lies: let’s start playing wacky theory time
lies: let’s start playing wacky theory time:
If the text on Emma’s site was written by Harriet? Then I 1000% approve. Because it does sound a little like Harriet, personal assistant? MISS WOODHOUSE IS SO BEAUTIFUL AND CLEVER. And Harriet’s writing would be all goofy.
Because I do think Emma herself would be a bit more…
The “it’s” has been edited now, but I actually thought the typo, and the over-the-top tone, are pretty in character for Emma. First, it’s very lifestyle-blogger: engaging, enthusiastic, hyper-positive writing, but not overly attentive to niceties of grammar. (That’s not a slam on the female lifestyle blogger voice: who needs to obsess over apostrophes when it’s just chit-chat with girlfriends? It’s an unproduced, informal, indie tone, it’s not supposed to look or sound like the clean, sleek, third-person editorial voice of a corporate magazine.)
Beyond that, though, I’m rereading the book for the first time in years. Austen’s Emma is bright and talented and surrounded by people who tell her so, so much so that she’s never had to apply herself to getting seriously good at anything:
“She had always wanted to do every thing, and had made more progress both in drawing and music than many might have done with so little labour as she would ever submit to. She played and sang;—and drew in almost every style; but steadiness had always been wanting; and in nothing had she approached the degree of excellence which she would have been glad to command, and ought not to have failed of. She was not much deceived as to her own skill either as an artist or a musician, but she was not unwilling to have others deceived, or sorry to know her reputation for accomplishment often higher than it deserved.”
She’s also not well-read, thanks to the same lack of discipline. Knightley is on her case about it all the time: “I have done with expecting any course of steady reading from Emma. She will never submit to any thing requiring industry and patience, and a subjection of the fancy to the understanding.” As Emma is constantly telling Knightley (her only critic), she doesn’t think she needs any more polish or perspective. She is confident she knows how to play the world as it is. This is a growing-up story, and it’s a sign of Emma’s initial immaturity. Through Knightley, Austen is critiquing that distinction between being smart, which Emma is, and informed, which she is not. Becoming informed, which is essential to being a force for good in the world, requires humility as well as smarts, to be open to the idea that you don’t know everything.
Sense and education, remixed. Super for real excited to see how this plays out.
Reblogging for excellent commentary. Starting to get excited despite my jaded, post-LBD outlook. :-)
Reposted from http://lies.tumblr.com/post/62015114035.
