Celebration of Scholars
Daughter or Wife?: Parental Relationships in Jane Austen's Emma
Name:
Marisa Ranney
Major: English with an Emphasis in Creative Writing
Hometown: Shakopee, MN
Faculty Sponsor:
Alyson Kiesel
Other Sponsors:
Type of research: Senior thesis
Abstract
The parent/child relationships in Jane Austen’s Emma, particularly Emma’s relationship with her father and her relationship with Mr. Knightley, are interesting from a psychoanalytic perspective and are especially intriguing because neither of them are what most would consider traditional. In addition, the absence of Emma’s mother in the novel puts special emphasis on Emma’s relationship with Miss Taylor/Mrs. Weston, who acted as Emma’s governess for sixteen years. Comparing these with other parental relationships in the novel will provide insight into the nature of said relationships, such as the degree to which they are parental as opposed to friendly or romantic in their actions and behaviors, as well as evaluate the relationships’ effect on the understanding of the characters’ motives and behaviors. For instance, studying Emma’s relationship with her dependant father could provide insight into her rejection of marriage.
Using Freudian principles such as the id, the superego, and the ego will allow me to study how the basic natures and subconscious desires and thoughts of human nature apply to the characters and their actions in the novel. For instance, is Emma’s superego (what is socially acceptable) struggling with her id (her desire for Mr. Knightley) when she reacts in such a negative way to Harriet’s claim on Mr. Knightley’s affections? In relation, the concept of displacement is also important in recognizing a character’s true feelings about a person being projected onto an object related to that person, such as when Emma is admiring Donwell Abbey, not yet knowing that rather than loving the place itself, she loves its master in a romantic way, not a familial one. In addition, Oedipal theory can be used to analyze the parent/child relationship and which role each character plays in such a relationship. This will show how each character’s place in that paternal relationship shapes the character and manifests in his or her behaviors and words. In some ways, Emma literally fills her mother’s place as mistress of Hartfield, not having to compete with her mother for her father’s affection as her mother is no longer there.
These questions will be addressed through extensive study and research of the novel, as well as other related texts and criticisms. To begin with, the characterizations of Emma, Mr. Knightley, Mrs. Weston and Mr. Woodhouse will allow for a greater understanding of what each character is like and how she or he behaves in the parent/child relationship. Once a clear understanding of each of these characters has been reached, it is then possible to study the nature of the relationships between Emma and the potential parental figures and discuss the meanings behind them and any possible additional layers, such as oedipal components, they might have. In addition, it is important to consider the other paternal relationships in the novel, such as Mr. Weston and Frank Churchill and Mr. John Knightley and his children. Studying these secondary characters’ relationships will shed greater light upon the nature of the connections between Emma and the mother and father figures in her life. Finally, the study of Emma’s relationships will provide greater understanding of the characters themselves, as well as the novel as a whole.