She is no Elizabeth Bennet.
But then, Jane Austen hardly expected her new heroine to be admired. In regards to Emma Woodhouse, Austen remarked, “I am going to take a heroine whom no one but myself will much like.”
Spoiled Emma. Pretentious Emma. Dearest, most beloved Emma fails time and time again in her matchmaking ventures. Through these missteps, she learned a great deal. . . and so can her readers.
Many a fantasy has stripped reality of charm.
Such is the case with matchmaking Emma Woodhouse. Her expectations in the way of romance leaves her thoroughly disenchanted. The couple she carefully orchestrated fall away in strife. So burdened was she by these defeats that in Chapter 16 she claims, “It was wrong, to take so active a part in bringing any two people together.”
Had Emma taken to heart these matchmaking truths, she and her matches would have faired far better.
This final installment lends insight to unassuming lies on may believe when bringing good people together.
Emma Woodhouse repeatedly mismatched.
In fact, she arguably has few — if any —successful relationships to her credit. Still, she is worthy of analysis. For whose failures better to learn from than a heroine of sincere heart and unprecedented ambition?
This installment shares dos and don’ts to abide by in the art of matchmaking.
Mr. Weston would never marry again.
Pish posh!
Emma had witnessed a fondness between him and Miss Taylor ever since the day their paths crossed on Broadway-lane. Upon returning from their wedding, Emma boasts to her father and Mr. Knightley of how she “planned the match from that hour.”
“Where is your merit?” Mr. Knightley asks. “What are you proud of? You made a lucky guess; and that is all that can be said.”
“A lucky guess is never merely luck. There is always some talent in it. If I had not promoted Mr. Weston’s visits here, and given many little encouragements, and smoothed many little matters, it might not have come to any thing after all.”
This installment of The Art of Matchmaking provides a guide to the talent of how to make a match.
Not all matches are made in heaven.
Some are made in Hartfield, by Jane Austen’s Emma.
This first installment of The Art of Matchmaking explores the best traits when taking “so active a part in bringing any two people together.” A portion of these qualities is exemplified by the meddlesome heroine. But, of course, not all. . .
