Emma in Reading the Classics

Aug 06, 2014 Henry Avila rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Emma a young woman in Regency England lives with her rich, but eccentric widowed father Henry Woodhouse, in the rural village of Highbury, always concerned about his health (hypochondriac, in the extreme) and anybody else's , Mr. Woodhouse constantly giving unwanted advise to his amused friends and relatives they tolerate the kindly old man. Miss Woodhouse ( they're very formal, in those days), is very class conscious a bit of a snob ( but lovable) and will not be friends with people below her p Emma a young woman in Regency England lives with her rich, but eccentric widowed father Henry Woodhouse, in the rural village of Highbury, always concerned about his health (hypochondriac, in the extreme) and anybody else's , Mr. Woodhouse constantly giving unwanted advise to his amused friends and relatives they tolerate the kindly old man. Miss Woodhouse ( they're very formal, in those days), is very class conscious a bit of a snob ( but lovable) and will not be friends with people below her perceived rank, the Woodhouse family is the most prominent in the area, she likes matchmaking... her friend and governess Miss Taylor with a little help from Emma, married Mr.Weston a close friend of their family, later regretted by both father and daughter as her presence is greatly missed. And older sister Isabella, earlier had left to be the wife of John Knightley and moved away, she is ... in a lonely place. Then Emma surprisingly chooses a protege Harriet Smith, a seventeen year old girl with an unknown background, ( illegitimate? ) lives in Mrs. Goddard's boarding school for girls, hoping to groom the unfortunate young lady and raise her to a higher position in society. Besides the slightly spoiled Miss Woodhouse , even her friends call her by that name, will have a companion to talk to. Mr.Woodhouse's company lacks stimulation understandably, how much talk about illness the devoted daughter, or anyone else take? Emma believes she can discover people's emotions by watching them, know who they love, not true but that fact doesn't stop the lady from trying to marry off Harriet, thinking her own beaus really want to marry Miss Smith instead of her, big mistakes follow hurt feelings, embarrassing situations ironically the clueless Emma encouraged Harriet to turn down Robert Martin, a farmer with an excellent reputation but a lowly position in the world. George Knightley a nearby neighbor, the older brother of John, rents the farm to Mr.Martin, he thinks very well of the young man ...Another neighbor , good Miss Bates a spinster, never lacks words ...too much so, for many, but her friends allow it, ( most of the time) her niece, the pretty Jane Fairfax, her late sister's daughter, comes to visit her and her mother, the grandmother is happy also to see their beautiful relative. She plays the piano quite well and sings delightfully too, better than Emma and the envious girl, becomes a rival, Miss Woodhouse has long been the local leader of society here, what there is of it...The prodigal son of Mr. Weston and his late first wife, returns, mysteriously (some secrets are hidden), Frank Weston Churchill, adopted by his rich aunt and uncle. Emma and Jane are attractive to the charming gentleman , but the wise George Knightley doesn't feel he is a serious man, a bit of a fop, more interested in his appearance than anything more. A wonderful book about manners, class rank and country society of the landed gentry, in old England, that doesn't exist anymore... ...more

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