Emma Knightly
~Blog post #4~
Topic C
May 8, 2015
By Alie Reily
Throughout Emma by Jane Austen, relationships
change constantly. One of the major
relationships is between Emma and Mr. Knightley. Towards the beginning of the novel, it seems
as though Emma and Mr. Knightley are not on the best terms; they even appear to
be enemies. Mr. Knightley is described
as “one of the few people who could see faults in Emma Woodhouse” (8). As the book progresses, it becomes evident
that the pair’s relationship is more than superficial. New characters indirectly reveal that Mr.
Knightley and Emma can be friendly towards one another, and that they do not
hate each other. Once that aspect is disclosed,
Mr. Knightley’s importance to the novel grows, especially at chapter
forty-one. Chapter forty-one, though
still from a third person viewpoint, seems to be focused on Mr. Knightley,
instead of Emma. The reader can clearly
recognize his affection for Ms. Woodhouse at this point. It would be considered dramatic irony because
Emma herself has not noticed Mr. Knightley’s growing love for her. She slowly picks up hints, such as when “[Mr.
Knightley] looked at her with a glow of regard” and “she was warmly gratified”
(349). Their relationship keeps the book
at a constant cliffhanger as their interactions “of more than common
friendliness” progress (349). They
become jealous when it appears that the other may have a potential love
interest, even though none of the alleged suitors are ever more than friends. Emma and Mr. Knightley’s relationship
remains a central theme as it advances during the novel.
Mr. Knightley and Emma's relationship has changed significantly since the beginning of "Emma." In the beginning of this novel, as you said, they seem to be almost enemies who disagree on every topic. Mr. Knightley is the only one who actually fights her on her views of situations such as her matchmaking of Harriet and Mr. Elton. However, towards the middle and end of the book, the reader does begin to see more of what was lying beneath the surface the whole time: their secret love for each other. Their relationship has grown due to the fact that they both begin to reveal their feelings for each other and their jealousy of the other's love interests. Emma and Mr. Knightley’s relationship took long to develop, I think, because they both have too much pride and neither can swallow it and admit their emotions.
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