Study Questions

1. What is Harriet’s assurance to Emma upon leaving the Eltons’ for the first time?

2. What is a barouche-landau?

3. How does Mrs. Elton correct Emma?

4. What is Emma surprised to hear from Mrs. Elton about Mr. Knightley?

5. Why does Emma tell her father it was acceptable for him not to have paid the Eltons a courtesy call?

6. What is Mr. Elton’s apparent reaction to his wife?

7. How does Mrs. Elton’s behavior toward Emma change?

8. Why does Emma think Jane might have declined Mrs. Dixon’s invitation to Ireland?

9. Why does Mrs. Weston think Jane has become friendly with the Eltons?

10. Why does Mr. Knightley think she has?

Answers

1. Harriet goes to great lengths to keep from hurting Emma’s feelings. She fears Emma will take offense if Harriet continues to mope over losing Mr. Elton, so she pronounces herself free of any deep feelings for him, especially since he has married the charming woman he deserves.

2. Mrs. Elton’s brother-in-law is a magistrate with money and holdings in a nearby county. He owns a horse-drawn carriage that seats four, called a barouche-landau. Mrs. Elton mentions it often and, because it belongs to a member of her family, uses it as a status symbol.

3. Mrs. Elton is revealed as a woman who loves to talk. She barely allows Emma a word. When Emma points out that Mrs. Elton’s naming Surrey “the garden of England” is merely a cliché, Mrs. Elton has the audacity to correct her. Emma is not used to being challenged and can only remain mute.

4. The vicar’s new wife must have thought the village of Highbury to be a backwater of low-class ignorance. She reveals surprise that Mrs. Weston is such a lady and even more surprise that Mr. Knightley is a gentleman. Emma is furious that this vulgar upstart should pass any opinions on the people so close to her.

5. Emma allows her father his eccentricities, and, in this instance, she encourages them. She prefers that he not visit Mrs. Elton, so she indulges him. She reminds him he doesn’t condone matrimony, and his visiting the Eltons would just encourage people to marry.

6. To Emma’s disbelief, he seems proud of his new wife.

7. Mrs. Elton is offended when Emma does not return her attempts at intimacy. Thinking her offended, Emma draws back as well, and the two reach a stand off. Emma thinks the Eltons are bad-mouthing her behind her back because she orchestrated the Harriet match and refused Mr. Elton’s declaration of love.

8. So convinced is Emma that Jane had an affair with Mr. Dixon, she assumes Jane isn’t going out of penance.

9. Mrs. Weston notes that although Jane’s aunts are good people, their constant company must be tiresome. They lack the liveliness and youth that Jane requires.

10. Mr. Knightley is more pointed than Mrs. Weston. He lets Emma know that Jane has sought out companionship with the Eltons because Emma has ignored her.