Home > Emma Summary & Study Guide > Emma Group > Question and Answer

Question:

Answers:

1. 
   giorgiana1976 Teacher
   Doctorate

   eNotes Editor

   In the Austen's novels, the notion of marriage was described not only as an alliance between families, a bound in which the spouse's love feelings have no place, but a merry companionship based on love and esteem, without excluding though the wife's economic subordination to her husband. To emphasize all written above, we just need to dart a glance at those merry marriages from Austen's novels: Catherine and Henry,Emma and Mr. Knightley,Fanny and Edmund etc.

   Sources:

   http://www.enotes.com/emma

   Rate answer:

   • Flag as inappropriate

   Posted by giorgiana1976 on Monday January 5, 2009 at 1:14 AM
   
   

2. 
   zue

   Austen in "Emma", describes marriage not only as something done for love, but also as something done for convenience. These are the two kinds of marriages in all her novels. In "Emma", an example of a marriage done for convenience is miss Taylor's marriage to Mr. Weston. this not only give her a rise in class level, but also provides her with securtiy for future. Unlike her, Emma knows that she would not die "an old maid". thus she does not feel the need to get married for convenience. Her marriage to Mr. Knightly is one based on love alone. Also, when talking about Austen's own attitude to love and marriage, we need to make note of her own personal life. Note that Austen was writing about her own time period, and her life would have an influence over what she wrote. Austen in "Emma", and all her other novels, tells her readers that they have a choice when it comes to marriage. This, could be influenced by the fact that she herself never married. so, if you are to answer questions about marriage and love, and Austen's own opinion, an insight to her personal life would be of much use. :)

   Rate answer:

   • Flag as inappropriate

   Posted by zue on Monday January 26, 2009 at 10:10 PM