Emma

At the ball, Frank is restless as he busies himself with the arrivals of the carriages. He pretends to Emma that he is curious to catch a glimpse of Mrs. Elton, although it is really Jane who he is eager to see. While he is haphazardly attentive to Emma during the course of the evening, he takes every possible opportunity to get close to Jane.

Expecting that the ball is in her honor, Mrs. Elton begins the dancing with Mr. Weston, meaning that Frank and Emma must go second. Humorously, Emma also “had always considered the ball as peculiarly for her” and feels that she would almost wish to marry in order to not have to stand second to Mrs. Elton (278). While she is dancing with Frank, she spots Mr. Knightley seated and laments that such a youthful and handsome man has classed himself with the old men. He happens to be watching her too.

A sore point at the ball is Mr. Elton’s pointed refusal to dance with Harriet when she is the only young lady seated. He officiously declares himself free to dance with other ladies, but when Mrs. Weston wishes him to ask Harriet, he declares himself “an old married man” whose dancing days are over (280). The triumphant exchange of smiles between Mr. and Mrs. Elton indicates that the snub is intentional. Mr. Knightley intercedes, leading a grateful Harriet to the dance floor, and showing up Mr. Elton. Emma is almost as jealous as she is grateful, and she does not hesitate to suggest that she and Mr. Knightley should dance together. When Mr. Knightley notices that the Eltons meant to slight Emma as well as Harriet, she admits her old matchmaking scheme to him. He is gracious enough to state that Harriet would have been a far better choice of bride than Mrs. Elton.

Emma reflects with some satisfaction on the events of the ball—namely, her reconciliation with Mr. Knightley, the end of Harriet’s infatuation with Mr. Elton, and Frank Churchill’s not seeming in love with her. Her reverie is interrupted by the sight of a wilting Harriet on Frank’s arm. Harriet collapses into a chair and faints. When she revives, she explains that while she and a school companion were out walking, they ran into a band of Romani people, whom she calls “gypsies,” a derogatory term. While her friend screamed and was able to get away quickly, Harriet was soon surrounded and tried to send them off with a shilling, though they begged for more.

Meanwhile, Frank, who was on his way to Richmond after making it over to see Jane on the pretense of returning scissors to her aunt, ran into Harriet and chased off the Romani people. Emma cannot help thinking this rescue was incredibly romantic. She is “on fire with speculation and foresight,” especially as she previously entertained the potential of Frank and Harriet’s relationship (287). However, she promises herself that she will not consciously interfere.

At Hartfield, Harriet bashfully confesses that she had been making relics of objects that Mr. Elton touched, when Emma was trying to set them up. The objects that she safeguarded include an excess strip of plaster that she lent him to stop a wound and the stump of a pencil he owned. She insists on burning these objects in a ritual which will confirm that she is over Mr. Elton.

Emma wonders when Harriet will transfer her affections over to Frank. She is surprised to hear Harriet’s resolve to never marry. Her reason is that the man she set her sights on is so much her social superior that she doubts he will ever return her feelings. When Harriet mentions that the man in question rescued her and restored her from misery to happiness, Emma imagines that she is talking about Frank. However, her intention not to interfere means that she vows that they will not name the man she thinks Harriet is speaking of. She tells Harriet that the man is undoubtedly her social superior and there may be objections to their marriage, but that “more wonderful things have taken place” (293). She also praises Harriet’s taste for setting her sights on such a man.

It is June, and the Campbells’ return from Ireland has been postponed until mid-August; therefore, Jane is to remain with the Bateses for another two months. Mr. Knightley begins to suspect an attachment between Jane and Frank Churchill. He worries that Frank is playing a double game, leading Emma on while still involved with Jane. In one instance, he catches a few admiring looks from Frank to Jane at a dinner at the Eltons’. Later, Frank requests that they play a game of letters and make anagrams for each other to discover. Mr. Knightley observes that Frank’s word for Jane is “blunder” and she responds with a subtle smile. Frank’s word for Emma is “Dixon”, which causes her much amusement, as it alludes to her mistaken belief regarding the involvement of Jane with Mr. Dixon. He pushes the same word towards Jane, who finds it infuriating and wishes to leave.

After the other guests leave, Mr. Knightley asks Emma why the word “Dixon” was so amusing to her and so offensive to Jane. Too embarrassed to tell Mr. Knightley her suspicions, Emma passes it off as a joke. He asks Emma if she has ever suspected an attachment between Frank and Jane. Emma laughs it off as impossible, though she would wish to hear more of Mr. Knightley’s suspicions. Irritated, he goes home.

Disappointed that her sister and Mr. Suckling have not come to visit, Mrs. Elton proposes that they should all go exploring anyway. When a lame horse gets in the way of a proposed visit to Box Hill, Mr. Knightley invites them all to Donwell Abbey to pick his strawberries. Mrs. Elton attempts to take over the guest list and encourage the newly fashionable trend of picnicking. Mr. Knightley, who would like Mr. Woodhouse to attend, insists that after strawberry picking they will lunch indoors. Thus, Mr. Woodhouse sits indoors with a pregnant Mrs. Weston, while the others pick strawberries. Emma cannot help thinking that Donwell Abbey is a prime example of English good taste, and that her sister Isabella has made an optimal match.

Meanwhile, in the gardens, they are all getting fatigued picking strawberries. Mrs. Elton annoys Jane by insisting that she should take up a governess position among her sister’s contacts. Frank Churchill is expected at any moment but incredibly late, to the consternation of Mrs. Weston.

After lunch, when the others have returned outdoors, Emma remains inside with Mr. Woodhouse to give Mrs. Weston a break. Jane Fairfax enters and announces that she is going home because she is out of spirits and needs to be alone. While Emma offers her carriage, Jane insists on walking. 15 minutes after Jane’s departure, Frank enters in a foul mood. He complains about the heat and mentions that as soon as his aunt recovers he will go on the Grand Tour of Europe, because he is sick of England. When Emma invites him to the following day’s outing to Box Hill, he says he will come as a special favor to her.

The exploring party to Box Hill occurs the next day. Although the location is a novelty, no one has a good time, as resentments between various members of the group lead to a “want of union” (315).

Frank flirts excessively with Emma, and although she does not feel any romantic attachment to him, she enjoys how he makes her the center of attention. Meanwhile, the others at the party are silent and dull. Frank baits the other participants into entertaining them, insisting that they have to say one clever anecdote, two moderately interesting ones, or three very dull things. Loquacious Miss Bates pipes up, stating that the task will be easy for her, because the three dull things will come naturally. Emma cannot resist retorting that Miss Bates will find it challenging to limit her dull anecdotes to only three. When Mr. Weston flatters Emma with a conundrum that implies she is perfection, critical Mr. Knightley says that “perfection should not have come quite so soon” (332). The Eltons, who do not enjoy how Frank has made Emma the center of attention, make an excuse to go off by themselves, and Frank makes a sarcastic comment about how well suited they are to one another. He then directs a thinly veiled statement to Jane, when he says that one cannot truly know the character of a person they have met in a public place such as Bath. Bath, a spa town, would be the equivalent of Weymouth, where Frank and Jane met. Jane replies that such attachments are regrettable, but they are not irreversible. Frank then turns to Emma and says that she should be the one to choose him a wife and train her to be much like herself. He would marry this Emma doppelgänger after his return from the Grand Tour. Emma is flattered by the notion and thinks that in two years’ time she will have made Harriet exactly like her.

While Emma is waiting to get into her homebound carriage, Mr. Knightley tells her that she handled the situation with Miss Bates badly. Miss Bates, who is poor, and of a lower social status than Emma, deserves the latter’s compassion rather than her ridicule. Moreover, Emma has set a dangerous precedent for others in society who might imitate her debasement of Miss Bates. Emma is so upset and ashamed that Mr. Knightley has found her deficient that she cries all the way home.

Having resolved to change her ways, Emma visits the Bateses first thing in the morning. Jane looks extremely unwell and will not be present at Emma’s visit. Miss Bates then rushes in and tells Emma that Jane has accepted Mrs. Elton’s offer of becoming a governess for her acquaintance, Mrs. Smallridge. She is to leave in a fortnight, and has been busy writing letters to the Campbells—an act which has given her a headache. Miss Bates makes it evident that this was not a happy decision on Jane’s part, and Emma begins to feel true compassion for her situation. Jane made the decision to accept Mrs. Smallridge’s offer on Box Hill. Mrs. Elton cemented the commitment with a dinner that evening, where she broke the news of Jane’s position to Miss Bates. Emma also learns that Frank Churchill has been summoned to Richmond at the bidding of his aunt, Mrs. Churchill. Finally, Miss Bates relates that the pianoforte is to stay with them until Colonel Campbell deals with it. She emphasizes that Jane still does not know whether the gift was sent by the Colonel or his daughter.

When Emma returns from the Bateses, Mr. Knightley is at Hartfield, announcing that he is going to London to visit his brother’s family. He seems grave, but when he hears that Emma has made an immediate effort to repair her ways, he gazes at her with admiration. He even goes as far as taking her hand as though he is about to kiss it, and Emma regrets that he does not. She thinks the gallantry becoming to him but reads the gesture as one of friendship.

The next day, Emma learns that Mrs. Churchill has died. She immediately thinks that Frank’s greater freedom will enable him to marry Harriet.

Emma tries to amend her ways by repeatedly inviting a sickly and depressed Jane Fairfax over to Hartfield. When that does not work, she tries to visit her at the Bateses. However, Jane repeatedly makes excuses not to see Emma, even though she will see others. Though Emma regrets that Jane holds a grudge against her, she believes that Mr. Knightley would approve the purity of her intentions.

At Randalls, Mrs. Weston reveals to Emma that Frank has been secretly engaged to Jane since October, when they met at Weymouth. Now that there is no Mrs. Churchill, there is no one to oppose the match.

While Emma is able to relieve Mrs. Weston of the worry that she is heartbroken by the news, she is sorry on Harriet’s account, and makes her disapproval of Frank’s conduct clear. The contrast between Frank’s appearance of being a man who was free to pursue her, and the attachment he harbored in reality, disgusts her.

Mrs. Weston asks Emma to not be so harsh in her judgment and to wait for Frank’s letter, which will explain everything.

Emma is mortified at having to deliver Harriet the news that the second suitor she intended for her is already engaged. Although Emma is angry with Frank, she also blames herself for her misconceptions and her disservice to Harriet.

However, Emma need not worry on that account, as Harriet already knows the news about Frank and Jane and is indifferent to it. When Emma begins to apologize for encouraging Harriet to think of Frank, Harriet becomes agitated, as she thinks that Emma was condoning her feelings for another person: Mr. Knightley. Ever since Mr. Knightley rescued Harriet from the social humiliation of Mr. Elton’s refusing to dance with her, she has had romantic inclinations for him. Although she and Emma did not name the object of Harriet’s fancy, Harriet took Emma’s saying that “more wonderful things had happened” as encouragement to indulge her feelings for Mr. Knightley, even though Emma thought that they were speaking about Frank Churchill (350). Emma feels wretched and realizes that the reason for her wretchedness is that she is herself in love with Mr. Knightley. However, whatever her own feelings are, Emma asks Harriet in as a calm a manner as possible whether she believes that Mr. Knightley returns her affections. Harriet takes Mr. Knightley’s recent efforts to talk to her alone and ask if her affections are engaged as evidence of interest.

When Harriet leaves, Emma feels humiliated and hopeless, blaming herself for having ever tried to interfere in Harriet’s love life. Harriet’s vanity in presuming to think of Mr. Knightley and the resulting socially unequal match are both her own doing.

It is only now, when Emma feels threatened by the loss of Mr. Knightley, that she recognizes “how much of her happiness depended on her being first” with him “in interest and affection” (358). If he marries Harriet, Mr. Knightley will be a more distant figure in Emma life, and she imagines the subsequent loneliness with dread. However, she resolves that even if Mr. Knightley were to ask her, she would still never marry because she does not want to abandon her father. Nevertheless, she writes to Harriet begging her not to come to Hartfield so they will not have to discuss the sensitive subject. Harriet is grateful.

Mrs. Weston comes over with the news that she visited Jane. She reveals that Jane suffered immense shame during the secret engagement, as her feelings overcame her better judgment. She also reveals that Jane was jealous of Emma for the attentions received from Frank. Emma feels sorry that she did not follow Mr. Knightley’s advice and befriend Jane instead of Harriet. She thus might have avoided the present messy state of affairs. Still, she is so miserable about Mr. Knightley that the news at Randalls washes over her.

The next day, Emma is walking in Hartfield’s grounds when Mr. Knightley pays her a visit. He has returned from London on learning the news of Frank’s engagement and wishes to ascertain how badly Emma has been affected. When she reveals her indifference to Frank, Mr. Knightley is delighted. He then hints that he has something of a sentimental nature to reveal to Emma. Emma, who cannot bear to hear of his love for Harriet, puts him off. However, he insists on being heard and makes clear that Emma is the only woman he loves and wants to marry. He has been conscious of his feelings for her from the time Frank came to Hartfield. Delighted, Emma accepts the proposal, despite regretting how she has treated Harriet.

While Emma is thrilled at the prospect of marrying Mr. Knightley, she deems that it must remain an engagement while her father lives. She also worries about running into Harriet. Emma resolves to put off meeting Harriet, even considering sending her to stay with Isabella in London. She believes that a change of scenery will do Harriet good.

An envelope enclosing Frank’s letter to Mrs. Weston arrives from Randalls. The letter is an emotional account of how much Frank suffered during the secret engagement and how remorseful he is for his conduct towards Jane and his general duplicity. It confirms that Frank did not come to Highbury until Jane arrived, and that he was the giver of the pianoforte. He apologizes for flirting with Emma in order to conceal his real attachment to Jane but makes the excuse that he never believed Emma to be truly attached to him. He even writes that he believed Emma might have guessed his secret, and that he was on the brink of confessing it to her. He also reveals that Jane thought he went overboard in his flirtation with Emma; they quarreled about it on the occasion of the Donwell visit, when he asked to walk home with Jane, and she refused him on grounds of propriety. This led to a series of misunderstandings and for Jane to break the engagement and accept the post with Mrs. Smallridge.

Emma finishes reading the letter with feelings of charity towards Frank Churchill. When Mr. Knightley reads it, he is more critical of Frank, accusing him of “playing a most dangerous game” and being “too much indebted to the event for his acquittal” as his carelessness could have led to less fortunate outcomes (384). Mr. Knightley then turns to the subject of how he and Emma will be able to marry without injuring Mr. Woodhouse. He resolves that he should live at Hartfield while Mr. Woodhouse is still alive. Emma thinks the scheme is promising but urges Mr. Knightley to think about it carefully. Her happiness is also marred by her thoughts of Harriet’s misery on learning of the engagement. She thinks that Mr. Knightley will be harder to get over than the other intended suitors.

Harriet agrees to go to London to stay with Isabella, in part because she needs to see a dentist there. Harriet and Emma have only been corresponding by letter, and Emma senses that Harriet bears some resentment towards her. Meanwhile, Emma decides to delay telling Mr. Woodhouse of her engagement until Mrs. Weston has survived childbirth, easing one of his anxieties.

She then decides to pay Jane a visit, and the two young ladies forgive each other and agree to be friends.

Mrs. Weston safely gives birth to a little girl, Anna. Emma is delighted at the sex of the baby, although she ponders whether little Anna will grow up to be more spoiled than her. Mr. Knightley is optimistic, saying that if the child is spoiled “she will be disagreeable in infancy, and correct herself as she grows older” as Emma did (399). He downplays his role in Emma’s improvements. The one subject which Mr. Knightley and Emma do not talk about is Harriet. This remains the thorn in Emma’s happiness.

Emma feels that her friendship with Harriet is diminishing, as the latter’s letters dwindle, and she has to rely on Isabella’s reports of her condition. The news of Emma and Mr. Knightley’s engagement spreads, and most in Highbury proclaim the match a triumph. However, Mr. Woodhouse still advises against it, despite the concession of Mr. Knightley coming to live with them. Predictably, Mr. Elton makes a sneering comment that Emma’s intention had always been to catch Mr. Knightley, and Mrs. Elton dreads the idea of a Mrs. Knightley who will be her social superior.

Mr. Knightley comes to Hartfield to break the news of Harriet’s engagement to Robert Martin. The event took place when Robert Martin went to London and delivered Mr. Knightley’s message to Mr. John Knightley. There, he met Harriet, who was staying with the family. They resumed contact, and she accepted his offer of marriage. Emma is grateful for this turn of events but astounded that Harriet could have changed the object of her affections another time.

When Emma visits Randalls with Mr. Woodhouse, Frank is there with Jane. He tells Emma that he is surprised that she did not guess the secret engagement and praises Jane’s looks. When Emma jokingly accuses him of enjoying his duplicity, he protests that he was too miserable to do so. However, while Jane can barely think of the secret engagement without shame, Frank can joke about it. Emma compares Frank’s character to Mr. Knightley’s and finds the latter far superior.

Emma is thrilled to learn that Harriet continued to like Robert Martin despite her mind’s dalliances with other men, and that she eagerly looks forward to being his wife. When Mrs. Goddard reveals the mystery of Harriet’s parentage the latter turns out to be the daughter of a tradesman and not of the gentleman that Emma imagined. While Emma receives Robert Martin at Hartfield and is delighted by his good sense, she knows that for reasons of social class, her friendship with Harriet “must change into a calmer sort of good-will” (417).

Robert Martin and Harriet marry in September, and Frank and Jane will do so in November, once the period of mourning for Mrs. Churchill’s death is over. However, Mr. Woodhouse, who can only conceive of Emma’s marriage to Mr. Knightley as a distant event, will not allow the couple to settle on a date. It is only the spree of poultry theft in Highbury that makes Mr. Woodhouse anxious for the marriage to take place, so that Mr. Knightley can come and live with them. After a simple wedding ceremony, Mr. Knightley and Emma go on a honeymoon to the seaside.