Jane Austen Research Paper

The book ends on the note of “perfect happiness” (Emma 390) asking the probable question of “If the whole book was Emma’s road to self-discovery and happiness did she really find it within herself?” Goodheart sums it up by saying “If self-knowledge is required for happiness, we may question whether Emma ever truly achieves it.”

Throughout Emma Austen spends time developing and describing Emma’s relationship with the people in her life. Austen said “ No-one but myself will much like”(The Jane Austen Society) when describing the main character of Emma. Since she is said to have written Emma in her likeness that alludes to the fact that that she would have similarly handled the situations in the book how she would have in real life, says much

Emma does not see the world in the way a women of that time should. She believes the notion that women should have the right to say no, no matter the situation. “As to men and women, our opinions are sometimes very different; but with regard to these children I observe we never disagree.” (Emma 78) Mr. Knightly believes that men and women have a place they belong, which stands for the opposite of what Emma believes in. “If you were as much guided by nature in your estimate of men and women, and as little under the power of fancy and whim in your dealings with them, as you are where these children are concerned we might always think alike.” (Emma 78). Austen compares and contrasts these two to show one of the many different relationships Emma has with her friends and

In the story, there are only three sisters, but in Jane’s life she happens to be the youngest child out of seven. “She is the seventh child and the second daughter behind brothers James, George, Charles, Francis, Henry, Edward and Sister Cassandra” (janeausten.org) The similarity in both Anne being the youngest in the story and Jane being the youngest in her family are very sensible to make. The more significant connection however may be found in the fact that the family in the book moves away to Bath for a temporary place to seek shelter from their looming debt. When looking at Jane’s life, Bath seems to be her favorite place to tuck away to during both good times and hard times alike. It appears that Jane visited Bath in her early twenties with her mother after revising Northanger Abbey and then permanently moves to Bath after her father announced his retirement. When Austen’s father retired he lost a steady and a substantial amount of money. This retirement plunged the Austen’s into a bit of tight pocket situation, much like the one seen in the book. Although these events are not taken in the same extremes that they are in the story they still make for a very interesting