'The Knightley brothers embody all that is good in society. They are well-meaning characters who fulfil their responsibilities admirably, yet the reader may find them dull.'
‘The Knightley brothers embody all that is good in society. They are well-meaning characters who fulfil their responsibilities admirably, yet the reader may find them dull.’ In the light of this statement, examine Austen’s presentation of John and George Knightley.
Every novel requires a dastardly villain and a shining hero, who falls for the heroine at the end of the story. Mr and Mrs Elton seem somewhat villainous in their treatment of others, with the Knightley brothers – George, the elder, especially – representing such a hero and symbol of good. However, since the Eltons aren’t really evil, and the Knightleys are so ‘agreeable’ and ‘cheerful’, it can certainly lead to some people considering Emma a dull read.
As well as his personality and position, we are informed of Mr Knightley being the hero by his name: George, patron saint of England, twinned with the idea of a ‘Knightley’ man in shining armour, clears all doubt. As a Jane Austen hero, his purpose is to marry the heroine in the final chapters, after a novel’s worth of witty banter. George Knightley has been a close friend of the family for almost all of his life, through land ownership: ‘he lived about a mile from Highbury’ and also through familial ties, being as he is, ‘the elder brother of Isabella’s husband.’ Since the departure of Miss Taylor, Emma has been Mr Woodhouse’s sole form of entertainment, and while he can find little complaint with that, for Emma it would no doubt become tiresome. Yet Mr Knightley visits frequently, with a warm welcome, as his cheering visits ‘always did him [Mr Woodhouse] good’. Emma, who has known him since her birth, appears to consider Mr Knightley as an uncle, or some such figure, and takes to him all the more for his being one of the few people to not find her perfect, as well as the only person who will tell her so. As the novel progresses, he chides and compliments her in turn, causing Emma to build up confusion as to his feelings about her, until finally he delivers an exceptionally nervous and heartfelt proposal, which is graciously accepted.