Summary: Chapter 46
Mr. Weston arrives to escort Emma to see Mrs. Weston—clearly something
is amiss. Assured that Mrs. Weston is well, Emma’s first concern
is for Isabella’s family and for Mr. Knightley in London, but Mr.
Weston assures her that the news does not involve them. At Randalls,
Emma is greeted by Mrs. Weston, who explains that Frank has just
revealed that he and Jane have been secretly engaged. Emma is shocked,
embarrassed by the things she has said to Frank about Jane, and
concerned for Harriet’s feelings.
Emma quickly relieves Mrs. Weston by assuring her that
she has no feelings for Frank. She is angry, however, about his
behavior toward her and Jane. Mrs. Weston defends her stepson, telling Emma
that there were misunderstandings between him and Jane and that
he will be writing her a letter detailing the extenuating circumstances.
Mr. Churchill has given his consent to the match, though he has
requested that it remain secret until more time has passed after
his wife’s death. Mr. Weston enters the room, and Emma assures him
that the news of Frank’s engagement has not caused her any pain.
Summary: Chapter 47
It darted through her with the speed
of an arrow that Mr. Knightley must marry no one but herself!
See Important Quotations Explained
Emma is filled with concern for Harriet. She is angrier
at herself than she is at Frank, because she believes that she should
have discouraged Harriet’s attachment to him. Jane’s behavior since
her arrival in Highbury is also put into perspective. Emma realizes
that Jane has been avoiding her because she has seen her as a rival.
Emma dreads telling Harriet the news, but when Harriet arrives at
Hartfield she has already heard the story from Mr. Weston. Emma
is surprised at Harriet’s composure, and it turns out that Harriet
never cared for Frank; she has been harboring feelings for Mr. Knightley.
Harriet knows that Mr. Knightley is of higher rank than she, but
she affirms that Emma has given her hope that she may raise herself
enough to be acceptable to him.
Emma makes a startling discovery—she herself is in love
with Mr. Knightley! She conceals her emotion from Harriet, asking
Harriet whether she has reason to believe that Knightley returns
her feelings. Harriet recounts a number of instances in which Knightley
has shown her special attention, many of which Emma’s memory corroborates.
When Harriet departs, Emma is left to reflect that she has been
wrong about everything, including her own heart. Now Knightley may
debase himself by marrying Harriet, and she has made it all possible.
Summary: Chapter 48
Emma rethinks all of the events of the past months. She
realizes that it has always been important to her to be “first”
with Mr. Knightley and that he has always had special concern for
her, but she cannot believe he could return her feelings, especially
when he has just been so angry with her about her rudeness to Miss
Bates. She still believes she would not marry him, even if he asked,
because she cannot leave her father. She anticipates having the
opportunity to observe him and Harriet together.
Mrs. Weston arrives to report that she has just visited
with Jane and that Jane admitted to having suffered a good deal
since entering into the secret engagement. She blames herself for
her misjudgment and acknowledges Emma’s kindness during her sickness.
Hearing this account, Emma again expresses anger at Frank’s behavior.
Mrs. Weston again defends him, though she has not yet received his explanatory
letter, but Emma is too distracted by her thoughts about Mr. Knightley
to pay attention. Emma regrets once more that she was not a better
friend to Jane, as Knightley had advised, and she reflects on how
desolate life will be without Knightley’s constant visits to Hartfield.
Analysis: Chapters 46–48
The novel’s narrative pace speeds up in these chapters,
as instead of facing a slow accumulation of details that require
interpretation, we begin to be given the key detail for interpreting
all that has transpired thus far—the answer to the question of who
is in love with whom.
Austen’s narrator finally describes Emma’s development
explicitly, rather than implicitly, as she does throughout the novel.
At the same time, Harriet finally realizes Emma’s limitations. Harriet begins
her conversation with Emma about her feelings for Knightley with
an assertion that Emma can “see into everybody’s heart,” but she
soon understands that she has been wrong. Rather than waiting for
Emma’s approval of a match between herself and Knightley, Harriet
proceeds to explain in a self-confident manner why she believes
their disparity in rank need not be a hindrance. She goes so far
as to express hope that Emma will not present obstacles to the match,
demonstrating that her attachment to Knightley is stronger than
her loyalty to her friend. When Emma asks whether Harriet has reasons
to believe that her feelings are returned, Harriet answers “modestly,
but not fearfully” in the affirmative.
The brief, general way in which the narrator describes
Emma’s realization of her love for Knightley makes Emma’s previous
inability to discover the truth about her feelings seem almost ridiculous.
A few minutes were sufficient for making
her acquainted with her own heart. A mind like hers, once opening
to suspicion, made rapid progress; she touched, she admitted, she acknowledged
the whole truth . . . Mr. Knightley must marry no one but herself!
As with Emma’s emotional confrontation with Mr. Elton
in Chapter 15, Austen shies away from describing
in too much detail the shock of Emma’s realization. Instead, the
narrator moves on to Emma’s reflections regarding her own conduct.
The novel seems more comfortable making fine distinctions between
social obligations and moral duties than in describing human passion
directly. But perhaps the picture we have been given of the small
gestures that continually pass between Emma and Mr. Knightley communicate their
feelings more strongly than any direct description could.
There is something disturbing about the nature of Emma’s
realization that she has treated Harriet badly. Using free association
to relate Emma’s thoughts, the narrator comments, “She saw it all
with a clearness which had never blessed her before. How improperly had
she been acting by Harriet! How inconsiderate, how indelicate, how
irrational, how unfeeling, had been her conduct!” Yet, following
her mistake with Mr. Elton, Emma has already recognized the inappropriateness
of meddling with Harriet’s romantic life, and she has adjusted her
behavior accordingly. Furthermore, Harriet now seems to have achieved
the success Emma wished for her—a match with Knightley would raise
her position in the world immensely. It is clear that Emma believes
she has done wrong not because she has injured Harriet, but because
she has injured herself, and possibly Mr. Knightley (by exposing
him to an undignified match).
