Although Austen believed the eponymous heroine of her most complex novel would not be well liked by anyone

except herself, Emma Woodhouses fallacies and inner contradictions make her a more relatable and therefore more likeable character. The author describes her as being handsome, clever, rich, inhabiting a comfortable country mansion, seeming to unite the best blessings of existence and with little to offset her happy disposition. Being the product of a sheltered life as the overprotective and overprotected daughter of a hypochondriac country gentleman and the leading member in a confined society, she is predictably predisposed to think a little too well of herself and used to having rather too much her own way. Therefore, when one considers her background Emmas vanity and stubbornness can be, if not condoned, at least easily understood. Still, this is a bildungsroman, and even though the main protagonist possesses ill-boding defects of character she is also endowed with a fundamentally good heart, gentle, elegant well refined manners and the intelligence and wit that will enable her to reach the desired degree of self-knowledge and emotional growth. But wisdom and happiness are not easily achievable, not without distress and inner turmoil. By using Emmas flawed nature as the catalyst for the novels conflicts Austen warns about the dangers of a selfish intelligence unencumbered by humility. Under these circumstances Miss Woodhouses choice of friends is hardly surprising. Harriet Smith, the nave, ignorant, good natured daughter of nobody knows whom is an ideal companion for a spoilt domineering young woman. Miss Smiths impressionable character makes her a perfect candidate for the matchmaking skills of an Emma blind and selfish enough to objectify people and project upon them her own wishes and desires. Her puppetry attempts to create a relationship between Mr. Elton, an upstart, pretentious vicar and a low born, ignorant schoolgirl whilst failing to remark the formers unsubtle, thinly veiled advances, is an edifying example of the evils accompanying a misguided intelligence. Almost everything Emma does flatters her vanity, from her friendship with Harriet and her hypocritical flirtations with Frank Churchill, to her refusal to acknowledge Jane Fairfaxs qualities.

Miss Woodhouse is also a slave to social status and appearance, her rejection of both Robert Martin, an honest, intelligent, farmer, on behalf of her friend and of Mr. Eltons offer of marriage on the basis of inferior status shows her to be the result of well instilled class prejudices. Her initial resolve to reject the Coles invitation due to class inequality and her unwarranted cruelty towards Miss Bates evince her inability to look past her upper class preconceptions and truly empathize with the plight of another. Emmas reluctance to seek the company of Jane Fairfax, a more accomplished young woman stemming from wounded pride, her witticisms on Janes features and degrading assumptions regarding a supposed illicit relationship between her and her married patron Mr. Dixon, are not so much proof of ill nature as of immaturity of mind. Emma Woodhouse fails to understand and identify with others because she has no true knowledge of herself. At first she imagines herself in love with Frank Churchill completely oblivious to his secret attachment to Jane Fairfax, and then, undiscouraged by the Harriet Smith - Mr. Elton debacle, she imagines and endeavours to form a relationship between him and Harriet. Despite claiming she wants to remain single she unconsciously harbours an affection for Mr. Knightley, being again wrongly tormented by the unfounded presupposition that he is in love with Harriet Smith, who is by this time so spoilt by Emmas influence that she has managed to convince herself of Mr. Knightleys attachment. Even though the damage she causes is not irreparable Harriet Smith remains a victim of Emmas manipulative endeavours, never more blatantly conspicuous that in her untoward, presumptuous interference in Harriets relationship with Robert Martin. In the end, her awed respect for Knightleys superior understanding rescues her character from the readers disdain. He plays the role of conscience, and by his constant reprimands and unrelenting advice Emma is made to see the error of her ways and penitently achieve happiness and growth. Although one is inclined to place too much emphasis on the effectiveness of his remonstrations, I would like to believe that Emma Woodhouse would have independently reached the right conclusions.