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Digvijay Pandya, Lovely Professional University Unit 8: Jane Austen—Emma

Unit 8: Jane Austen—Emma Notes

CONTENTS
Objectives
Introduction
8.1 Jane Austen–Emma: Introduction to the Author and to the Text

8.1.1 Introduction to the Author
8.1.2 Introduction to the Text
8.2 Emma: Detailed Study of Text
8.3 Summary
8.4 Keywords
8.5 Review Questions

8.6 Further Readings

Objectives

After studying this unit, you will be able to:
• Know about Emma Introduction to the author and to the text

• Discuss Emma detailed study of the text.

Introduction

Emma, by Jane Austen, is a novel about the perils of misconstrued romance. The novel was
first published in December 1815. As in her other novels, Austen explores the concerns and
difficulties of genteel women living in Georgian-Regency England; she also creates a lively
‘comedy of manners’ among her characters.

Before she began the novel, Austen wrote, “I am going to take a heroine whom no one but
myself will much like.” In the very first sentence she introduces the title character as “Emma
Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich.” Emma, however, is also rather spoiled; she greatly
overestimates her own matchmaking abilities; and she is blind to the dangers of meddling in
other people’s lives and is often mistaken about the meanings of others’ actions.
Jane Austen began to write Emma in January of 1814 and finished it a little over a year later,
in March of 1815. At the time of completion, Austen was thirty-nine years old. Emma was
published at the end of 1815, with 2,000 copies being printed—563, more than a quarter, were
still unsold after four years. She earned less than forty pounds from the book during her
lifetime, though it earned more after her death. Austen died a year and a half after publication.

Emma was Austen’s fourth published novel, and the last to appear before her death. Both
Persuasion and Northanger Abbey would be published posthumously. Though she published
anonymously, her previous works were noticed by critics and literature lovers. One of her
admirers was H.R.H. the Prince Regent. Through the prince’s librarian, Austen was invited to
dedicate one of her works to the prince, she complied with the royal command in the dedication
of Emma—though her reluctance to do so is apparent in the wording of the dedication.

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