Jane Austen's "Emma"

Paper Summary:

The works of Jane Austen have remained popular for many years, both as romantic tales of flirtations and courtship, as well as of marriage and the social structure on which it was based. This paper discusses how Austen's novels are also an invaluable tool as a representation of changing social circumstances of the British society she knew so well. It shows how, as the life of the upper gentry became transformed by agrarian culture, one can examine Austen's works as a dramatic representation of this transition and as a key to the changing times in which Austen and her contemporaries lived.

Outline:
Abstract
Introduction
Preparations for the Ball: The Importance of Location
The Site of the Ball at the Crown
The Festivities Begin
Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Preparations for the Ball are first at hand; the planners, having decided upon the Randalls as the setting, must now determine whether there is enough room to accommodate the guests comfortably. Emma and Frank Churchill debate the adequacy of space; Frank, asserting the "'there will be very tolerable room,'" is contradicted by Emma: "'Nothing can be farther from pleasure than to be dancing in a crowd--and a crowd in a little room!'" (Emma, p. 255). The question of whether or not ten couples can enjoy themselves within the close space at Randalls is discussed for quite some time, and is only resolved by the decision to hold the Ball elsewhere. Why does Austen include so lengthy a passage on the availability of space? This in itself is a question worthy of further investigation."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Austen, Jane. Emma 1995. London: Penguin.
• Austen-Leigh, James Edward. 1967. A Memoir of Jane Austen. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
• Hobsbawm, Eric J. 1999. Industry and Empire: From 1750 to the Present Day. London: Penguin
• Oxford Encyclopedic English Dictionary. 1988. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
• Trilling, Leon. 1979. Beyond Culture: Essays on Literature and Learning. New York, NY: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich.

More papers on Jane Austen's "Emma":

• Analytical Essay # 141344 : "Jane Austen's "Emma"
• Book Review # 120226 : "Marriage and Jane Austen"
• Film Review # 128711 : "Clueless" nee Jane Austen's "Emma"
• Analytical Essay # 25726 : "Jane Austen's "Emma"

APA Citation:

MLA Citation: