A History of Emma

Jane Austen began Emma in January of 1814 finishing March 29, 1815 and it was published the following December. (Near the end of her life she wrote that her initial profits from it had been 38£ 18s.)

While writing Emma, Jane famously said she was creating “a heroine whom no one will much like except myself,” but—though all her books still created only mild waves in her own lifetime—on its first publication, Emma was yet reviewed professionally more times than any of her other works.

Never out of print, Emma has been adapted to the screen numerous times as well as being made into several stage plays and at least one musical. And each of the four major, currently available film adaptations is quite unique from the next—allowing most delightfully for all sorts of personal tastes and preferences! In the following I’ve listed out all the film versions of Emma (currently found on Wikipedia). Also—to clarify—the pictures (with the exception of the last four) are all from other films and/or candid moments/publicity shots.

So! Along with other takeoffs of Emma, the story proper was adapted in: 

1948 by BBC starring Judy Campbell (who also wrote the screenplay)

In 1954 (by NBC) starring Felicia Montealegre

In 1957 starring Sarah Churchill (NBC Matinee Theater series) 

By BBC in 1960 starring Diana Fairfax (and this is a much later picture)

In 1960 by CBS starring Nancy Wickwire (another later picture)

By BBC in 1972 starring Doran Godwin

In 1996 (by Miramax) starring Gwyneth Paltrow

In 1996 starring Kate Beckinsale (ITV/A&E)

And in 2009 (by BBC) starring Romola Garai

To hearken back to the original book reviews: when Austen first published Emma, she was honored by a review in the Quarterly (penned by none other than Sir Walter Scott). Scott was a rather severe critic, but (at least in her correspondence) Jane took his opinion with quite excellent and praiseworthy charity and equanimity. (And in fact, in his journal, Scott later seemed to amend his opinion and, indeed, come to be a great admirer of her work.)

Austen also kept a running list of opinions and feedback from immediate friends, family, and acquaintance. There are a lot of these, so below I’ve copied out just a few of the candid and oft-times humorous and conflicting examples for your enjoyment: 

“Captain F. Austen liked it extremely, observing that though there might be more wit in P. and P. and an higher morality in M. P., yet altogether, on account of its peculiar air of Nature throughout, he preferred it to either.

Miss Sharp.—Better than M. P., but not so well as P. and P. Pleased with the heroine for her originality, delighted with Mr. K., and called Mrs. Elton beyond praise—dissatisfied with Jane Fairfax.

My Mother thought it more entertaining than M. P., but not so interesting as P. and P. No characters in it equal to Lady Catherine or Mr. Collins.

Mr. Haden—quite delighted with it. Admired the character of Emma.

Mrs. Digweed did not like it so well as the others: in fact if she had not known the author would hardly have got through it.

Mrs. Lefroy preferred it to M. P., but liked M. P. the least of all.

Mr. Cockerell liked it so little that Fanny would not send me his opinion.

Mr. Fowle read only the first and last chapters, because he had heard it was not interesting.

Mrs. Brandreth thought the third volume superior to anything I had ever written—quite beautiful!

Countess of Morley delighted with it.

Mr. Jeffrey (of the Edinburgh Review) was kept up by it three nights.

Mrs. Dickson did not much like it—thought it very inferior to P. and P. Liked it the less from there being a Mr. and Mrs. Dixon in it.

Cassandra.—Better than P. and P. but not so well as M. P.

(And) Captain C. Austen wrote: 'Emma arrived in time to a moment. I am delighted with her, more so I think than even with my favourite, Pride and Prejudice, and have read it three times in the passage.'”

So there’s encouragement for persevering in the midst of conflicting opinions!!

Austen’s own opinion near publication was stated in a letter to the Prince Regent’s librarian: “I am very strongly haunted by the idea that to those readers who have preferred Pride and Prejudice it will appear inferior in wit; and to those who have preferred Mansfield Park, very inferior in good sense.”

After Emma’s successful publication, however (and after exchanging pleasant letters with the literary and capable Countess of Morley) she said, “It encourages me to depend on the same share of general good opinion which Emma's predecessors have experienced, and to believe that I have not yet, as almost every writer of fancy does sooner or later, overwritten myself.”

Of the composition of Emma, her nephews state: “Although polished to the highest degree, it was more quickly composed than any previous work and gave evidence of a practised hand. It was also the most 'Austenish' of all her novels, carrying out most completely her idea of what was fitted to her tastes and capacities. She enjoyed having a heroine 'whom no one would like but herself,' and working on 'three or four families in a country village.' 

“Emma appeals therefore more exclusively than any of the others to an inner circle of admirers: but such admirers may possibly place it at the head of her compositions. There are no stirring incidents; there is no change of scene. The heroine, whose society we enjoy throughout, never sleeps away from home, and even there sees only so much company as an invalid father can welcome. No character in the book is ill, no one is ruined, there is no villain, and no paragon. 

“On the other hand, the plot is admirably contrived and never halts; while the mysteries—exclusively mysteries of courtship and love—are excellently maintained. Emma never expresses any opinion which is thoroughly sound, and seldom makes any forecast which is not belied by the event, yet we always recognise her acuteness, and she by degrees obtains our sympathy. 

“The book also illustrates to the highest degree the author's power of drawing humorous characters; Miss Bates, Mr. Woodhouse, and Mrs. Elton in the first class, and Harriet Smith in the second. And the humour is always essential to the delineation of character—it is never an excrescence. It also depends more on what is said than on any tricks of speech; there are no catch-words, and every one speaks practically the same excellent English. Besides this, Emma also gives a very good instance of the author's habit of building up her characters almost entirely without formal description, and leaving analysis to her readers.” Jane Austen: Her Life and Letters by William Austen-Leigh and Richard Arthur Austen-Leigh