A04 notes
the type of the comedy text itself, whether it is classic romantic drama, a satire, a
comedy of manners
epistolary novel - revelations are given in letters (big ones) i.e. Mr Martin’s
proposal, breakdown of Frank Churchill’s disguise and deception, the use of
riddles to create confusion (Mr Elton’s riddle meant for Emma not Harriet)
detaches the reader from Austen’s narrative voice/ the free indirect discourse
to some extent as the reader finds out the information at the same time as
the characters, thus their opinion cannot be persuaded to be a certain way
since no character’s voice is being used but the one in the letter
the settings for the comedy, both places and times
Highbury is a small setting - there isn’t any real geographical terms given to
the area, all we know is the distance between the different houses and some
key settings in between
Austen's setting is that of a provincial community, particularly as it involves
the gentry of the region. One is hardly aware of the geography of the locale.
The closeness of the town of Highbury and the estates of Hartfield, Donwell
Abbey, and Randalls is made clear, as is the fact that London is sixteen miles
away; but, except for the description of Donwell (which is shown for the
purpose of giving Emma's reaction to it), physical aspects of the country are
not dwelt upon. For instance, Harriet meets the gypsies on the Richmond
road and is "saved" by Frank; but, other than the fact that there is an
embankment over which her original companion scrambles, all we learn is
that there is a Richmond road.
Primarily the setting is the drawing room or its equivalent. Even the scene at
Box Hill is in essence merely an outdoor drawing room and so is the
shrubbery walk where Mr Knightley proposes to Emma. Vegetation and
terrain are barely mentioned if at all, for the real setting is the social
involvement, the human relations, which are not connected with the specifics
of geography. Instead, they find their natural setting among the drawing
rooms, the dining rooms, the rooms for dancing, the carriages, and the
paraphernalia of entertainment such as charades and word games.
A04 notes 1
the type of the comedy text itself, whether it is classic romantic drama, a satire, a
comedy of manners
epistolary novel - revelations are given in letters (big ones) i.e. Mr Martin’s
proposal, breakdown of Frank Churchill’s disguise and deception, the use of
riddles to create confusion (Mr Elton’s riddle meant for Emma not Harriet)
detaches the reader from Austen’s narrative voice/ the free indirect discourse
to some extent as the reader finds out the information at the same time as
the characters, thus their opinion cannot be persuaded to be a certain way
since no character’s voice is being used but the one in the letter
the settings for the comedy, both places and times
Highbury is a small setting - there isn’t any real geographical terms given to
the area, all we know is the distance between the different houses and some
key settings in between
Austen's setting is that of a provincial community, particularly as it involves
the gentry of the region. One is hardly aware of the geography of the locale.
The closeness of the town of Highbury and the estates of Hartfield, Donwell
Abbey, and Randalls is made clear, as is the fact that London is sixteen miles
away; but, except for the description of Donwell (which is shown for the
purpose of giving Emma's reaction to it), physical aspects of the country are
not dwelt upon. For instance, Harriet meets the gypsies on the Richmond
road and is "saved" by Frank; but, other than the fact that there is an
embankment over which her original companion scrambles, all we learn is
that there is a Richmond road.
Primarily the setting is the drawing room or its equivalent. Even the scene at
Box Hill is in essence merely an outdoor drawing room and so is the
shrubbery walk where Mr Knightley proposes to Emma. Vegetation and
terrain are barely mentioned if at all, for the real setting is the social
involvement, the human relations, which are not connected with the specifics
of geography. Instead, they find their natural setting among the drawing
rooms, the dining rooms, the rooms for dancing, the carriages, and the
paraphernalia of entertainment such as charades and word games.
A04 notes 1
