The idea of love permeates this book and can be found on almost every page. Emma is typical of the few other topics Austen covered in her writing. All of the characters are either already in love, are in the process of falling in love, or wish they were. Particularly Emma appears to want to stay away from love, yet she has no trouble making it happen for other people.
When Emma believes she has fallen in love, she makes every effort to disabuse herself of this belief, but she only succeeds in making herself fall out of love again. She may not be able to say the same about her buddy, but this will come in handy later to save more catastrophe.
It is intriguing to see how the plot develops as many individuals fall in and out of love. Being constantly paired with guys who don’t care about her, Harriet in particular looks to be a victim of love. Each of these individuals becomes a close friend to Harriet, and her relationship with Emma—who is still trying to find her a match—seems to be really hurting her feelings. Heidegger discusses the latter, according to Dugin, “not with annoyance and conceit, but rather with great comprehension and empathy. Being, being that which gives beings their characteristics, must be coupled with and related to beings in some way (55). This is a noteworthy statement since Dugin had just discussed how western philosophy has a tendency to love creatures excessively, leading to the concept of “fatal love.” However, it is still acknowledged in Russian thought that without social connection, existence is pointless.
In the end, love triumphs and all of the characters’ problems are resolved. Nobody is left unsatisfied, and all problems from the past are fixed.
Throughout the book, society is extensively explored, in particular one’s position in life. If you pursued a relationship outside of your social position at the time, it was frowned upon. Women were allowed to marry for the sake of bettering themselves, but their potential partners could not be much more affluent than they were.
The demands of society may be nearly unbearable at times, and it is amazing to observe how much has changed since this period in history. In most circles, social standing is accorded far less weight.
Emma in particular views society as a solid wall that cannot be broken. She strives to be extremely proper, and she has high expectations for everyone around her. She continuously compares everyone to Mr. Knightley, who she claims is the epitome of morality and should be revered and emulated by everyone who wants to achieve.
It is incredible to watch Emma maintain her view of society, even if it means breaking up a connection with someone she has fought so hard to make better. Emma thinks it is her responsibility to uplift everyone around her, especially if they lack politeness and poise, rather than being content with a friend’s usual attributes.
Anyone who did not hold a prominent position in society must have felt the strain of this continual desire for acceptance.