Of all Jane Austen''s heroines, Emma Woodhouse is the mostflawed, the most infuriating, and, in the end, the most endearing.Pride and Prejudice''s Lizzie Bennet has more wit and sparkle;Catherine Morland in Northanger Abbey more imagination; and Senseand Sensibility''s Elinor Dashwood certainly more sense--but Emmais lovable precisely because she is so imperfect. Austen onlycompleted six novels in her lifetime, of which five feature youngwomen whose chances for making a good marriage depend greatly onfinancial issues, and whose prospects if they fail are rather grim.Emma is the exception: "Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich,with a comfortable home and happy disposition seemed to unite someof the best blessings of existence; and had lived nearly twenty-oneyears in the world with very little to distress or vex her." Onemay be tempted to wonder what Austen could possibly find to sayabout so fortunate a character. The answer is, quite a lot. For Emma, raised to think well of herself, has such a high opin
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