Literature Analysis #4

Emma by Jane Austen

1. The novel Emma, is set in the early 1900’s, in England. The novel is based on a privileged young lady named Emma Woodhouse and some of her friends. Even thought she vowed never to marry anyone, she took pleasure in trying to match up other people with who she believed to be the perfect match. While she was trying to match people together, she found good intentions back fire and eventually hurt her friend, Harriet. In the novel, some characters find marriage to be not important at all, and those who find marriage a way of tradition, and a fortunate way to build up your social status. In the end of the novel, everyone is in love with the one they were meant to be with.  Also, in the end of the novel, Emma broke her vow of never marrying, and found herself in a fortunate marriage, with the foundation of love.

2. The theme of the novel Emma is marriage and the social status’ issues. Throughout the whole novel, the people who are married, or have a significant other have difficult times between them. Marriage was a big deal in their time. The main character was a good example of a traditional woman.

3. The tone in the novel is ironic and also compassionate. The compassionate tone came about, for some people; it wasn't about love, but just looking to get that safety and to follow tradition.

"It is fit that the fortune should be on his side, for I think the merit will be all on hers."

"It is always incomprehensible to a man that a woman should ever refuse an offer of marriage. A man always imagines a woman to be ready for any body who asks her."

“"It darted through her with the speed of an arrow that Mr. Knightley must marry no one but herself!"”

4. The literary elements that helped me strengthened my understanding were:

Diction: “She did not always feel so absolutely satisfied with herself, so entirely convinced that her opinions were right and her adversary's wrong, as Mr. Knightley."

Syntax: “The wedding-cake, which had been a great distress to him, was all ate up.  His own stomach could bear nothing rich, and he could never believe other people to be different from himself…”

Foreshadow: "It was foolish, it was wrong, to take so active a part in bringing any two people together. It was adventuring too far, assuming too much, making light of what ought to be serious, a trick of what ought to be simple."

Tone: "A woman is not to marry a man merely because she is asked, or because he is attached to her, and can write a tolerable letter."