I guess I didn't really mean that Emma would go 'tattling' to Mr. Woodhouse, but that she would've voiced her opinion (even as a child) if she felt she wasn't getting her way. It's really difficult to say 'what-if' in this sort of situation because, again, I don't Emma was ever anything *but* indulged, so who can tell how she'd react if she wasn't? I guess I shouldn't be jumping ahead so far, but one of the benefits to her marrying Knightley is that he may not always be so indulgent. He never hesitates to make his opinion known to her, at least.
I see how you (and others) like Emma; she's very likable other than her arrogance and what goes along with that. For me personally that level of arrogance just can't be brushed aside, which is why I dislike her.
I don't think Miss Taylor was ever called a governess either. In fact, I just read the part this morning where Emma is acquainted with Mrs. Elton and she refers to Mrs. Weston as having been Emma's governess. Emma is extremely affronted by this -among other things, of course, but it's clear that the slight of Mrs. Weston's position in life will not be tolerated by Emma. I think Emma always looked at Miss Taylor as more than a governess, and probably Mr. Woodhouse too. It would also justify her pseudo-matching of Jane Fairfax and Mr. Knightley, since she herself was a 'governess' who married well.
I just started listening to Emma again and I have to admit you’re right Tara. Emma is arrogant. She really does feel superior to people around her. I just finished reading “Governess - The Live and Times of the Real Jane Eyres” and that made me realize that not only is she arrogant, what she does, or nearly does, to Harriett boarders on cruelty, whether intentional or not. Women in Harriet’s situation in life were not on good social footing and Harriet could have easily ended up another Mrs. Bates or Jane Fairfax, either having to live in poverty or having to go as a governess. Harriet herself says “But then, to be an old maid at last, like Miss Bates!” and “But still, you will be an old maid! and that's so dreadful!” to which Emma replies “Never mind, Harriet, I shall not be a poor old maid; and it is poverty only which makes celibacy contemptible to a generous public! A single woman, with a very narrow income, must be a ridiculous, disagreeable old maid! the proper sport of boys and girls, but a single woman, of good fortune, is always respectable, and may be as sensible and pleasant as any body else. And the distinction is not quite so much against the candour and common sense of the world as appears at first; for a very narrow income has a tendency to contract the mind, and sour the temper. Those who can barely live, and who live perforce in a very small, and generally very inferior, society, may well be illiberal and cross.” (all quotes page 63) So basically Emma knows what she is risking for Harriett with her schemes, yet she still goes on with them. Had they gone wrong, she might have really damaged Harriett’s material outlook for life. Seen in this light, Emma is not only arrogant, but cruel and unrealistic. It’s no wonder that Mr. Knightly rebuked her and remained mad at her for several days. Frankly everyone, especially Mrs. Weston, should have been furious with her.
So back to Mrs. Weston and her upbringing of Emma: It is actually mentioned, once at the very beginning (page one), that she started out as a governess but quickly became more than a governess to the whole family, but especially to Emma: “Between them it was more the intimacy of sisters. Even before Miss Taylor had ceased to hold the nominal office of governess, the mildness of her temper had hardly allowed her to impose any restraint; and the shadow of authority being now long passed away, they had been living together as friend and friend very mutually attached, and Emma doing just what she liked; highly esteeming Miss Taylor's judgment, but directed chiefly by her own.” (page one) Had Miss Taylor kept her station as “mere” governess, she might have imposed more discipline on Emma and corrected her more often. However, she didn’t, and Emma grew into what she was. I still find it a bit odd that Mrs. Weston, who herself lived a very charmed life, first in finding a position as governess in a family who loved and accepted her and then in finding a good husband to support her through the rest of life. She, at least, should have realized how much damage Emma could have done to Harriet with her schemes had they gone totally wrong.
Don’t get me wrong, I still like Emma and I think there is a lot of goodness in her, but she needed more guidance at an early age. I imagine this is one of JA’s lessons to be imparted in the book. It reminds me a bit of Mr. Darcy in P&P who said, “As a child I was taught what was right, but I was not taught to correct my temper. I was given good principles, but left to follow them in pride and conceit.” (page 259) As shown with her presents to the Bates, her kindness towards the sick family and the acknowledgement that if Mr. Martin had been a rung lower on the social ladder she might have been useful to him, Emma was also given good principles and knew that she had a duty towards the people of the neighbourhood, but was left to exercise her good will as she pleased instead of having it directed as it should have been. I think she was probably also too sheltered. The “Governess” book goes into how the governesses of the time all had to be ladies, i.e. be from aristocratic homes themselves so that they were brought up as ladies and could impart that upbringing on their employer’s young girls. This meant that governesses, were once as, or almost as, well off as Emma during their childhood, but that their family’s fortunes were wiped out so that they were forced to become governesses in order to earn a living. This could have happened to Emma just as it did to thousands of other girls. Had Emma really been aware of this, she might have acted a lot differently towards Harriet if only because she would have realized to advantages to any marriage for Harriet. Being sheltered and spoiled kept her from any intimate knowledge of the workings of the world outside her own little sphere, so the consequences of her actions were not clear to her. So much the worse for the rest of the world.
I see how you (and others) like Emma; she's very likable other than her arrogance and what goes along with that. For me personally that level of arrogance just can't be brushed aside, which is why I dislike her.
I don't think Miss Taylor was ever called a governess either. In fact, I just read the part this morning where Emma is acquainted with Mrs. Elton and she refers to Mrs. Weston as having been Emma's governess. Emma is extremely affronted by this -among other things, of course, but it's clear that the slight of Mrs. Weston's position in life will not be tolerated by Emma. I think Emma always looked at Miss Taylor as more than a governess, and probably Mr. Woodhouse too. It would also justify her pseudo-matching of Jane Fairfax and Mr. Knightley, since she herself was a 'governess' who married well.
Reply
So back to Mrs. Weston and her upbringing of Emma: It is actually mentioned, once at the very beginning (page one), that she started out as a governess but quickly became more than a governess to the whole family, but especially to Emma: “Between them it was more the intimacy of sisters. Even before Miss Taylor had ceased to hold the nominal office of governess, the mildness of her temper had hardly allowed her to impose any restraint; and the shadow of authority being now long passed away, they had been living together as friend and friend very mutually attached, and Emma doing just what she liked; highly esteeming Miss Taylor's judgment, but directed chiefly by her own.” (page one) Had Miss Taylor kept her station as “mere” governess, she might have imposed more discipline on Emma and corrected her more often. However, she didn’t, and Emma grew into what she was. I still find it a bit odd that Mrs. Weston, who herself lived a very charmed life, first in finding a position as governess in a family who loved and accepted her and then in finding a good husband to support her through the rest of life. She, at least, should have realized how much damage Emma could have done to Harriet with her schemes had they gone totally wrong.
Reply
Reply
Leave a comment