Emma by Jane Austen (Wordsworth Classics)

Emma by Jane Austen is presented with an Introduction and Notes by Dr Nicola Bradbury of the University of Reading. This edition forms part of the Wordsworth Classics series.

Key details

• Author: Jane Austen
• Series: Wordsworth Classics
• Includes an introduction and notes
• Introduction and notes by Dr Nicola Bradbury, University of Reading

Synopsis

Jane Austen introduces a heroine described as “handsome, clever, and rich”, while also suggesting she may not be universally liked. Emma is portrayed as an “imaginist”, “on fire with speculation and foresight”, and she reads signs of romance everywhere, even as she believes she will never marry.

Her efforts at matchmaking trace a network of relationships that Austen treats with irony, bringing them into sharper focus. The balance between judgement and imagination is played out in ways the reader can share, leading towards a conclusion described as a triumph of understanding.