Emma’s attempt to match Harriet with Mr. Elton is also shunned by other characters as inappropriate, “Men of family would not be very fond of connecting themselves with a girl of such obscurity-most prudent men would be afraid of the inconvenience and disgrace they might be involved in, when the mystery of her parentage came to be revealed.” Since Harriet is “illegitimate”, Emma still believes that “she is a gentleman’s daughter,” and encourages Harriet to reject what turns out to be a more appropriate match with Robert Martin. Yet when it is revealed Harriet is the daughter of a tradesman, Emma admits Mr. Martin is more suitable for her friend.
Austen indicates her respect of Mr. Knightley’s judgement. She feels it is not right for Emma to push Harriet up to one not of her equal. It portrays the pressures of having to marry well but not to exceed the fine line of what was acceptable. She shows the difficulty and misunderstandings created in society regarding class and position, the wavering attitudes of people according to political background. Austen seems to think status creates too much of an impression on the delicate well being of courtship itself.
In the novel, self-interest is a cause of blindness. It offers critical illustrations of the ways in which personal biases or desires blind objective judgement. Emma cannot understand the motives that guide Mr. Elton’s behaviour because she imagines that he is in love with Harriet. She later admits to herself that “[s]he had taken up the idea, she supposed, and made everything bend to it.” Meanwhile, Mr. Elton’s feelings for Emma cause to him to mistake Emma’s behaviour for encouragement.
There are many discussions of people and their stations, people being more superior to others and people trying to rise above their station. Some examples of this are Emma not wanting Harriet to marry Mr. Martin and Mr. Elton not wanting to marry Harriet. Emma and Mr. Knightley have some discussions about this as well, mostly in relation to Harriet, but also in relation to Miss Bates. Emma is quite absorbed in the impact that class has on who she can and cannot associate with and under what circumstances. This can be seen in the novel especially in regards to her thoughts about the Coles and her views about Mr. Martin and his family.
Austen satirizes Emma on a number of occasions. Emma makes an ironic statement in her blindness and is horrified to find Harriet in love with Mr Knightley. Shocked and most displeased at her even imagining herself with such a man “How Harriet could ever have the presumption to raise her thoughts to Mr. Knightley! – How she could dare to fancy herself the chosen of such a man till actually assured of it! – But Harriet was less humble, had fewer scruples than formerly. – Her inferiority, whether of mind or situation, seemed little felt. – She had seemed more sensible of Mr. Elton’s being to stoop in marrying her, than she now seemed of Mr. Knightley’s. – Alas! Was not that her own doing too? Who had been at pains to give Harriet notions of self-consequence but herself? – Who but herself had taught her, that she was to elevate herself if possible, and that her claims were great to a high worldly establishment? – If Harriet, from being humble were grown vain, it were her doing too.” It is clear that Harriet’s new expectations were a result of Emma “puffing her up”. Emma created the problem herself, by only thinking of her own achievements. In her own love for Mr. Knightley, she uses position as a justification to why Harriet must not further in her affections for him. Yet ironically beforehand in Emma’s lack of discernment she tried to elevate Harriet into marrying above herself for all practical purposes.
Austen uses charades, riddles in the novel that take the form of elaborate wordplay. They symbolize pervasive subtexts that wait to be decoded in character’s larger social interactions. In Chapter 9, Mr Elton presents a riddle to Emma and Harriet. Emma decodes it immediately as, “courtship,” but she decodes it wrongly in the sense that she believes it is meant for Harriet rather than herself. The charades and riddles are metaphors for misunderstanding in the novel. Austen portrays her objection to this kind of pointless aggravation with people being unambiguous. She looks back on the predicaments created by misinterpretations of thoughts and actions. Austen seems to look upon this behaviour disapprovingly.
Similarly, motifs and symbols like dancing, is a metaphor for marriage in many of Austen’s novels. In the society in these novels a woman does not have many means by which to judge her suitors, and dance is one of the major ones. It is also important it these novels to see whom is dancing with whom, and what dance they are dancing. In Emma, Emma’s major trial to see if Mr. Knightley is really interested in Jane is to observe whether he asks her to dance at the Cole’s party. Frank Churchill continues his charade of pretending to not care for Jane by telling Emma he does not want to dance with her. Mr. Elton’s snubbing of Harriet at the dance at the Crown Inn parallels his unwillingness to consider her for marriage, “He would not ask Harriet to dance if it were possible to be avoided.” The shifting patterns of the dances at the Coles’ dinner party and at the ball reflects the changing patterns in the courtship Emma believes she is organising.
Likewise, the recurring structures, contrasts, or literary devices Austen uses such as visits, parties and conversational subtexts also contribute to showing us the activity and intimacy of the characters. The frequency and length of visits between characters indicates the level of attachment between them. Frank’s frequent visits to Hartfield shows his relationship with Emma to be close, though behind this we recognise that Frank also continually finds excuses to visit Jane, “And while Mrs. Weston pays her visit, I may be allowed, I hope,” Frank Churchill says this in his wanting to see Jane at the Bates’s.
The relationship between marriage and social status creates hardship for other characters. Frank Churchill must keep his engagement to the orphan, Jane Fairfax secret because his wealthy aunt would disapprove. Jane, in the absence of a good match, is forced to take the position as a governess. Austen shows the anxiety and vexation caused by the intimidating glare by relatives and society upon actions of the betrothed. How lovers had to be cautious and prudent of their demeanour. She shows how she ridicules the fickle behaviour of the surrounding families and community.
The unmarried Miss Bates is threatened with increasing poverty without a husband to take care of her and her mother. Without the advantage of being wealthy and independent, Miss Bates has to depend on the prospect of marrying to survive. This contrasts with the position Emma is currently in. Her financial circumstances were considerably more favourable than Miss Bates, and she may of considered marriage financially disadvantageous, as she would have lost control of her pecuniary resources, “ I shall not be a poor old maid; and it is poverty only which makes celibacy contemptible to a generous public! A single woman, with a very narrow income, must be a ridiculous, disagreeable, old maid! The proper sport of boys and girls; but a single woman, of good fortune, is always respectable, and may be as sensible and pleasant as anybody else.”
Austen’s use of irony separates her from the characters she portrays. We are not sure of her sympathy and have to try and perceive what her intentions are for ourselves. Her use of wit means that her true general intellectual or emotional attitude is covered with sarcasm. Aphorisms and epigrams indicate the darker sides to apparent light-hearted tones throughout the novel. “A man always imagines a woman to be ready for anybody who asks her.” This is an aphorism, showing Austin’s use of wit. This statement draws attention to the plight of many women in Austen’s society, as well as her novel, who were only too ready to marry at the first opportunity – spinsterhood meant a life of poverty. Ironically, Harriet is ready to marry anyone, and so Emma is made to appear over-confident in her belief that she is capable of judging others.
Finally the match between Emma and Mr. Knightley is considered a good one not only because they are well matched in temperament but also because they are well matched in social class. It appears Austen gives Emma and Mr. Knightley her blessing towards the end of the novel. Mr. Knightley’s declaration of his love to Emma contrasts starkly with Mr. Elton’s elaborate compliments and with Frank’s light, playful flirtations. Knightley says, “I cannot make speeches, Emma…If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more. But you know what I am. You hear nothing but truth from me…Yes you see, you understand my feelings.” One of the novel’s messages is that such sincere, direct expressions are more valuable than ornate speech. The narrator’s indirect description of Emma’s response to Knightley- “She spoke then, on being so entreated. What did she say? Just what she ought, of course” – gives the idea that often the most truthful feelings are best expressed through simple speech. Social codes often prevent perfect sincerity in speech, but sincere feelings are a remedy to this problem.
Emma ends in the traditional manner of a comedy, with a series of weddings to secure everyone’s happiness and reaffirm social ties. It is suggested Emma does revert to her former self rather than develop at the end of the novel, because she exchanges her independence. Instead of marrying a man who is her equal, Emma marries a father figure. Emma and Mr. Knightley’s reminiscences about her childhood remind us that his main role in her life has been a figure of authority, this underlines the fact that much of her love for him is as someone who can be depended on to guide her.
Austen demonstrates that the happiness of a marriage depends upon the couple’s being appropriately matched, rather than one of the parties trying to rise above his or her class background. Although at some points the novel seems to entertain the idea that class distinctions might be unfair or unfortunate, ultimately the novel is decidedly conservative.