In the other hand, Harriet who is actually being interested in Mr. Knightley, shows her greatness of her heart by letting them married and blaming nobody.
She admits her stupidity to expect Mr. Knightley as her husband. Harriet herself is going to be married with Robert Martin. She says to Emma
Emma, my love, you said that this circumstance would not now make you unhappy; but I am afraid it gives you more pain than you expected. His
situation is an evil - but you must consider it as what satisfies your friend; and I will answer your thinking better and better of him as you know him
more; his good sense and good principles would delight you. As far as the man is concerned, you could not wish your friend in better hands. His rank
in society I would alter if I could, which is saying a great deal, I assure you, Emma. - You laugh at me about William Larkins, but I could quite as ill
spare Robert Martin Austen, 1988: 375.
Finally, Emma accepts Robert Martin as an appropriate husband for Harriet. It shows that Emma’s perspective of married has been changed. Formerly Emma
thinks that the most important consideration for marriage is social status. Then she realizes that marriage is not because of one’s social status, but love. It also
shows that she has opened herself to the idea of love. From the analysis, can be seen that the minor characters in the novel; Mr.
Woodhouse, Mr. Knightley, Frank Churchill, and Harriet Smith become the important factor in the development of Emma. The criticism, advice, and
suggestion from them makes Emma become aware of what she has done and she changes to be a better type of person.
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CHAPTER V CONCLUSION
This thesis has three problem formulations stated in the first chapter. After conducting the analysis of the novel Emma, the writer can make
conclusion as follows. From the first problem, it can be concluded that Emma was presented as a beautiful woman. She is also clever, but still spoiled and
arrogant. Her comfortable disposition as the highest class person makes her to be an arrogant toward lower class people. Another character of Emma are
meddlesome, and she has less sensitivity toward her own feeling. The second problem was the description of the minor characters. The
minor characters in the novel are Mr. Woodhouse, Mr. Knightley, Frank Churchill, and Harriet Smith. Mr. Woodhouse is Emma’s father. He is an old
man who is spoiled and also a nervous man. He really close to Emma. Mr. Knightley is an intimate friend of the Woodhouse family. He is a sensible man
about seven or eight-and-thirty. He really cares for Emma. He tries to improve Emma’s behavior. Frank Churchill is charming and attractive type of person. He
flirts with Emma when actually he already engaged with Jane Fairfax. Unfortunately, Emma trapped in her feeling toward Frank. Harriet Smith is a
pretty young girl, aged 17 years old. Her parentage is unknown. She admires Emma that is why she depends on Emma for all of opinions.
The third problem was about the effect of the minor characters to the development of Emma. The minor characters has a significant role toward
Emma. The minor characters give contributions toward Emma’s character changing. The development of Emma starts appear when the invitation from the
Coles arrives, Mr. Woodhouse gives advice to Emma to accept the invitation, whereas Emma does not want to do that. But, she finally decides to accept the
invitation because of Mr. Woodhouse’s advice. Mr. Woodhouse also reminds Emma not to make any more matches in her neighborhood.
Mr. Knightley also has a role in shaping Emma’s character. He criticized Emma’s mistake how she had influenced Harriet Smith in rejecting Robert
Martin’s proposal of marriage. Because of the critics given by Mr. Knightley, Emma starts to reflect all of her attitudes toward other people, to Harriet Smith,
to Jane Fairfax and especially to Miss Bates. After much thinking, Emma realizes her wrong behaviour toward Harriet Smith. She is aware that she does
wrong to Harriet Smith by giving her sense of arrogance and hope that someday she is able to marry a higher class person, such as Mr. Elton. Emma finally let
Harriet Smith marry Robert Martin. Emma is also aware of what she has done to Jane Fairfax and Miss Bates are wrong. She begins to give more attention and
becomes kinder to Jane Fairfax. She also regrets her behaviour toward Miss Bates. She realizes that she should not insult and treat the lower class people
such as Miss Bates rudely.
Frank Churchill is also an important person who shapes Emma’s character development. He is the person who gives Emma a new idea about love
and marriage. Previously, Emma’s consideration for marriage is social status. Emma never thinks about love in marriage. But, because of Frank’s presence,
Emma starts to think about love. Harriet Smith also has a great role in shaping Emma’s character. When Emma knows that Harriet want to marry Mr.
Knightley, Emma begins to realizes her own feeling that actually she loves Mr. Knightley.
The writer concludes that the main character in the novel is a complex character because she grows from her character at the beginning of the novel.
Emma is seen as a girl who is spoiled and arrogant in the beginning of the novel because of her comfortable disposition as the highest class person. As time goes
by and the experiences she goes through, Emma finally changes into a mature woman. She also becomes a modest person toward lower class people. The
minor characters helps Emma through their criticism, advice, and suggestion. She gets new understanding about how to treat the lower class people. She also
becomes aware about her own feeling and her perspective about marriage then changes. This is the conclusion the writer finds within the novel as the main
character is affected by the minor characters.
45
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