Emma the Marriages in Emma, by Jane

¶ … Emma

The Marriages in Emma, by Jane Austin

Emma is the story of four marriages and the realities that motivated these couples to join together. This paper will examine the factors that come into play when a man makes his decision to marry and the degree of love and emotional attachment each relationship reflects. The unions are looked at in order of highest degree of emotional attachment and love to least.

Mr. Elton and Miss Hawkins

Emma attempts to make a match between Mr. Elton, the village vicar, and Harriet Smith, a seventeen-year-old woman of undetermined background. In the process of bringing the two together, Harriet becomes enamored with Mr. Elton and rejects a proposal from Robert Martin, believing, with Emma's encouragement, that Martin is beneath her and Elton would raise her social status.

For his part Mr. Elton is flattered by the attention that Emma gives him during the course of her matchmaking and asks for her hand instead of Harriet's. Emma rejects his proposal and Mr. Elton soon goes to Bath and marries Miss Hawkins, a woman of some means.

The irony in this marriage is that while Harriet is trying to marry above herself Mr. Elton is doing the same thing, as George Knightly puts it "Elton is a very good sort of man, and a very respectable vicar of Highbury, but a not at all likely to make an imprudent match. He knows the value of a good income as well as anybody" (58). This marriage is founded on financial and social considerations.

Robert Martin and Harriet Smith

It is ironic that Harriet ended up with Robert. It is evident that he always desired her. She listened to Emma and rejected his proposal of marriage in hopes of raising her social and financial status, but failed in her attempt to catch Mr. Elton, (who was plying the same game) and lost George Knightley as well.

On the other hand Robert loved Harriet as evidenced by this account from George to Emma, "…and my brother asked him to dine with them the next day, which he did, and in the course of that visit (as I understand it) he found an opportunity of speaking to Harriet; and certainly did not speak in vain. She made him by her acceptance, as happy even as he is deserving" (417). This pair is of equal social standing and though Harriet attempted to marry above her standing, and it can be argued that she "settled," he came into the union out of love.

Frank Churchill and Jane Fairfax

Frank and Jane's marriage is again one of mixed social standing. Frank must keep his engagement to the orphan Jane Fairfax secret because his wealthy aunt would disapprove. Jane, in the absence of a good match, is forced to consider taking the position of a governess. Frank could not announce his intentions until after his aunt, who had raised him as a son had passed away because he the loss of his inheritance. When Frank is called back Enscombe because his aunt is ill, Emma experiences "This sensation of listlessness, weariness, stupidity, this disinclination to sit down and employ myself, this feeling of everything's being dull and insipid about the house! I must be in love" (230). But Frank is not in love with her.

His marriage to Jane is based on reciprocal feelings, and though they were forces to hide their true feelings in the end they came together.

George Knightley and Emma Woodhouse

The match between Emma and George is a good one from the stand point that not only are they well matched in temperament but also they are well matched in social class. There love grew out of friendship. Upon reflection "She saw that there had never been a time when she did not consider Mr. Knightley infinitely superior, or when his regard for her had not been infinitely most dear" (363).