AP Lit Blog - Anastasia Kishiniovski

Gender Roles in Emma

Jane Austen uses the theme of gender roles in the novel Emma to characterize the protagonist as vastly different form the usual depiction of a woman of that era. Women are usually subordinate to men in many works of literature, especially those that date back to Jane Austen's time. But the women in Emma, particularly Emma herself, seem to be much more dominant than the men are in the story. Emma can be viewed as an empowered woman who does well on her own and does not rely on others but rather proudly supports herself. She is well aware of her financial stability and declares that because of it, she does not need to rely on marriage. Many women seemed to be trapped into an "old maid" description if they put off marriage for too long. Although it can be quite common for men to be independent, it is expected of women to be dependent and needy. Emma, however, does not live up to these demands of society but seems to posses more headstrong qualities than the average dainty lady of her time. And the fact that she is not affected by what others think of her ideals makes her an even stronger figure of female empowerment. Women, in general, are given greater credit in this novel than usual. Ms. Weston, for example, maintained order at Emma's home and her departure put Emma's father in a frazzle. Instead of his assumption of the "head of household role" that is so fittingly given to the man of the house, Emma assumes Ms. Weston's responsibilities and is more of a caregiver to her father than he is to her in many ways. Emma's manipulation of those around her, although immoral, is also empowering in a way because she has control of her environment. Although Emma is a self-proclaimed matchmaker, she is often matching people out of her own selfish desires and not for the good of her friends. But her involvement in their lives gives her the power of influence that is rarely observed in young ladies. Most are expected to become proper and polished and to bend to the wishes of society. Emma, on the other hand, does not bend herself to meet the needs or expectations of society, but rather acts as a result of her own wishes. This sense of "freedom" that she has was very rare among women, who often felt trapped in the role of trophy wife/mother. Her resolve to be single has relieved her of the pressure of being mindful of her actions so that she would be perceived well by possible suitors. Jane Austen has turned the tables in this novel in terms of gender roles and has created female characters that rival her male characters in both intellectual capacity and self-reliance. Austen's character Emma has proven that women can be responsible for their own paths in life and that those women who are not willing to bend to the expectations of society will overcome these expectations and will live nearly in equity to men.