Topic > Theme of Transformation in Emma - 1224

Emma also transforms into a real woman by correcting her original negligence. Trollope states that “[in] every passage of the book she is guilty of some folly, some vanity, some ignorance, or even some meanness” (7)19. Because of her ignorance of her neighbors' attitudes, Emma interferes in their lives in a way that makes them unhappy, as she "had often been neglectful" (Austen 359)20. Mr. Knightley predicts the outcome of Emma's plans at the beginning of the novel when he states that “you are more likely to have done harm to yourself, than good to them by interference” (Austen 8)21 and also that “[V]anity that works on a weak head produces all manner of evil” (Austen 53)22. Emma is not only stubborn towards her actions, but she is also neglectful of herself when she convinces herself that “I really cannot change for the better” (Austen 73)23. On other matters relating to her plans for others, Emma's consideration falls short due to her selfishness and pride, for "[t]he longer she considered it, the greater her sense of her expediency" (Austen 27)24. Emma's form of abandonment is manipulation, primarily through her control over Harriet Smith. Emma is “stubborn, manipulative, an arranger or rather a disorganizer of other people's lives. Most of the time he cannot see things clearly and truthfully and his self-knowledge is uncertain” (Goodheart)25. “A significant effect of Emma's insistence on snobbery is to highlight her romantic notions of Harriet's origin and fate” (Brooke)26. Although for Harriet, Emma's "help" is such that it reveals optimistic results and a good husband, Harriet is incapable of taking a stand against Emma, ​​​​but if "[he] wanted to form his own opinions... middle of paper ......our edition (2010): 1-9. Literary Reference Center. January 15, 2014. Howells, William D. "Harper's Nineteenth-Century Fiction Heroines." (1900): 516-23. Ed. Janet Mullane and Robert Thomas Wilson. Detroit: Gale, 1938. 8. Print. Kohn, Denise ": a study on the domestic Bildungsroman." Essays in literature 22.1 (1995): 45-58. Literary reference center. January 15, 2014. Paris, Bernard J. "Critical Readings: Emma." Critical Insights: Jane Austen (2010): 69-104. Literary Reference Center. January 15, 2014. Trollope, Anthony. : an unpublished note." Nineteenth-Century Fiction, Vol IV, No. 3 (1949): 245-47. Rpt. in nineteenth-century literary criticism. Ed. Janet Mullane and Robert Thomas Wilson. Vol 19. Detroit: Gale, 1988.7. Press.