Summary of Emma

Emma Woodhouse is a twenty-one year old eligible bachelorette living alone with her father, Mr. Woodhouse, in their cozy estate of Hartfield.  Emma often plays "matchmaker" with her friends; her latest conquest is finding a mate for the sixteen year old school orphan, Harriet Smith.  After forcing Harriet to refuse an offer of marriage from Mr. Martin, a lowly farmer, Emma matches Harriet up with Mr. Elton, the town vicar; however, she misreads his feelings for Harriet, when in fact, he has feelings toward her! Mr Elton proposes to Emma; however, she promptly refuses claiming to "never marry."  All the while, the Woodhouses are friends with their lonely neighbor, Mr. Knightley, whom Emma has known since her birth.  Mr. Knightley is the oldest of his siblings and heir to the estate of Donwell Abbey.  Mr. Knightley's younger brother, George, is married to Emma's older sister Isabel; together they have four children.  A mysterious Mr. Churchill comes to town, the son of Emma's former governess' husband, Mr. Weston.  Mr Churchill plays off that he has feelings toward Emma, and Emma happily flirts back.  However, her feelings confuse her.  The timid Jane Fairfax is also always in the picture--Emma mistakes Mr. Knightley's kindness toward her as feelings of love.  Emma soon begins to questions her true feelings toward Mr. Knightley after so many perceived women hold feelings toward him.  In the end, Emma, along with the others, all end up with their true loves; however, not their original interests, making the story a "misconstrued romance."