Monday, March 5, 2007
Emma Question 1
Does Emma act as a good friend to Harriet Smith? Are Emma's concerns for Harriet's education and refinement born of an honest desire to help, or is it something less altruistic? Are Mr. Knightley's criticisms of Emma's interference with Mr. Martin's marriage proposal justified? Does Harriet ultimately benefit from Emma's friendship or her attempts to help her?
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After Emma’s old best friend Miss Taylor leaves, Emma searches for a new friend, and finds one in Harriet Smith. I think Emma acts as a good friend to Harriet because Emma is constantly giving her advice and looking for a suitor for her. Emma seems to live vicariously through Harriet in this novel. Emma helps Harriet out with some typical “girl problems”, such as hosting and attending several social dinners in order to “scope out” prospective suitors. Even after a couple matchmaking mishaps, Emma didn’t lose hope for finding Harriet a husband. Emma and Harriet stay good friends for a long while.
I think Emma sees a little bit of herself in Harriet, and therefore takes Harriet under her wing. Emma’s concerns for Harriet’s education and refinement are due to Emma’s fortunate past of wealth. She sees Harriet as a woman of less intelligence, but one with a great desire to learn. Emma’s efforts to help Harriet are sincere because Emma wants to see Harriet succeed.
Mr. Knightley’s criticisms of Emma’s interference with Mr. Martin’s marriage proposal are justifiable because it is not right of Emma to control Harriet’s love life. Emma even went as far as saying she wouldn’t be Harriet’s friend anymore if she accepted Mr. Martin’s marriage proposal. Mr. Knightley’s accusations are reasonable because if Emma really wanted Harriet to learn and grow as a person, she would let Harriet make her own adult decisions.
Harriet benefits from Emma’s friendship because Harriet learns from all her experiences. The two serve as confidantes to each other, and who wouldn’t want someone they trusted enough to share their intimate thoughts with? Emma gives Harriet life experiences she would not have been able to have in the boarding school. Thus, Harriet benefits from being Emma’s protégé.
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