Maddy Kirkwood
July 6th, 2022
Essay 2 – Emma
Novel and Spirituality
The essay should focus on the foundational four elements of the tradition of the novel (overlay landscape, cosmic symbolism of marriage, relational identity, and transfigurative virtue) as they are expressed in Emma and on related symbolic meanings of the book as reflecting the “four ways of biblical reading” developed in early Mediterranean Christian literature (literal, moral, allegorical, spiritual/anagogical).
The heat of the summer sun and the sting of humiliation penetrating her skin made Emma’s whole being prickle with warmth and regret. She is horrified at her own words and realizes no one is laughing and that she’s disrupted the peaceful picnic, feeling the glare from Mr. Knightley and hurt from Miss Bates, she bows her head in shame. Jane Austen’s novel, Emma, follows a twenty-one-year-old protagonist as she acquires humility in various ways by creating a sense of unity with her neighbors in Highbury through misunderstanding, marriage, and love, therefore, reflecting on the ancient origin of the novel, which teaches a spiritual understanding of community.
Mr. Knightley felt his heart would beat right through his ribcage and burst out of his shirt. He could no longer keep his feelings for Emma inside; they begged to escape and to be known to the woman he loved most (372). The theme of relational identity is common amongst the characters in Emma, specifically Mr. Knightley and Emma herself because once they realize their feelings for each other they do everything possible to secure their union. Towards the end of the novel, Mr. Knightley confesses his love to Emma and asks for her hand in marriage even though she previously stated that she doesn’t plan to marry (73). Mr. Knightley reveals his feelings to her nonetheless “If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more. But you know what I am. You hear nothing but truth from me. I have blamed you, and lectured you, and you have borne it as no other woman in England would have borne it” (372, 373). The theme of relational identity in Emma suggests the ability to understand a person’s identity and individuality in relation to others. The quote above undeniably underscores the clear evidence that Mr. Knightley and Emma have always known there was something stronger connecting them than just friendship.
She felt a physical change and excitement being invoked in her bones. Suddenly, Emma knew that she had gone from being loved by Mr. Knightley as a dear friend, to being beloved by him as he confesses his longing for her (374). The intertwined identities, long-term friendship, and eventual marriage of Emma and Mr. Knightley are examples of how an author can evoke the cosmic symbolism of marriage by connecting relationships of love to God and religion. “I will promise to call you once by your Christian name. I do not say when, but perhaps you may guess where—in the building in which N. takes M. for better, for worse” (403). These words said by Emma to Mr. Knightley convey a way to read the novel through a spiritual lens, Emma knows that words said in a church, before a chaplain, are sacred and amongst the most crucial words, one says in their life. The characters who ultimately become married, Harriet and Robert Martin, Mrs. Weston and Mr. Weston, Mr. and Mrs. Elton, and Emma and Mr. Knightley, all identify themselves relationally to their partners, as well as to the divine, through the union of marriage in the Christian tradition.
Dry dust filled their nostrils and dirtied their fresh dresses as the two friends made their short journey back to Hartfield. Emma declares to her companion Harriet, “I have none of the usual inducements of women to marry. Were I to fall in love, indeed, it would be a different thing! but I never have been in love; it is not my way, or my nature; and I do not think I ever shall” (73). Austen employs the technique of overlay landscape by telling this story using Emma’s imaginary world inside her mind, which creates a veil over Emma’s worldview but does not necessarily do so for the reader who also has the narrator’s voice to rely on. Emma believes she can affect and manipulate people around her into romantic matches, such as Harriet and Mr. Elton, Isabelle and Mr. John Knightley, and Mrs. Weston and Mr. Weston, without being affected herself. Emma often imagines situations that are not in existence, namely, when she mistakes Mr. Elton’s delighted disposition as romantic feelings for Harriet, when in fact they were for herself (111). Emma strives to make marriage and engagement practical affairs as if they were business transactions, because at this point in the novel she sees marriage as a way to gain social status, money, or power, and potentially all three, rather than seeing marriage as an act of grand love.
Once it is clear to the reader that Emma does not understand the intricacies of romantic relationships or what it feels like to be in love, it can be determined that Emma is being shielded from the meaning of love by her own stubbornness and practicality. This is a strong example of the overlay landscape technique because the audience knows Emma’s false view of the residents of Highbury is due to her overactive imagination, however, the audience also has the omniscient narrator’s viewpoint, as well as their own view of what is transpiring amongst the characters. Emma tries to be practical and pragmatic when it comes to love and matchmaking. Emma deduces that since she has not been in love yet, she has been pardoned the experience of love “…they say every body is in love once in their lives, and I shall have been let off easily” (31). Emma is not yet aware that there is nothing practical or realistic about love until she realizes she has romantic feelings for Mr. Knightley, whom Harriet had taken a fancy to. The irony of Emma’s position is that she marries Mr. Knightley who knew that she would eventually get married one day and is perhaps the most truthful and honest person in her life. Amidst her best efforts to contrive relationships in her head, Emma eventually concludes that people’s true feelings will be revealed, and if they are fortunate they will get to marry the person they adore.
Relational identity assists Austen’s characters to connect to the intimate community they have made in Highbury as well as something grander and larger than themselves. Thus, allowing them to forget the mere trivial aspects of human life. This is especially true during Emma and Mr. Knightley’s marriage ceremony “…the wishes, the hopes, the confidence, the predictions of the small band of true friends who witnessed the ceremony, were fully answered in the perfect happiness of the union” (422). Marriage has allowed these characters to reevaluate their existence, their role in their community, and their true disposition.
The symbol of marriage, particularly a loving marriage, means a great deal to nearly every character in this novel. Frank and Jane’s secrecy, Mr. Weston and Mrs. Westons’ marriage, Mr. Martin and Harriet’s infatuation, and Emma and Mr. Knightley’s relationships are all examples of characters deciding to be with their true loves, rather than deciding to be with someone because it would increase their social status. The game of riddles Emma and Harriet play with Mr. Elton is an excellent metaphor for the confusion and misunderstandings surrounding the relationships amongst the townspeople of Highbury that occur throughout the novel. Austen is displaying irony with her storytelling and is suggesting to her readers that they should not have to play games with their true love, and anyone who plays games with them is not the one they are meant to be with. Emma realizes this for herself when Mr. Knightley proposes to her, she discovers that it wasn’t that she never wanted to get married, it was that she wanted to be in love and chose freely whom she would be married to.
There are various examples of transfigurative virtue in Emma. One such illustration is Emma’s filial piety to her father and her faithfulness to her friend Harriet “…she found one or two such very serious points to consider as made her feel that even her happiness must have some alloy. Her father—and Harriet. She could not be alone without feeling the full weight of their separate claims” (376). Emma is conscious of how her engagement to Mr. Knightley will affect them both, she especially values her father’s feelings in the affair greatly. Emma knows that her father’s views on marriage are unfavorable and that it would not bode well for his health to live alone in Hartfield (3). Emma’s virtuous nature radiates when she shows her father respect by deciding to wait to be married until after he has passed. However, her father usurps their idea allowing them to get married, and grants Mr. Knightley to live in Hartfield with them both.
Emma’s counseling of Harriet is rarely successful and is often advice Emma should be giving to herself instead. An example of this is when Harriet asks Emma for advice on what to write back to Mr. Martin “I lay it down as a general rule, Harriet, that if a woman doubts as to whether she should accept a man or not, she certainly ought to refuse him. If she can hesitate as to ‘Yes,” she ought to say ‘No,’ directly. It is not a state to be safely entered into with doubtful feelings, with half a heart. I thought it my duty as a friend, and older than yourself, to say this much to you. But do not imagine that I want to influence you” (43).
In this section of the novel, Emma is imparting her own viewpoint and wisdom onto Harriet, but doing so in a conniving way which Harriet is unlikely to comprehend because of her naivety and the trust she puts in Emma. The tone of what Emma is saying would seem straightforward to Harriet, but the reader would recognize it as deceitful. The use of the term “lay it down” invokes imagery of power and finality, this shows Harriet that Emma believes her opinion to be “law” and that Harriet should most likely follow Emma’s “law” if she wants to stay in her good graces, as well as learn how to act like a lady of high society. An irony of Emma’s advice to Harriet is that she should take her own advice and not enter into situations with “half a heart” so often. One example is the romantic matches Emma continuously contrives amongst people she barely knows the true nature of. Eventually, Emma sustains much humiliation because of her inability to discern people, even her dearest friends.
Furthermore, Austen is teaching her readers what Emma is teaching Harriet, the importance of one’s own opinion and independent thought. Austen does not wish to influence her reader’s opinions but to instead impart the wisdom and ideology that each person should be their own judge because only they know themselves best. Moreover, Austen teaches her audience that any decision made by someone else about their life will be inauthentic, and fall short of what they truly want. When people rely on others to make decisions for them like Harriet does with Emma, it often disappoints everyone involved and the goal of the decision is not achieved. In this passage, Austen conveys that the safest and smartest option is for people to develop their own opinions, and discover what makes them truly happy so that they can be the masters of their own lives.
Emma is built on feminist archetypes which prevail through the misogynistic undertones of society, class, marriage, and power of the 19th century. Austen conveys to her readers of all time periods that what is most important is developing your own opinions and listening to yourself “You must be the judge of your own happiness” (43). This notion of judging one’s own happiness and developing one’s independent voice is especially important when it comes to love. The truest, most joy-filled unions are between two people who choose each other for themselves—the virtue of being faithful to yourself is critical to Emma and to Austen. For centuries, many women have been taught to be selfless and to always think of others, help others, and put others first. Austen knew this and decided to teach women that the paramount lesson in life is to never disappoint themselves. Austen’s instruction is vital for every person, especially women of the 19th century as well as women today. Throughout Emma, Austen enlightens her readers by showing them that no matter how beautiful, virtuous, or intelligent someone is, unavoidably, they are still human and will make mistakes and consequently be humiliated. Thus, Austen suggests, that if one is true to their virtues, and learns from their mistakes, they will be rewarded, just as Emma was.