"There does seem to be a something in the air of Hartfield which gives love exactly the right direction, and sends it into the very channel where it ought to flow.
The course of true love never did run smooth--
A Hartfield edition of Shakespeare would have a long note on that passage."
-Emma
This allusion to Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a wonderful addition to Austen's Emma, and offers an opportunity to compare the works and their characters, most notably, Emma and Puck.
Emma is a very clever and extremely charming young woman who is determined to be a successful matchmaker. She is a bit egotistical, the first page of Emma reading, " The real evils indeed of Emma's situation were the power of having rather too much of her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself...". After making a match with her governess and a man named Mr. Weston, she decides to become friends with Harriet Smith and attempt to raise her up to be a suitable wife and match her with someone. Emma is really determined to match everyone with people who she sees fit and offer up advice on love, but she doesn't want to apply her own advice to herself, saying that she will never marry. Emma also makes a lot of mistakes in her matchmaking, not listening to others, and often misinterpreting what some things mean.
Similarly, Puck's mischievous matchmaking skills cause him to make mistakes and create troubles with all the couples involved. Like Emma, Puck sees matchmaking as a fun activity, but he is truly good-hearted and means well in his actions. However, both of the characters can be cruel to others (Emma in her disapproval of Mr. Martin and Puck in his transforming Bottom's head into that of a donkey). They both ultimately solve the troubles they have caused, Puck providing antidote to a love potion and Emma by marrying Mr. Knightley and giving up her matchmaking.
The course of true love never did run smooth--
A Hartfield edition of Shakespeare would have a long note on that passage."
-Emma
This allusion to Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream" is a wonderful addition to Austen's Emma, and offers an opportunity to compare the works and their characters, most notably, Emma and Puck.
Emma is a very clever and extremely charming young woman who is determined to be a successful matchmaker. She is a bit egotistical, the first page of Emma reading, " The real evils indeed of Emma's situation were the power of having rather too much of her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself...". After making a match with her governess and a man named Mr. Weston, she decides to become friends with Harriet Smith and attempt to raise her up to be a suitable wife and match her with someone. Emma is really determined to match everyone with people who she sees fit and offer up advice on love, but she doesn't want to apply her own advice to herself, saying that she will never marry. Emma also makes a lot of mistakes in her matchmaking, not listening to others, and often misinterpreting what some things mean.
Similarly, Puck's mischievous matchmaking skills cause him to make mistakes and create troubles with all the couples involved. Like Emma, Puck sees matchmaking as a fun activity, but he is truly good-hearted and means well in his actions. However, both of the characters can be cruel to others (Emma in her disapproval of Mr. Martin and Puck in his transforming Bottom's head into that of a donkey). They both ultimately solve the troubles they have caused, Puck providing antidote to a love potion and Emma by marrying Mr. Knightley and giving up her matchmaking.