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   sfwriter Teacher
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   Though Emma Woodhouse is doubtless well-educated by the standards of her day (in which education for women was still considered only for their preparation for being a wife and mother) there is a certain indifference in her education which shows up in her character and actions. Any father who could afford it (and Mr. Woodhouse could) would educate his daughter in his own home by employing a governess.  There were schools for girls, but they were not desirable for the top rung of the landed gentry (unless they were Catholic, in which a convent school, probably in France, would be chosen -- but this was not the case for Emma.)  It was considered the very best situation for a girl and young woman to be educated in her home; in the case of Emma, since her older sister had been married for some time, she was therefore the only pupil of Miss Taylor.

   The qualifications for governesses in the Regency era (and many of Austen's novels include governesses) were primarily that she be of a good family and have ladylike manners, and, most important of all, a "good character" (meaning that she was free of any stain on her sexual character).  Governesses must speak French, and have some education in the sciences and mathematics apart from literature and history, but these were not as important as her "suitability" and good manners.  Governesses must speak without any regional or lower-class accent, as their accent would be acquired by the daughters (and the sons, until they went off to school as wealthy boys always did, unlike their sisters).  Accent in a governess was more important than her depth of learning or her skill as a teacher.

   So why is these facts important when we talk about Emma's education?  Because by knowing what was typical at the time (for Emma is a fictional character) we can guess at what kind of education an adolescent girl like her would receive.  What is important to note here is that governesses were not necessarily very well-educated (by our standards) themselves.  They might know the important points of social behavior, and speak well, and be able to do fine sewing and to speak French, and be able to teach their young female charges the basics of literature and history, with a smattering of the sciences; they were not, as a rule, excellent or erudite teachers.  Since the role of governess was not a desirable one (several characters in Austen novels spend a great deal of energy trying not to become one!) and was considered, for even the poorest gentlewoman, a comedown in the world, very few women relished or excelled at the profession.  Specifically, the "excellent Miss Taylor", who was Emma's good and kind, if somewhat over-indulgent, governess, has probably spent that last few months, at least, with the more important task of geting engaged and married to Mr. Weston, and thus freeing herself from the profession of governess and entering the same class as Emma herself.  We can assume that, even if Miss Taylor was the best of governesses, she was at least a bit distracted for the last period of Emma's tuition.

   Emma was headstrong, clever, and probably quite bossy.  Since she was the only pupil Miss Taylor would have been loath to make an enemy of her, for she would have lost her place.  So Emma was probably more self-educated, and spottily at that, than properly educated.  This shows in her silly ways and sometimes unkind actions.

   Sources:

   http://www.enotes.com/emma/historical-background

   http://www.enotes.com/emma/list-characters

   http://www.enotes.com/emma/summary-analysis

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   Posted by sfwriter on Monday August 17, 2009 at 11:33 AM