# emma

[bethanydelleman]

I used to think of Jane Austen's heroines as All of Them Except Emma, but somewhere along the line I've let that go, because Emma is more similar to the others than she seems.

Emma, similarly to Elizabeth, Marianne, Elinor and Catherine, can be a poor judge of character, blinded by her emotions, and too dependant on first impressions.

Emma doesn't need to marry, which on a surface-level seems unique, but really only Fanny Price and Elizabeth Bennet are in bad financial situations if they remain unmarried. Even the Dashwood girls would be okay if their mother died (the £7000 of their mother's would be split between them), Anne Elliot muses that if her father remarries she can just live with Lady Russell (and her sister is married and could provide her a home as well), and Catherine Morland's family would definitely take care of her if she never married. I think all of Austen's heroines (Emma included) would prefer to be married, both for financial and societal reasons, but they aren't all desperate.

Despite the trappings of a very privileged existence, Emma is imprisoned by her circumstances. She travels the least of any heroine, less than Fanny Price, and her father is just as dependant on her as Lady Bertram is on Fanny. Her wealth means nothing because what can she even do with it?

All of Jane Austen's heroines are beautifully drawn explorations of the difficulties that gentry women faced in the Regency era, even Emma.

[warrioreowynofrohan]

I’ve seen polls before on which of the male leads in Austen novels makes the biggest Dramatic Action, but I’m going to try coming at things from a different perspective. (Not all of these relate to the lead couples, or even the end couples! they’re the relationship-related actions of the male leads that I think it would be hardest to do.)

[waltricia]

Emma. (2020) // Bridgerton

[doomsdayoption]

I love the fact that Show Stopping Number is included in Inevitable. Because when Hidgens first sang it, he was still totally human, which means that Pokey liked the song so much he was like "Yeah you know what I'm gonna get this in there, it was a banger and it will definitely make Emma lose her mind!" and I love him for that.

[malama-art]

hard-boiled detectives 🔍

[toss-a-coin-to-your-stan-account]

emma woodhouse is the funniest austen girl. she has one-sided drama with the most reserved girl who has done nothing but literally just mind her business. she gets angry about not being invited to a social event even though she would have said no just because she would have liked to be asked. she's said she's aiming to read more for years but has never actually read more. she refers to her best friend as being naive and not very smart and kind of manipulates her while simultaneously both complicating her life greatly from the moment they meet to being her ride or die. she is literally The Problem. she denies that she is The Problem. she makes me want to pull my hair out. I love her more than anything.

[movie-gifs]

EMMA. dir. Autumn de Wilde | 2020

[valyrianheirs]

Rhaenyra in this Red Dress! YES!

Also, Emma D'Arcy's beauty... monarch!

[laurenillustrated]

handsome, clever, and rich.

Emma Woodhouse poster design for fun! Based on the 2020 film.

[diana-daphne]

Same girl, same 😔

[bethanydelleman]

So of course whenever I write "Mr. Bennet is a terrible father" people come back at me with, "I can tell you about terrible fathers! How dare you use that word!" but I'm probably going to keep using it and here is why:

Her father was a clergyman, without being neglected, or poor, and a very respectable man, though his name was Richard—and he had never been handsome. He had a considerable independence besides two good livings—and he was not in the least addicted to locking up his daughters. - Northanger Abbey, Ch 1

Jane Austen knew that very extremely horrible parents existed, but that was not what she was interested in as a writer. To me, she seems to want to expose how parents can fail their children without anything that would be considered explicit physical abuse. Even General Tilney and Mrs. Norris only talk and scream, we have no evidence at all that they would hit.

And yet, the characters suffer a lot because of their parents. Emma's father has imprisoned her, but by loving her too much. Mr. Bennet doesn't harm his daughters in the present, but he's setting them up for a very precarious future*. Sir Walter would never let Anne go unfed or unclothed, but he still neglects her. Mrs. Dashwood is so emotionally fragile that Elinor feels that she cannot confide in her when she is suffering herself. Sir Thomas was so strict that his children hated their home.

Jane Austen didn't write Gothic horror or the worst side of humanity. She wrote very relatable and realistically flawed parents who still put their children through a lot of suffering.

*Going to add, letting Lydia go to Brighton explicitly to expose herself, which may reflect poorly on the other sisters in a world where reputation is everything, is another failure to consider his children's future. Even if you disregard the danger to Lydia herself, he was endangering all his children. He is very much a person who trades the future for a peaceful present.

[greengableslover]

EMMA. (2020) dir. Autumn de Wilde

[nerdyrevelries]

Jane Austen heroines exist on a sliding scale of "You are always right, and no one ever listens to you" (Fanny Price) to "You are never right, and everyone always listens to you" (Emma Woodhouse.)

[dearemma]

inspired by this post

[yamuluv]

moar mgs2 my home

[rigorwhoretis]