Digging Deep Within A Matchmaker

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Recommended: Jane Austen's life in relation to pride and prejudice

“A subtle, yet very significant message is hidden just below the surface- the beginning and ending are just definitive points in the journey, in between is where we write our definition of happiness.” (McGill 2) Emma Woodhouse is a careless girl who is blinded by true love. Jane Austen Shows the reader Emma’s journey into a woman not only caring for herself. (Austenesque 1) Emma Woodhouse is a socialite who loves to play the role of a matchmaker. In her novel Emma, author Jane Austen exposes the complexity of the main character Emma through her relationships with others.

As we follow Emma’s Journey throughout Jane Austen’s novel, we see Emma as a matchmaker and then as herself. “Beautiful, clever and wealthy she fancies herself a master-matchmaker and sets in motion a laundry list of schemes to pair off Highbury residents.” (McGill 1) Emma is a beautiful young woman, but she is careless when it comes to finding love. She is more concerned with matching up people who she believes should be together. Emma hurts many people when she plays the role of a matchmaker. In Tave’s article he compares Emma to a lonely astronomer who thought he controlled the weather. (Tave 11) Emma does not think she controls the weather, but she does believe that she controls the people of Highbury. She does not only believe she controls the people, but Emma also thinks she controls their relationships. Emma does not appear a true matchmaker because she is pairing up people who she thinks should be together. In Austenesque Review, it shows that Emma is not talented matchmaker. It also shows that she makes frequent mistakes and does not understand the people around her. “Emma’s joy in being first is part of what makes her such an exhilaratin...

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Bloom, Harold. “Intoduction.” Modern Critical Interpretations. Philadelphia: Chelsea House

Publishers, 1987.

McGill, RJ. Blogger News Network. Rev. of Emma by Jane Austen. 7 Dec 2007. 3 Jan 2011

http://www.bloggernews.net/112200.

McMaster, Juliet. “Love: Surface and Subsurface.” Modern Critical Interpretations. Ed.

Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987.

Morgan, Susan. “Emma and the Charms of Imagination.” Modern Critical Interpretations. Ed.

Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987.

Rumrich, John Peter. “The Importance of Being Frank.” Modern Critical Interpretations. Ed.

Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987.

Tave, Stuart M. “the Imagination of Emma Woodhouse.” Modern Critical Interpretations. Ed.

Harold Bloom. Philadelphia: Chelsea House Publishers, 1987.

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