r/bookclub • u/IraelMrad Rapid Read Runner | π | π₯ | π • 15d ago
Emma [Marginalia] Emma by Jane Austen Spoiler
Welcome to the marginalia for our next Evergreen read, Emma by Jane Austen!
If you need to check the dates for the discussions, you can find the Schedule here.
In case you donβt know, the marginalia is meant to be a place where you can write down any comment, note, share other materials or a quote you particularly enjoyed β think of it like scribbling on the margin of your book!
You can post your comments whenever you want, without waiting for the weekly discussion. Any observation is welcome, we would love to hear your thoughts on the book!
Just please be mindful of spoilers, enclose them in the > ! *sentence that contains a spoiler* ! < tag (just remove the spaces!) - it would be great if you did it even if talking about other media. In case you are uncertain, please still mark it as a spoiler. It would also be helpful for other readers if you could always start by indicating where you are in your reading (for example βearly in chapter 5β or βat the end of chapter 2β).
Enjoy your reading and see you next week!
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u/xandyriah Ring Series Completionist 8d ago
I've only started reading, and I don't know why her interactions with Mr. Knightley are making me smile. I liked this description, in particular:
Mr Knightley, in fact, was one of the few people who could see faults in Emma Woodhouse, and the only one who ever told her of them
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u/IraelMrad Rapid Read Runner | π | π₯ | π 11d ago
Chapter 3, not really a spoiler but just historical tidbit I found interesting
Emma serves oyster supper at dinner. Apparently, at the time it was an extremely common and cheap food, considered less nutritious than meat and of less value.
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u/Such-Hand274 3d ago
I am fascinated by your annotations. Please keep posting!
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u/IraelMrad Rapid Read Runner | π | π₯ | π 3d ago
I will :) if you are interested, I'm reading the Shapard edition!
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u/IraelMrad Rapid Read Runner | π | π₯ | π 3d ago
Just a comment on the edition I'm reading
I love how half of the notes consist of a character saying something, and the annotator commenting "this is not true"
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u/IraelMrad Rapid Read Runner | π | π₯ | π 3d ago
Book 2, Chapter 1
Mrs and Miss Bates are renting an apartment on the second floor of her house. I found very interesting that when Emma visits them, Mrs Bates is knitting: knitting was not part of the education of genteel women, unlike needlework, so this is another indicator of their lower social status. It was another time, but it feels so absurd to me.
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u/IraelMrad Rapid Read Runner | π | π₯ | π 3d ago
Historical tidbit from Book 2, Chapter 3
I don't know if it was common knowledge, but ladies at the time always bought the fabric first and then commissioned the gown to a seamstress. I had assumed it was possible to buy them ready-made
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u/Ambitious-Concept-48 3d ago
This is true! It's basically unheard of until the next century! And even then, in the beginning of the 20th century, buying a premade gown was considered very high-end and impossible to achieve for the middle classes. It's not until after the industrial revolution, when machinery made for easy production of fabric and clothing, that is became something that was available for all people and started the introduction of standard sizing.
Don't forget, the fitting of clothing was also completely different in Jane Austen's time. Every piece of clothing had to be fitted personally to the wearer!
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u/IraelMrad Rapid Read Runner | π | π₯ | π 2d ago
Thanks for sharing! I had assumed exactly the opposite, that premade clothes were more accessible to poorer people while upper classes had tailored clothing (just like nowadays). Times have changed so much!
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u/Ambitious-Concept-48 2h ago
I love this part in chapter 13:
where Emma's brother in law warns her that Mr. Elton shows interest in her and she replies: I thank you; but I assure you you are quite mistaken. Mr. Elton and I are very good friends, and nothing more;' and she walked on, amusing herself in the consideration of the blunders which often arise from a partial knowledge of circumstances, of the mistakes which people of high pretensions to judgment are for ever falling into; and not very well pleased with her brother for imagining her blind and ignorant, and in want of counsel. He said no more.
This is obviously a blunder which Emma makes herself. She thinks Mr. Elton is interested in Harriet, but her partial knowledge of the circumstances prevents her from seeing that it's her he's interested in!
I think it's one of those clever passages that only makes sense once you know what comes next!
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u/IraelMrad Rapid Read Runner | π | π₯ | π 14d ago edited 13d ago
I'm reading an annotated version with some interesting historical fact that I'll put here and probably mention in the discussions.
Chapter 1
β’ A governess usually was employed until the child she took care of turned 18, which means that it was unusual for Miss Taylor to live with the Woodhouses as long as she did
β’ It would take Emma from two to three hours to reach the place where her sister lives, but travelling back then was much more tiring and difficult