Comedy In Emma Essay

Jane Austen creates comedy in her novels by using three main techniques. These techniques are; Irony, Satire of characters/ society/ rules and caricatures. Along with irony there is also dramatic irony which is very different to irony. Dramatic irony consists of a situation whereby the reader participates with the author in a knowledge of events which have not been disclosed to the character. Austen augments this form of irony by concealing facts from the reader, thereby building up a false anticipation which is abruptly thwarted for the sake of dramatic interest.

Irony can be defined as a statement made by a character or writer with an inherent meaning which is different to what is actually happening in the book to create humour. Austen uses this form to build up a character with words. Mr Woodhouse can command visits but only of his little circle and his intercourse with families beyond that circle was not much. He dines with the chosen and best but this is not frequent and only through Emma's persuasion and there was scarcely an evening in the week, unless he fancied himself .... unequal to the company that Mr Woodhouse did not stay at home. From these statements the reader may deduce that 'Mr Woodhouse was fond of society in his own way means that Mr Woodhouse was not fond of society in any way shape or form.

Austen's study of human relationships is filled with the ironic comments of the participants. As Emma did not expect much of Robert Martin her disappointment on meeting him becomes more profound. Mr Knightley's comments on Emma's talents for prediction are declared; I do not pretend to Emma's genius for foretelling and guessing. Emma's advice to Harriet not for the world .... would I advise you either way', This is taken at face value by the recipient but discloses to the reader that a specific direction is in her mind

. Emma behaves snobbishly towards Mr Martin, the Bates, the Coles, and Harriet. She considers herself better than others because she is richer and her family has been rich for a long time (unlike the Coles, which are second richest in Highbury). She thinks that she can instruct and manipulate people below her in class because she is better than them. The omniscient narrator makes fun of Emma for acting in this way. Therefore elements of characters also create humour.

The ironic tone in the authorial voice can be seen in the description of Mrs Elton's opinion of Highbury society. Mrs Elton states that she is;

a little shocked at the want of two drawing rooms, at the poor attempt at rout‑cakes and there being no ice.

This section is evidently to be taken as ironic as Mrs Elton really has no place to be complaining, but she believes that she does. Through free-indirect discourse we hear how Emma feels about Mrs Eltons arrogance. Emma laughs at here and talks about her stupidity and therefore humour is created as we, the reader, laugh with Emma. The satire of caricature is continued here with Augusta and Miss Bates. But the broader and more subtle satire of a community and its fluttery emphasis on giving a ball is localized in the comic scene in which, after Emma has come early to give her asked opinion, others arrive for the same reason.

The scene is one that also has its share in Emma's slowly maturing into self-knowledge: In reference to Mr. Weston she now feels "that to be the favourite and intimate of a man who had so many intimates and confidantes, was not the very first distinction in the scale of vanity." This is conscious realization. An unconscious sort, treated without satire, comes in the concluding scene with George, for at the moment Emma relates her happy feelings toward George only to his rescue of Harriet and to his agreeing with her about Harriet and the Eltons.

When Emma plans for Harriet to be paired with Frank Churchill, the reader along with Emma is unaware that Harriet all the while has had her thoughts on Mr Knightley. The humour of the revelations is thereby made bigger and the reader made more sympathetic with Emma, not condemning her too harshly. We understand this from the second read of the book. When reading the book the first time we do not pick up on the irony and hints, whereas on the second read we do and experience more comedy on the second read. The reader who finishes the novel and then re-reads this chapter will find, as he often will in other chapters, a great deal of ironyfor instance, in the manner in which Emma (and perhaps the reader also on a first perusal) is shrewdly misled by Frank's conversation and observations, likewise in Emma's reason given as to why George must never marry. But there is also immediate irony which the reader can find, for example, in George's reply to Emma's congratulating him for bringing his carriage to the party. Though irony always contains some kind of special truth, in this case it is both obvious and realistic

In conclusion the different types of irony perform the same function, to create humour for the reader into the book. The techniques such as free indirect discourse and satire created by the author the create humour, pathos, sympathy and understanding.