Emma Woodhouse is delusional living in her contemporary society of Highbury, England. Caught up in her own conceit of being a "good doer" she makes judgment calls that in the end benefit no one and only cause a myriad of problems to arise. She becomes tangled up in match making only to find herself falling in love which she swore never to do. Most of her problems could simply be avoided if she would have just kept her nose out of other people's business. In the end everything comes together and all live happily ever after as always.

[helena81_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Very enjoyable, Emma is a beguiling character. I didn't love it like I do Pride and Prejudice, however, hence the four stars. Emma is no Elizabeth Bennett. There's also rather a lot of misunderstandings throughout the book (for instance, Emma believing Harriet to be in love with Frank Churchill), a plot device I find irritating in books and movies. Nonetheless, a very enjoyable read.

[aleahmarie_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

"Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very little to distress or vex her."It has been Emma Woodhouse's distinct privilege to live twenty years with all the high society that her modest village home can provide. From the outset we learn that Miss Woodhouse has no faults other than her sincere conviction that she is, in fact, without a fault. Coddled her entire life by a doting and hypochondriacal father and an ever loving but soft governess -- Miss Woodhouse has little knowledge of anything other than her own perfection. The only exception to this is the critical eye of Mr. Knightley, a family friend whose remonstrations are an ongoing irritation in our heroine's otherwise peaceful existence.Being a woman of some leisure, Miss Woodhouse decides to pass her time by orchestrating the romantic lives of her friends. Unfortunately for her friends, Miss Woodhouse proves to be a pitiful matchmaker. She is so unaccustomed to failing at any endeavor that she stubbornly tries again and again before eventually seeing the error of her ways.Jane Austen's works appeal to different people for many different reasons. I find myself attracted to her depictions of daily life in England during the early 19th century. The characters in her story live such simple lives compared to the hustle and bustle of the modern world, but still they resonate with me. I'm also forever amused by the sarcasm of Jane Austen. While the surface of her stories may be all innocence, the undercurrents are thick with sardonic wit. Without being preachy Jane Austen pokes fun at the social norms of her day, many of which left women no actual control over their own lives.If you've not tried Jane Austen yet, please do. You'll be pleasantly surprised.P.S. It's certainly not necessary but it's heaps more fun if you read her books with an English accent.

[bherner_1 · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Don't get the fuss. Did not enjoy.

[narilka · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Although convinced that she herself will never marry, Emma Woodhouse - beautiful, clever, rich and single - imagines herself to be naturally talented in match making. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr. Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her friend Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected. My only experience with Austen before this was Pride and Prejudice, which I quite enjoyed, so I was surprised by how hard a time I had getting into Emma. The story dragged in the beginning for me and I found myself putting the book down quite often. There was a lack of plot and I found that saw things coming that the characters didn't which made their big reveals have less impact. The other issue I had was with Austen's writing style. Her use of language is beautiful. However, at some points when the story seems to be going very slowly it began to grate on me. She also seemed to do a lot of telling rather than showing. That said, by the third act I finally became more involved with the characters. They are funny, witty, annoying and quite memorable. The social commentary provided by the ladies was an interesting insight into the times back then. Some things are vastly different now and in others things haven't changed all that much. I'm glad I stuck it out.

[hobbitprincess · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A delightful book, if not a little irritating in parts. I've read this at least once before, but it's been a few years. Emma lives with her father and fancies herself a matchmaker who will never marry herself. She learns a few lessons along the way that turn her from a spoiled, annoying young woman to someone who is kind and caring. My only complaint with this book is that Mr. Woodhouse and Mrs. Elton annoy me to tears. Otherwise, this is a good read.