Ranks 70th on The Fictional
100
The following books and films will introduce you to Emma Woodhouse, who said these
words in Jane Austen's Emma.
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characters.
- Austen, Jane. Emma
(Intro by Ronald Blythe). London: Penguin, 1981.
- Arrogant, thoughtless, but splendid
nevertheless--see why Emma was called
"faultless in spite of all her faults."
- Weldon, Fay. Letters
to Alice on First Reading Jane Austen. New York:
Carroll & Graf, 1990.
- Warm, witty essays on how reading Jane Austen's
fiction is good practice for life.
- Morgan, Susan. In
the Meantime: Character and Perception in Jane Austen's
Fiction. University of Chicago Press, 1980.
- Morgan shows how Emma's natural self-confidence,
however attractive, prevents her from seeing that
other people have their own feelings and
viewpoint on the world, their own self whose
boundaries she attempts to transgress.
- Moffat, Wendy. "Identifying with Emma: Some
Problems for the Feminist Reader." College
English, 1991, 53, 45-58.
- Moffat argues that Emma's seeming autonomy is an
illusion, and finds problems with fully
identifying with Emma because of her acceptance
of male (Mr. Knightley's) judgment in the end.
- Emma (2009)
[DVD]. With Romola Garai, Jonny Lee Miller. BBC Warner, 2010.
- This latest Emma features Garai's capacity for sweetness and tenderness, without sacrificing the hallmarks of Emma's self-assured persona.
- Emma (1996)
[DVD]. With Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeremy Northram. Miramax, 1999.
- The naturally regal Paltrow shows off Emma at her commanding best. It is easy to see how those in her orbit would follow her lead, even when it was misguided.
- Emma (A&E, 1997)
[DVD]. With Kate Beckinsale, Mark Strong. A&E Home Video, 1999.
- This version, preferred by many Austen fans, features lovely Kate Beckinsale, when she was still doing period dramas, and Mark Strong, before he played the villain to Robert Downey's Sherlock Holmes. Beckinsale is best when she is bringing a charming tartness and confidence to Austen's inimitable dialogue.
- Clueless (Special Whatever! Edition) (1995)
[DVD]. With Alicia Silverstone, Brittany Murphy, Paul Rudd. Paramount, 2005.
- Alicia Silverstone proves that Emma is still Emma, even if she is named Cher and shopping in Beverly Hills. This updated version, directed by Amy Heckerling, has become a classic in its own right.
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