Because everyone loves a good story
A Contrast of Classics: Leading Ladies
If you read my post last time, you’ll remember that I’m embarking on an Austenesque journey by contrasting Pride and Prejudice with Emma. I recently re-read both novels and was as delighted by Pride and Prejudice as I was disenchanted with Emma. Why? Well…that’s the question I wanted to answer. My opinions were strong but scattered, and I wanted to bring order to the chaos.
I figured I wasn’t alone in this feeling, either, and I wanted to see where others fall on the love/hate spectrum. Surely I’m not the only one to wish I could hug Elizabeth and backhand Emma, right? …Right? Whether you agree, disagree, or agree to disagree agreeably, I hope you’ll enjoy the posts as much as I’m enjoying putting them together!
ENDEARING AND EXASPERATING
So I’ve spent a ton of time thinking about and writing this post, which (predictably) produced twice as much content as you’ll want to read in one sitting. That’s why I chose to split it in half, giving you a bit of description and evaluation this week and saving their flaws and redeeming qualities for next time. And for those of you who feel like reading Austen puts you in a mental corset, don’t despair! I’ll write a miscellaneous post before moving on from there.
Now that you know the plan, let’s look at the leading ladies. Both are young, lovely, the favorite of their father, and rather hasty in coming to conclusions. But that’s pretty much where the similarities end. Each one’s privileges, family fortunes, habits, interests, and personalities are quite distinct from the other’s. While this speaks well of Austen as a writer, it was tough for me as a reader. Maybe it’s because I love Elizabeth Bennet so dearly that I dislike Emma Woodhouse so vehemently. But I hope to give a (relatively) objective analysis of each to see why I infinitely prefer Elizabeth both as a person and a character.
ELIZABETH: MORE THAN “A PAIR OF FINE EYES”
Poor Elizabeth. She comes from a pretty ridiculous family. I won’t steal from my upcoming post about the characters, but suffice it to say that most of them are absurd. Jane is the best of them, and she’s so sweet that Elizabeth could get diabetes just from being around her. Mrs. Bennet’s head has enough vacancy to fit all of Netherfield inside with room to spare. Kitty, Lydia, and even Mary aren’t much better. Mr. Bennet is sensible, but what good is that if he doesn’t do anything profitable with his sense? Alas. Poor, dear Elizabeth.
And yet she emerges from this quagmire of cringeworthiness unscathed and untarnished. She manages to remain (nearly) the only reasonable character in the whole of Hertfordshire. How is this possible? Behold my theory: there’s no doubt that she inherited wit and humor from her father since both were MIA on the maternal side. From her mother Elizabeth seemed to inherit nothing but a “pair of fine eyes” and a pretty face. But Elizabeth also benefitted from her mother’s foibles; from them she built up an immunity to aggravation. Her enjoyment of good books and fresh air did the rest. And so a diamond was formed amidst the coal mine of Longbourn.
EMMA: LESS THAN PERFECTION
While Emma’s family is significantly smaller and less hectic than Elizabeth’s, I would have found it even harder to handle. Emma lives alone with her widower father since her older sister is married and gone. But her father…oh boy. Mr. Woodhouse would drive me crazy more than even Mrs. Bennet would have. She may fall prey to self-induced “spasm” at times, but Mr. Woodhouse is the willing victim of every ailment he can conjure, even imposing his preferences on everyone else. And to make matters worse, Emma is obliged to cater to him. If there’s one thing that makes me grit my teeth (besides sleep, apparently), it’s a hypochondriac being catered to.
Furthermore, his obscenely-positive opinion of Emma does her no favors. In his eyes, dear Emma is perfect. That is not a recipe for a healthy child. But even more shockingly, Mr. Woodhouse is not alone in that opinion; several of Emma’s friends seem to think she hung the moon as well. Not surprisingly, Emma doesn’t spend much energy disagreeing with her fan club. I’m sure it would be tempting to give credence to a group of cheerleaders, but a sensible girl should spend a few moments in introspection now and then. Otherwise she may be confronted with the stinging reality later on.
ELIZABETH: EASY TO LOVE
So Emma Woodhouse is a far cry from perfection, but Elizabeth Bennet isn’t faultless either. What makes her so much more enjoyable? Let me count the ways. I think it’s her complex mix of penetration and patience, insight and simplicity, humor and earnestness. Also, I admire her love of walking and reading.
And have you noticed her ability to take things in stride? It’s a mark of maturity to stay level-headed despite trying situations. Silly things? Ridiculous things? Difficult? Flattering? Insulting? She is (usually) able to keep her head and react in a becoming way. And her classy responses aren’t just a difference between “back then and now-a-days;” her own mother and sisters are proof of that. A lack of elegance is easy to spot, even through Regency-era dialogue.
ELIZABETH: EASY TO LAUGH WITH
But one of my favorite Elizabethan traits is her sense of humor. She’s able to observe the ridiculous and glean enjoyment from it without being too uncharitable in the process. This is a trait she shares with her father, both genetically and situationally. I wish I could have seen the looks that she and her father exchanged when Mr. Collins first came to supper. Even her exchanges with (and about) Mr. Darcy are laced with good humor.
See, the wonderful thing is that you get to laugh with Elizabeth. Her wit adds sparkle to every page. Even when she’s wrong, you can easily understand and forgive her. Because she’s charitable to others, we readers feel charitable toward her.
EMMA: HARD TO FORGIVE
On the other hand, I have a very hard time feeling charitable toward Emma. She to whom life has handed not lemons but roses—she is much harder for me to forgive. I’m so frustrated at her foibles that I can find very little joy in the story since, well, she’s the story. Thankfully, now that some time has elapsed since I finished the book, my feelings have mellowed a bit. I still wouldn’t rate Emma in my list of Top 50 Favorite Books, but my opinion is less abrasive than it was initially. As evidence, here’s a note I jotted down just after finishing the book:
“Emma is so thoroughly aggravating as to be very nearly contemptible. Seeing her smug pride, pompous judgments, and obtuse self-evaluation continue unabated for the majority of the book is like eating your way through a bag of kitty litter in hopes of finding a toy at the bottom. The toy is there in the form of Mr. Knightley’s verbal wallop on Box Hill and Emma’s resulting penitence, but one wonders if the prize was worth the misery.”
Yikes.
REDEMPTION MUST WAIT
As loth as I am to leave you with that mental picture, I know you’ll thank me for saving the rest until next time. I promise that I do have some lovely and redeeming things to say about Emma, and I have some critical opinions about Elizabeth too. I’d love to hear your opinions, too, so feel free to drop a comment! Until next time, adieu!
One Comment on “A Contrast of Classics: Leading Ladies”
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“Mental corset” – I think I am scarred for life. The image of brains squishing out the top and bottom of the torturously designed outfit is leaving me mentally injured. I guess I am left to walk with a endogenous limp.