|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
| Name |
Emma |
| Suggested Grade |
S6 |
| Author |
Jane Austen |
| Author's Background |
"Jane Austen was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction, set among the landed gentry, earned her a place as one of the most widely read writers in English literature, her realism and biting social commentary cementing her historical importance among scholars and critics.
Austen lived her entire life as part of a close-knit family located on the lower fringes of the English landed gentry. She was educated primarily by her father and older brothers as well as through her own reading. The steadfast support of her family was critical to her development as a professional writer. Her artistic apprenticeship lasted from her teenage years until she was about 35 years old. During this period, she experimented with various literary forms, including the epistolary novel which she tried then abandoned, and wrote and extensively revised three major novels and began a fourth. From 1811 until 1816, with the release of Sense and Sensibility (1811), Pride and Prejudice (1813), Mansfield Park (1814) and Emma (1815), she achieved success as a published writer. She wrote two additional novels, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, both published posthumously in 1818, and began a third, which was eventually titled Sanditon, but died before completing it.
Austen's works critique the novels of sensibility of the second half of the 18th century and are part of the transition to 19th-century realism. Her plots, though fundamentally comic, highlight the dependence of women on marriage to secure social standing and economic security. Her work brought her little personal fame and only a few positive reviews during her lifetime, but the publication in 1869 of her nephew's A Memoir of Jane Austen introduced her to a wider public, and by the 1940s she had become widely accepted in academia as a great English writer. The second half of the 20th century saw a proliferation of Austen scholarship and the emergence of a Janeite fan culture." |
| Publisher |
Chelsea House Pub (January 1, 2000) |
| Category |
English |
| Description |
First published at the end of 1815, Jane Austen’s “Emma” is the story of Emma Woodhouse, a young girl from a good home that does not need the financial support of a husband and is determined not to marry. Emma however is not opposed to the idea of marriage for others and is determined to play matchmaker between the local citizens. Greatly overestimating her own matchmaking abilities, the headstrong young girl is blind to the dangers of meddling in the affairs of others. When she confuses the attentions of Mr. Elton, the local vicar, as interest for her friend Harriet Smith, she briefly ruins the opportunity for Harriet to marry a respectable, educated, and well-spoken young farmer named Robert Martin. When Mr. Elton rejects the idea of being matched with Harriet, the girl is heartbroken, and Emma begins to realize that her actions although well-intended maybe doing more harm than good. In spite of Emma’s resolve not to marry she is presented with opportunities for romance throughout the book and eventually considers the prospect of marriage. “Emma,” a lively comedy of manners, is a classic story of 19th century romance and relationships. This edition is printed on premium acid-free paper and includes an introduction by Austin Dobson. |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
