A Heroine Whom No-one Will Much Like: The Redemption of Emma Woodhouse
Document Type
Oral Presentation
Campus where you would like to present
SURC 137B
Start Date
17-5-2012
End Date
17-5-2012
Abstract
Of all the heroines of all of the celebrated novels of Jane Austen, Emma Woodhouse is arguably the most controversial; the majority of readers either loves or hates the eponymous young belle of Jane Austen’s Emma, with no small fraction of them tending toward the side of animosity. “A Heroine Whom No-one Will Much Like: The Redemption of Emma Woodhouse” aims to prove that, although Miss Woodhouse initially seems manipulative and inconsiderate, her generally flawed nature serves a purpose in terms of Austen’s ability to tell the story, and to further illustrate that there is more to Emma Woodhouse than meets the eye. After studying in-depth the heroine’s negatively portrayed character, the essay argues for the acknowledgement of Emma’s redeeming qualities and evidence of reformation by the end of the novel.
Recommended Citation
Van Mersbergen, Jessica, "A Heroine Whom No-one Will Much Like: The Redemption of Emma Woodhouse" (2012). Symposium Of University Research and Creative Expression (SOURCE). 5.
https://digitalcommons.cwu.edu/source/2012/oralpresentations/5
Additional Mentoring Department
English
A Heroine Whom No-one Will Much Like: The Redemption of Emma Woodhouse
SURC 137B
Of all the heroines of all of the celebrated novels of Jane Austen, Emma Woodhouse is arguably the most controversial; the majority of readers either loves or hates the eponymous young belle of Jane Austen’s Emma, with no small fraction of them tending toward the side of animosity. “A Heroine Whom No-one Will Much Like: The Redemption of Emma Woodhouse” aims to prove that, although Miss Woodhouse initially seems manipulative and inconsiderate, her generally flawed nature serves a purpose in terms of Austen’s ability to tell the story, and to further illustrate that there is more to Emma Woodhouse than meets the eye. After studying in-depth the heroine’s negatively portrayed character, the essay argues for the acknowledgement of Emma’s redeeming qualities and evidence of reformation by the end of the novel.
Faculty Mentor(s)
Christine Sutphin