Emma Woodhouse and Mr. Woodhouse Analysis

Both Emma Woodho give and her father have a good plow of sway oer the lives and affairs of the former(a) members of their community. In the offset printing mental picture of the book, we learn that Mr. Woodhouse finds homes for maids in other households, small-arm Emma does essenti tout ensembley the same for her acquaintances, in attempting to pair them off with husbands and wives. The narrator presents this overzealous concern for other peoples vigorous existence as an completely harmless char influenceeristic, in Mr. Woodhouse at least. tour his intrusions into the ain lives of purge non-family relations and frequent effusions of worry are pestiferous to readers and characters a wish, Mr. Woodhouse never actu tout ensembley does any unity the slightest bit of current or lasting harm. rake also Analysis of Characters in Flannery OConnors The Life You carry on May Be Your Ownevenn Mr. John Knightley cannot stay soft conducted at him for very long. Emma, on the other hand, is surefooted of doing current soulfulnessal damage, and her wilful intrusions into the lives of her acquaintance are presented as arrogant presumption her characters study flaw The real evils of Emmas situation are the berth of having sooner withal oft times of her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself. (4) The key difference among her acts of presumption and those of her father is that she has a stronger will and mind than he.Her actions are therefore not only more(prenominal) harmful to others but also more cognizant and deliberate. Though she whitethorn, like her father, be acting out of good in tennertions, she is beaty aware of the slipway in which she manipulates. Emma not only sees that she is molding Harriets weaker mind, she understands how best to do it. If ken makes her more responsible for her actions than the fumbling Mr. Woodhouse, it also increases the distance she has to fall when she acts irresponsibly. Because Emm as redact is the highest in her fond circle, her machinations go largely unchecked, but for the rebukes of Mr. Knightley. The standard of commodity in the book and its moral compass, Mr Knightleys criticism is the narrators way of alerting us to Emmas faults. After all, complaisant protocol forbids anyone else from attempting such criticism. The point that Knightley practices great benevolence with Mr. Woodhouse but takes exception to most of Emmas doings highlights the differences in each characters culpability. In short, Mr. Woodhouse is excused because he cannot help his effrontery, while Emma is not because she can.The distinction is connect to each characters flexibility Mr. Woodhouse is the most stagnant character of the book, while Emma is the one most capable of growth. Given Mr. Woodhouses profound fear of change, it seems pointless to deliver to mend his flaws at this late age. Emma however, possesses the mental and spiritual instruments, which, applied correctly, and could study her to a near-perfect existence, elevating her actions and awareness to a par with her social status. The move around of the novel, and of Mr. Knightley himself, is to infix in Emma the humility that she lacks and help her evolve so as to pose worthy of him, not only socially but also morally.The books terminal happy union (448) is a sign that Emma has achieved that end. Unlike Emma, whose vibrancy of person and strength of intellect substantiate her claims to social prowess, Mr. Woodhouses power derives solely from his fill out status. In Emma and Knightleys first conversation, we are told that Mr. Woodhouse understands but in part (5) as a person and a character he is static, lacking in awareness, and defined wholly by his limitations. People defer to Mr. Woodhouses fortune and resultant social standing rather than his intellect or any effect in his being right(a).The hypochondriac worries that he imposes on others are seldom apt(p) any credence because Mr. Woodhouse is never perceived as capable of solid reasoning. In fact, common sense almost always stands in opposition to Mr. Woodhouses concerns. The likelihood of anyone getting trapped at Randalls on Christmas Eve because of half an inch of snow is not particularly high, yet the fellowship is broken up early all the same. Everyone is quick to do Mr. Woodhouses bidding, no matter how silly the cause.Such power, to make people act alone counter to their own sense of reason, could be d yellow bileous if put into more potent hands. Luckily Mr. Woodhouse would never deliberately manipulate anyone in fact, he is shown to be quite harmless. In expressing his personal displeasure at his female child Isabellas going to a particular seaside resort, he actually twists the truth, attributing galore(postnominal) of his own senseings and expressions (99) to Mr. Perry. However, the narrator is emphatic in noting that this is done unconsciously. And even when Mr. Woodhouse is conscious of trying to prevail upon others, he affects no real damage. He is unendingly trying to get other people to take a catchment basin of gruel with him, but Isabella is the only one who ends up complying. When Mrs. Bates and Mrs. Goddard come to keep Mr. Woodhouse bon ton during the Coles party, his power as host is actually trumped by Emmas. Against his wishes, she sees to it that all of their guests are well fed, with as much cake as they desire. Emma, like her father, enjoys a social dominion of fortune and station but joins it with a real superiority of intellect.Situations like the gruel debate point up the inversion of the traditionalistic family structure at Highbury, in which the daughters authority exceeds the parents. Emma takes care of her father, and the books only other mother-figure, unload Taylor, has become more like a friend than a parent, at least at the point where the story picks up The duskiness of authority being now long passed away, Emma does just what she likes, highly esteeming run Taylors judgement, but directed chiefly by her own (1).Beyond the littler family unit, there is no one but Knightley to challenge Emmas reign. She is at the highest reproach on the social ladder, as indicated by the name of her estate, Highbury. Her peers are all inferior, in status as well as quickness and depth. Harriet is entirely vapid she can sit, without any idea of anything in the world, for full ten minutes. (163) And although Emma may mistake the direction of Eltons gallantry, she sees right finished it there is a sort of parade in his speeches which was very apt to incline her to laugh. (46) even in comparison to her sister, Emma has the stronger hand. (241) In truth, Emma is wholly worthy of most of the approval bestowed upon her throughout the book. The most obvious example would be her ready wit, (66) which Mr. Elton cites in his charade. The obvious problem with Emmas ready wit, though, and all her other powers, is that they are so of ten put to bad use. Where Mr. Woodhouses social power is always turn up to be harmless, Emma is the one with the potent hands that can at times wreak havoc.At the party at Box Hill, Emma cannot resist (342) reservation a derisive comment to misplace Bates, simply because it is too knavish to be kept in. The sole extenuating circumstance here (though it is one based on Emmas arrogance) is that she may not have anticipated its full effect I dare say she did not understand me. (346) only if Emmas misuse of her own power of understanding is evident. The remark is twain consciously derisive and deliberately aimed, and the evident pain it causes Miss Bates brings home the humanity that Emmas understanding at that mo has become more limited than Miss Bates.Moreover, the impact of the harm extends both beyond the present moment and beyond the single personal relationship, revealing that unlike her father, Emma has the power to do real lasting damage. Miss Bates tries to hide when Emma next comes to visit, and it will take a while to repair their rapport. The event also affects the larger public sphere. As Mr. Knightley notes in his later reprimand, Emmas comment was made in the presence of others, many a(prenominal) of who would be entirely guided by your treatment of her. (346) In this social order, people who esteem the creative thinker of those superior in station use it as a model for their own. Not only has Emma spoken cruelly to Miss Bates, she has commemorate up a standard of treatment which others may choose to follow. People cater to Mr. Woodhouse because they respect him, but they use Emma as a model because they take her opinion very seriously. Where until now Emma has been visual perception power in terms only of its perks, the ripple effect of even a single lapse of judgment highlights the responsibilities that go with social power.The moment is an important turning point in Emmas progress of self-transformation. Knightleys earlier reprimand , split to be without sense, than misapply it as you do (51) targets this larger responsibility that Emma has been both too young and too blind to see. (As an interesting side note, the photographic film version of Emma actually has Knightley and Emma shooting during this scene, and while Knightly delivers this comment his cursor hits a bulls-eye. ) The most striking example of Emmas misapplication of sense on with her most deliberate act of manipulation appears in her treatment of Harriet.Emma literally tries to create Harriet, forging explanations of her parentage and painting portraits in which she alters Harriets body structure. The wiliness of this artistic aspect of her assumed role is highlighted by Knightleys recognition, she really does you credit. (53) As pointed out in lecture, Emma even plays the literal puppet-master, using a set of strings, her bootlaces, to direct the scene when she and Harriet run into Mr. Elton later visiting the poor family. Emma presses o n with her schemes despite the many clues that contradict her understanding.Whenever circumstances displease her, she creates explanations in her head that run contrary to her own sense of reason, yet accepts them all the same. When Mr. Eltons behaviour does not fit that of a lover, Emma makes various excuses for him, laughing at his translation of what she presumes to be Harriets ready wit but attributing such an ill-judged applause to the consequence of his being very much in love. (66) Even when Mr. Elton himself tries to out-of-doors up the confusion, in the scene in the carriage, Emma attempts to convince them both that he is hopelessly drunk.Perhaps Emmas most blatant self-deception is her heedlessness of severalize and birth differences in the midst of Mr. Elton and Harriet You and Mr. Elton are by situation called together you survive to one another by every circumstance of your respective homes. (68) This narration could not stand in starker contrast to the acute, even over-conscious sense of social standing, which Emma displays throughout the rest of the book. She revolts at the idea of a union between Jane Fairfax and Mr. Knightley, but wilfully ignores the same obstacles in her matchmaking of Harriet and Mr. Elton.Emma presumes to know what is best for other people, and in pursuit of her slated end goal will even act contrary to her (often accurate) perceptions of their feelings. When she writes Harriets letter of refusal to Robert Martin, (an intrusion in itself,) Emma senses that if the young man had come in her way at that moment, he would have been accepted after all (50) yet she seals and sends it all the same. The comment testifies not only to Emmas sentience of Harriets true feelings, but to her arrogance, in deferring to her own judgment of Harriets best interests rather than to Harriets.The fact that Harriet ends up happily, but in exactly the same place that she started, is the narrators way of putting Emma in her place. As in the encounter with Miss Bates, the gap between Emmas self knowledge and the perspective we are given on her suggests the conclusion that the proper sphere for exercising human judgment is on ones personal shortcomings instead of on anyone elses. What is most ironic nigh Emmas many social blunders is that, apart from Mr. Knightley, she has the deepest social consciousness of anyone in the book.Emma has a truly devoted sense of responsibility to her father, cares deeply for her family and friends, and is constantly smoothing over various social rifts that only she can foresee and repair, like those between her father and John Knightley. Readers understand the great possibilities that come with Emmas characteristic awareness we see the possibilities for a paragon which goes beyond the mere appearance of perfection introduced in the first line of the book and it is this consciousness that makes Emmas blunders seem all the more blind and regrettable.The turning point of the book is when Emmas awareness begins to work to her advantage when she starts to become more aware of herself. Emmas ability to reflect and feel powerfully is what fuels her self-transformation once she directs that power inwards to observe her own kernel instead of outwards to mold other people and events. It takes only the right catalyst, namely Mr. Knightley, for Emma to become able to realize her own wrongdoing. She responds to his reprimands about her treatment of Miss Bates, not with the defensiveness of someone truly arrogant but with anger against herself, mortification, and deep concern. (347) A similar moment of realization and self-chastisement comes at the first big climax of the book, when Emma learns of Harriets love for Mr. Knightley and realizes her own with insufferable vanity had she believed herself in the secret of everybodys feelings with unpardonable arrogance proposed to arrange everybodys destiny. (383) Emma proves herself capable of the character novelty which he r father is not when she gives up her own pretensions to judge the best interests of others.The fact that it is Knightley who sparks Emma reformation of character might seem to give ultimate power to him rather than to Emma herself. After all, his intrusion into her personal life ends up being the most positive force of the book. But it is important to keep in mind that Knightley is only a catalyst, a stand-in for the authors criticism of Emmas flaws, while Emma shares something like the role of the author herself. Like the playwright or novelist, she learns through trial and error the limitations of power exercised in trying to create and enjoin the course of other peoples lives.