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When I was confronted with Jane Austen’s Emma, it was needless to say that I had exceedingly high hopes for this novel. Austen’s pride and prejudice had been a favorite of mine for quite some time, as it seemed to embody the quintessential romance. I was hoping to have an encounter with a character much akin to Elizabeth Bennet, a strong individual who was driven by her intelligence rather than the expectations of society. While Emma Woodhouse does possess all these traits, as she is incredibly intelligent and is persistent in defying the standards of marriage, I came to understand that there was one thing that distinguished the two characters and that was class. Although it may seem to be a minimal attribute, the wealth that Ms. Woodhouse possessed made all the difference in the composition of her character. It was not until the middle of the novel that I had an epiphany in which I went from complete loathing to total understanding and sympathy of Emma’s character. No longer was Emma a completely unrelatable individual to be scorned at, but merely a product of her society. It was not until this moment that I understood and indeed found some sort of connection to this individual.
It is so incredibly easy to pass judgment on an individual. In that moment of criticism, it is so easy to rule out any similarities between yourself and the object of your scorn. That was certainly the case in my condemnation of Emma. Her petty remarks about Mr. Martin and his unsuitableness for Harriet caused me much anguish. I could not understand how one individual could have the audacity to look down upon such a hardworking and sturdy man, that she hardly knew. But upon my introduction to Mrs. Elton, I began to become more self-aware. It was clear to me that Emma loathed Mrs. Elton because Emma subconsciously recognized her faulty attributes within this petulant woman. Could my irritation with Emma as an individual possibly have stemmed from my own critical ways? It seemed to...