Description

Emma, by Jane Austen, is a novel aboutyouthful hubris and the perils of misconstrued romance. The novelwas first published in December 1815. As in her other novels,Austen explores the concerns and difficulties of genteel womenliving in Georgian-Regency England; she also creates a livelycomedy of manners among her characters.

Before she began the novel, Austen wrote, "I am going to take aheroine whom no one but myself will much like." In the firstsentence she introduces the title character as "Emma Woodhouse,handsome, clever, and rich." Emma is spoiled, headstrong, andself-satisfied; she greatly overestimates her own matchmakingabilities; she is blind to the dangers of meddling in otherpeople's lives; and her imagination and perceptions often lead herastray.

This work is in the public domain, and therefore has beenidentified as being free of known restrictions under copyright law,including all related and neighboring rights.