Emma, published in 1815, was written by Jane Austen whose extraordinary writing revolutionized society’s perspective of class, norms, and particularly women’s privileges. The novel is a classical gem that expands the genres of romance and comedy through an entanglement of misunderstandings and twists. Austen, one of the first writers of her time to create realistic, complex characters, allowed readers to understand that everyone has their own ideal life, and not one is more valuable than the other. Emma Woodhouse, the intelligent upper-class daughter of a now single father, believes she has all the power in society to make those around her live as contently as she does. After successfully setting up her governess with a marriage she had encouraged for quite a while, Emma searches for a new project to undertake. She has a fondness for matchmaking, taking enjoyment in seeing others happy with their lives and meeting people who would better each other. Emma herself does not plan to marry, wanting to be independent and refusing to leave her father alone with the state of his health. Yet her life takes a turn when a girl about her age, Harriet Smith, arrives at her school. Seeing Harriet’s sweet demeanor and potential, Emma dedicates herself to taking Harriet under her wing and improving her life into what she believes is ideal. Her plan involves bringing Harriet into her upper-class society and making a match for her with the respectable Mr. Elton. The seemingly harmless match sends Emma into a maze of regret, misunderstandings, and the discovery of her intentions. The story is an entertaining mix of humane experiences and humorous plot twists that convey the truthfulness of friendship and love, and the flaws of perfection. Although the story may seem like an entire romance, I love how Austen does not make it the backbone of her writing and instead weaves real-world concepts and significant conflicts, themes, and experiences that are not unrealistically ideal. Although many have criticized the obliviousness of the protagonist despite her clever insight, Emma is written with a genuine sense of humanity. William Shakespeare’s writing, such as Twelfth Night, has had a great influence on Austen’s work, both of which wrote women with powerful voices and intertwining whimsically confusing plots together for readers to unravel. All in all, the truthfulness of Austen’s writing is a stunning display of the chaotic world around us, and how sometimes, the life within it does not need to be meddled with. Just because someone’s life may seem perfect does not mean that they do not have any struggles, and just because someone’s life seems difficult it does not mean they are always struggling.
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