Preliminary Analysis on the Causes and Transformation of Emma’s Fatal Deficiency

【Abstract】Emma is not terribly perfect or good but is close to being real and whole. She has been loved by researchers. Many of them think Austen has successfully molded adorable Emma with minor defects. However， they ignore one of Emma’s characteristics-self-conceit， which can be fatal in many parts of Emma. This paper focuses on this fatal deficiency-self-conceit and clearly displays the manifestation of self-conceit， as well as the causes of it. Then it gives preliminary analysis on the cost of self-conceit and the transformation from self-conceit to self-communion. Through analysis of Emma’s fatal deficiency， a new understanding of the image of Emma will be revealed and the essence of this novel will be appreciated better.

【Key words】Emma； deficiency； self-conceit； cause； transformation

1. Introduction

Jane Austen is one of the most distinguished female writers in the 19th century in England. Emma is one of the greatest novels in the world and Jane Austen’s more mature masterpiece.

Emma is about the heroine’s painful process of removing self-conceit into moral and emotional maturity and gaining self -reflection out of the errors. Austen shapes a young， pretty， bright and pleasing heroine Emma， who is not terribly perfect or good but is close to being real and whole. This thesis will focus on one of Emma’s fatal deficiency-self-conceit and give preliminary analysis on the causes and transformation of this character into self-recognition in order to get a new understanding of the image of Emma and appreciate better about Austen’s talent in this novel.

2. Emma’s Fatal Deficiency：Self-conceit

No one is perfect； there is no exception to Emma. Though she is young， beautiful， smart and witty， she still has many shortcomings and drawbacks. For example， she usually has overconfidence about her judgment and observation； she has prejudice to different classes and she always treats lower class people arrogantly. Moreover， she doesn’t like people who are better than her. To sum up， these are all the reflection about behaviors and personalities of Emma’s self-conceit.

Emma has stubborn personality with high self-conceit. She can not be aware of her weakness； neither put the end to force other people to accept her ideas. She takes it for granted that she herself should be responsible for correcting the manners and morals at other people. In Highbury， Emma’s family-the Woodhouse is in the first rank of wealth and social status. Emma is deeply affected by the family’s traditional concept which thinks the fortune is entirely essential to a particular social class and the lower class is beggary in many aspects. Therefore， she always looks down on the lower one. Emma’s wealth makes her feel arrogant and sometimes her conducts have seemed cold or jealous.

3. Causes， Cost and Transformation of Self-conceit

Emma’s self-conceit is closely related to the time and environment which she lives in and her individual psychology.

In Emma， economy is measure of social morality， as agent of social disruption， as source of national identity. Emma has poisoned by the concept of society.Except the influence of the society， the family and surroundings affects her self-conceit， too. Everyone spoils her very much. Emma has no time to examine her words and deeds， committing the errors again and again. Emma has the feeling of superiority， too. Because of her family status， she believes herself to possess the power to do and say what she wants. She is blinded to her own corrupt personality.

Emma’s course of growing mature is not involuntary， but owes to Mr. Knightly’s inculcation as well as her own self-reflection.

Mr. Knightly is full of affection and He has taken the true measure of Emma herself. Whenever Emma is out of sense or she is outspoken， Mr. Knightly will correct her. Mr. Knightly is Emma’s moral tutor； and due to his leading， Emma is growing. Emma’s process of getting rid of her self-conceit also relies to her self-reflection. The failure of match making for Harriet makes her discover the independence of reality and gains knowledge of her inability to control it. She is forced to give up her expansive attitudes and makes herself realize the fatal deficiency-self-conceit.

Emma’s marriage to Mr. Knightly is a manifestation of her understanding. At this point， Emma has finished the transformation.