Emma (Barnes & Noble Classics)

Emma (Barnes & Noble Classics)

published	October 21st 2004 by Barnes & Noble Classics
first published	1816
binding	Hardcover
isbn	1593083343 (isbn13: 9781593083342)
pages	544
description	Emma Woodhouse is a wealthy, exquisite, and thoroughly self-deluded young woman who has "lived in the world with very little to distress or vex h...more [close] Emma Woodhouse is a wealthy, exquisite, and thoroughly self-deluded young woman who has "lived in the world with very little to distress or vex her." Jane Austen exercises her taste for cutting social observation and her talent for investing seemingly trivial events with profound moral significance as Emma traverses a gentle satire of provincial balls and drawing rooms, along the way encountering the sweet Harriet Smith, the chatty and tedious Miss Bates, and her absurd father Mr. Woodhouse–a memorable gallery of Austen's finest personages. Thinking herself impervious to romance of any kind, Emma tries to arrange a wealthy marriage for poor Harriet, but refuses to recognize her own feelings for the gallant Mr. Knightley. What ensues is a delightful series of scheming escapades in which every social machination and bit of "tittle-tattle" is steeped in Austen's delicious irony. Ultimately, Emma discovers that "Perfect happiness, even in memory, is not common." Virginia Woolf called Jane Austen "the most perfect artist among women," and Emma Woodhouse is arguably her most perfect creation. Though Austen found her heroine to be a person whom "no one but myself will much like," Emma is her most cleverly woven, riotously comedic, and pleasing novel of manners. [close]
date added	04-15-07 edit book

find at: Amazon | Half.com | Barnes & Noble | Abebooks | more...

Sign in to Goodreads to see your friends' reviews of Emma.

discuss this book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

groups with this book

view all groups »

friend reviews (0)

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

lists with this book

This book is not in any lists. Go add it to a list.

other reviews (showing 1-20 of 20564)

Denise

Denise rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

07/04/08

Read in July, 2008

Lines I loved from this book:

Have you never known the pleasure and triumph of a lucky guess? I pity you.

It’s a great deal better to choose than to be chosen, to excite gratitude than to feel it.

What is passable in youth is detestable in later age.

Emma is spoiled by being the cleverest in her family.

I think her the very worst sort of companion that Emma could possibly have. She knows nothing herself and looks upon Emma as knowing everything.

With all dear Emma’s little ...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Stephen

Stephen rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

04/01/08

bookshelves: victorian-lit

I just re-read this novel b/c it had been years since I last read it, and I couldn't remember it as well as I would have liked. It's a simple, fun, social comedy about classes, gender, and love...everything you'd expect from the Victorians. The interesting thing is that, in writing the character of Emma Woodhouse, Jane Austen was attempting to create a character that no one would like. Of course, she failed miserably as everyone fell in love with Emma, her independence, her meddling ways, and...more I just re-read this novel b/c it had been years since I last read it, and I couldn't remember it as well as I would have liked. It's a simple, fun, social comedy about classes, gender, and love...everything you'd expect from the Victorians. The interesting thing is that, in writing the character of Emma Woodhouse, Jane Austen was attempting to create a character that no one would like. Of course, she failed miserably as everyone fell in love with Emma, her independence, her meddling ways, and her apparent cluelessness with regards to romance and matchmaking. Still, there really are some things about Emma that are grating or frustrating, but I would argue it's precisely these imperfections that make her so endearing. As for what I didn't care for about the novel...let's take a look at Harriet Smith for a second.

***SPOILER ALERT!***

Harriet (or Miss Smith as I should refer to her, being a proper gentleman) wraps up a little too neatly in the end. I know that Victorian novels traditionally prefer the novel as tidy package, all loose ends nicely tucked away, but let's be honest when we say that Harriet Smith takes this a little too far. Emma spends the whole of the novel shaping Harriet to her liking, constantly re-shaping and altering depending on the circumstances until, at the end, Emma realizes that she has created a lower than gentry-class girl who is extremely vain about her station in life and her ability to procure a husband far superior than her (this is the Victorian class mentality speaking, not my own). However, in the course of a chapter, Harriet realizes that all she has come to think is wrong, and immediately changes her views back to the uneducated, naive girl we first met at the beginning of the novel. And not only that, but Mr. Martin (respected farmer with the heart of gold) whose marriage proposal was rejected by Harriet back in Chapter 10 or so, shows up, reproposes, and is accepted. It's almost as though Austen took Harriet's character to a certain point, didn't know what to do with her after that, and then recanted everything she's done and gone back to square one.

***END SPOILERS***

Things that I love? Mr. Knightly, his frustrations with Emma, his witty banter, and his always appropriate and gallant understandings of the situation; Mr. Woodhouse, who drones on ad nauseum about how going outside will kill you while everyone patronizes him and then Jane Fairfax goes and gets ill from wandering in the fields for too long--hilarious!; how truly despicable Mr. and Mrs. Elton are, even by today's standards they are insufferable....less

Like this review? yes

3 comments

Steven

Steven rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

03/24/08

bookshelves: 1001, womenareamystery

Read in March, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Emma Woodhouse is a spirited young lady in Highbury (think Alicia Silverstone in “Clueless”) who likes to play the role of matchmaker. She did well is putting together her governess and Mr. Weston. She takes a liking to the cute Harriet Smith, and tries to set her up with the village vicar, Mr. Elton, also encouraging Harriet to reject the goodly farmer, Robert Martin. Mr. Elton doesn’t like Harriet, though, he likes Emma. Oh no. Don’t worry about him though, he leaves and quickly r...more Emma Woodhouse is a spirited young lady in Highbury (think Alicia Silverstone in “Clueless”) who likes to play the role of matchmaker. She did well is putting together her governess and Mr. Weston. She takes a liking to the cute Harriet Smith, and tries to set her up with the village vicar, Mr. Elton, also encouraging Harriet to reject the goodly farmer, Robert Martin. Mr. Elton doesn’t like Harriet, though, he likes Emma. Oh no. Don’t worry about him though, he leaves and quickly returns with a new wife.

Emma’s buddy (and also her brother-in-law, which is just a little creepy) thinks that Emma should mind her own business and stop trying to set people up together. Much like other Jane Austen leading men, we know that Mr. Knightly will be more important later in the story because he is a bit rough around the edges, but has a kind heart, and he also has a really big house.

With all this matchmaking, Emma starts to wonder about ol’ Mr. Weston’s son, the dreamy Frank Churchill, who will soon be visiting Highbury. We know that Frank Churchill is not a good guy because he travels to London to have his hair cut. Of course, Mr. Knightly can see through Mr. Churchill immediately. Also in Highbury is Jane Fairfax who is pretty and plays the piano very well, but Emma is not a huge fan. Emma has a good time with Frank Churchill, but we all know he is not the one because he went to London to get his haircut. Emma is mean to someone and Mr. Knightly criticizes her for it, yet another reason why we know he is the one, and Emma cries. Everything all works out in the end when Knightly and Emma get together (who didn’t see that one coming), Harriet marries the farmer Robert Martin, and Frank Churchill marries Jane Fairfax. The moral of the story - plucky heroines always end up with the right guy.

Can’t say it was my favorite book ever, but it makes you smile and makes you say awww, all that is not a bad thing. Various things that make me laugh in this book, but for whatever reason, my favorite is the discussion about the counties in England known as the "garden of England" and whether Surrey is one among many or the only one. Just thinking about that cracks me up even now.

...less

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Kanchan

Kanchan rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

08/22/07

Read in April, 1987

Emma Woodhouse is the first Jane Austen heroine with no financial concerns, which, she declares to the naïve Miss Smith, is the reason that she has no inducement to marry. This is a great departure from Austen's other novels where the quest for marriage is the main focus and theme of the story. Emma's ample financial resources are one of the factors that make this novel much lighter than Austen's earlier works, such as Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice. Jane Fairfax's prospects, in ...more

Like this review? yes

1 comments

Rj rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

10/28/07

bookshelves: reviewed

The fourth, longest and last of Jane Austen’s books to appear in print during her lifetime, Emma is considered a classic romantic comedy and was first published in 1816. Written almost 200 year ago, it’s inevitable that the dialogue may feel a bit stilted at times. However, this adds dimension and depth to the story that focuses on 19th century social hierarchies and the interaction between various social classes.

Miss Emma Woodhouse is a shining example of a 19th century socialite. Beaut...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Lillafiore

Lillafiore rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

04/29/08

bookshelves: classics

Read in April, 2008

The quick summary is that Emma is a local match-maker. After helping merge one fantastic couple, Mr. Weston and Emma’s governness Miss Taylor, all her other schemes seems to flounder. Harriet Smith is a minor character although seems to fall in love with anyone that Emma points to. Mrs. Elton was one of my favorite characters only because of her insipid vanity and over indulgence in herself.

I’m not sure why, but Jane Austen seems to love solving all of the conflicts in her novels through...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Kelly

Kelly rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

05/24/07

bookshelves: brit-lit, favorites, fiction, worth-rereading

Read in April, 1998

recommends it for: Jane Austen fans, all women

This is one of the Holy Trinity of Austen (yes, I just made that up). And in my opinion, deservedly so. Emma is far and away the heroine that I identify the most with of all the Austen women. Jane Austen thought that nobody would like her when she wrote Emma... except maybe she underestimated how many people have things in common with her. She has so many deep flaws that are so easy to completely hate, but she means so very well, and is really a deeply caring person. She just has absolutely no s...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

add a comment

Jamala

Jamala rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

07/05/08

Read in July, 2008

Fav quotes:
1. Mr Elton's charade on "courtship"
2. It may be possible to do without dancing entirely. Instances have been known of young people passing many, many months successivley without being at any ball of any description, and no material injury accrue either to body or mind; but when abeginning is made - when the felicities of rapid motion have once been, through slightly, felt - it must be a very heavy set that does not ask for more.
3. "I do not find myself making an...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Emily

Emily rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

02/14/08

One of the disadvantages of being a fast and early reader is missing out on books that are, at 13 or 14, too long, too old, too formal, too boring, and not taking into account how much better they might be in ten years; they’re boring forever. (This, incidentally, is one of the reasons I don’t think late or reluctant readers should be pushed too hard into reading the classics). I tried Pride and Prejudice in middle school, Sense and Sensibility a little later, and didn’t like...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Mishqueen

Mishqueen rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

04/12/08

Read in April, 2008

'Emma' is not my favorite book, nor even my favorite Romantic era novel. However, I still find myself getting caught up in the characters and their dance around each others' lives. I love Austen's method of character development that convinces the reader that these much people actually exist (as exemplified by the true annoyance I feel at the Elton's consistant bad behavior). Austen is also, as always, brilliant in her concoctions of new ways that people can misunderstand each other. I do lo...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Lisa

Lisa is currently reading it (review of isbn 0141439580)

06/10/08

bookshelves: currently-reading

I’m only on the 4th Chapter of Emma, and I’m already enjoying it immensely. It strikes me that even though Emma is the wealthiest heroine of Austin’s, she is also the most democratic in her friendships.
In all the other books I’ve read, or movies of books I’ve watched, the heroine’s friends are either family members or fellow daughters of landed and titled men. Lizzie has Jane and Charlotte. Elinor has Marianne and Col. Brandon. Fanny writes to her sister (in the book it’s he...more

Like this review? yes

11 comments

Margaret

Margaret rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

07/21/08

Read in July, 2008

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Sarah

Sarah rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

06/11/07

Read in June, 1986

Emma I think is my favourite Jane Austen novel because Emma as a character is so misguided and yet perversely confident in her decisions. Identifying with and sympathizing with Lizzie Bennett and Elinor Dashwood is a walk in the park (although I understand that there are those in the world who prefer Marianne; there is no accounting for taste, but I freely admit that I am an INTJ) -- Emma is more challenging and therefore in some ways more satisfying. Hating that nice Jane Fairfax? Plotting to m...more

Like this review? yes (1 person liked it)

1 comments

PAC

PAC rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

03/08/08

Read in March, 2008

recommended to PAC by: Lorie
recommends it for: Anglophiles, lovers of 19th c. literature, romantic comedies

Jane Austen is great, isn't she? This is my second Austen title, the other being Pride and Prejudice, and, although I didn't enjoy it as much as P&P, it was still very satisfying. I saw two movie versions of Emma before finishing the book, but didn't find that knowing the plot spoiled my enjoyment of the book. On the contrary, I found it enhanced my enjoyment of reading the story...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Jil

Jil rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

07/18/08

Read in July, 2008

recommended to Jil by: Nora Kern
recommends it for: Clueless lovers, romantic types

There are a couple things that should be noted that affected my reaction to this book.

The first, and most important, is that I listened to this as an audiobook on my way to, from, and within rural Pennsylvania with my mother. For that reason, I tuned out of parts that I wouldn't have in a book, I missed words due to the narrator's vocal modulations, I had the story stopped and started VERY frequently, and finally, almost certainly had my opinions of characters affected by how the reader chos...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Margie

Margie rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

05/09/08

bookshelves: recentlyread

Read in May, 2008

I've read Emma more often than any of Austen's other books. I've also seen more movie versions, and re-watched them, more often than the others. Like Lizzie Bennet, I prefer the film versions of the character to the one Austen wrote about.

On the GoodReads page for Pride & Prejudice there's a discussion about P&P being an obscene book due to the focus on landed gentry and complete absence of working-class people. I found Emma to be far more obscene on that count. Emma is constantl...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Polly

Polly added it (review of isbn 0141439580)

09/04/07

Read in September, 2007

<Emma> is still my least favorite Austen, which is to say it's not as rewarding as most of the others but is still far and away better than most literature being published today (including most novels "inspired" by JA). I'm rereading it to prepare for the JANSA annual meeting in Vancouver this October and I'm hoping to gain new insights there. Emma is, as has been mentioned, the only of Austen's heroines to be financially secure. This puts her in a privleged position that contrib...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Nicole

Nicole rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

06/09/08

bookshelves: 19thcentury

Read in May, 2008

This was a tough one for me. On one level, it was a great read with characters that are quite amusing and/or realistic, and I could just enjoy the story they are all involved in. On the deeper level that I think one should always go when reading Austen, I found myself conflicted by some of the messages and morals. As with so many of her books, class is again an issue in Emma , but even taking into account the differences in Jane's society from my own, I was still disappointed. When E...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Jordan

Jordan rated it:

(review of isbn 0141439580)

09/11/07

bookshelves: history, literature, sociology

Read in October, 2002

recommends it for: Brit Lit fans

I started reading this in Oct of 2002 for my "Printed Page to Silver Screen" English Lit class and just now finished it 5 years later in Sept 2007. I skimmed enough of the chapters for each assignment and class discussion at the time, though I resolved to actually read it someday. I finally got there. This book is slow for about 3/4ths of the story. It's only near the end does it really pick up in "mystery" and "action". I did enjoy it overall as a peek into wh...more

Like this review? yes

add a comment

Rebecca

Rebecca rated it: