Jane Emma Character Analysis

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Nowhere is Jane Austen’s insight into female psychology and her skill in characterisation more evident than in the portrayal of her heroine Emma Woodhouse. Emma suffers from several faults which would prevent her from immediately winning the affection or esteem of the reader. But so great is the author’s skill in portraying this heroine that on the whole we admire her. In the beginning we find Emma suffering from several faults. Emma is introduced as a representative young woman of her class: She is extremely snobbish, half-educated, stubborn and selfish. Her first thought is about class and authority because she lacks self-education. Thus she teases Mr. Martin and advises Harriet not to marry him:
Dear affectionate creature! – You banished to Abbey – Mill farm! – You confined to the society of the illiterate and vulgar all of your life! I wonder how …show more content…

The reason is that, firstly, she has many redeeming qualities; and secondly, she corrects most of her faults and makes a great progress intellectually and morally. She is deeply attached to her father whose happiness is of the greatest importance to her. She has a charitable disposition and gives liberal help to those who are in distress. Though somewhat obstinate in her thinking, yet she has an amiable temper. As for the improvement that she shows in her outlook and general behaviour, it would not be wrong to say that the theme of the novel is the education of its heroine. Towards the closing stages of the novel, we find that Emma has, to a large extent, been cured of her snobbery. She makes amends to Miss Bates for her rudeness towards that good woman. She tries to conciliate Jane Fairfax towards whom she has been rather unjust. Having discovered the reality not only of Mr. Elton but of Frank Churchill, she can be depended upon to show a better judgment in future. From a proud, self-important woman, she has become almost a chastened and mentally balanced

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