7. Insensitive
Emma is also a type of person who has less sensitivity towards her own feeling. From the beginning, when Emma tries to meddle between Mr. Elton’s
and Harriet Smith’s love affair, she is not aware that actually Mr. Elton has fallen in love with Emma herself, not with Harriet.
She does not know until Mr. Elton professes his love to Emma. In fact, Mr. Elton gives some hints showing his romantic attachment to Emma; when Emma
decides to draw a portrait of Harriet Smith for Mr. Elton, he seems more interested in Emma, rather than Harriet. Emma is also unaware of her feeling
towards Mr. Knightley that she actually loves, and she never really cares for Frank Churchill.
She saw that there never had been a time when she did not consider Mr. Knightley as infinitely the superior or when his regard for her had not been
infinitely the most dear. She saw that in persuading herself, in fancying, in acting to the contrary, she had been entirely under delusion, totally ignorant
for her own heart, and, in short, that she had never really cared for Frank Churchill at all Austen, 1988: 327-328.
B. The Description of the Minor Characters
In this part, the writer tries to give a description about the minor characters in the novel. They are Mr. Woodhouse, Mr. Knightley, Frank
Churchill, and Harriet Smith. It is necessary to understand the minor characters to see their effect toward the development of Emma.
1. Mr. Woodhouse
Mr. Woodhouse is Emma’s father. He is an old man who is spoiled with his youngest daughter Emma and also a nervous man. He hates changing,
therefore greets marriage as a misery. He also obsesses too much to his health. He often shares his fears with people around him. He does not like a big parties,
or late nights. As the author describe He was a nervous man, easily depressed; fond of everybody that he was
used to, and hating change of every change. Matrimony, as the origin of change, was always disagreeable Austen, 1988: 6.
2. Mr. Knightley
Mr. Knightley is an old friend of the Woodhouse family. He is a sensible man about seven or eight-and-thirty. He is not only a very old and intimate
friend of the Woodhouse, but particularly connected as the elder brother of Isabella’s husband. His house is about a mile from Highbury and he is frequent
visitor to Hartfield. Austen, 1988: 7. Mr. Knightley is one of the few people who can see faults in Emma and the
only one who ever told her of them. Although sometimes Emma does not appreciate his advice, but Mr. Knightley always be there. When Emma tries to
improve Harriet Smith, Mr. Knightley reminds her that Harriet is not suitable friend for her because of the difference intelligence. It is because Emma has a
superior position and she also has a better education than Harriet. It makes Emma wants to dictate Harriet. Mr. Knightley tells Mrs. Weston
She is not the superior young woman which Emma’s friend ought to be. But on the other hand, as Emma wants to see her better informed, it will be an
inducement to her to read more herself Austen, 1988: 29.
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