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Relationship Between Emma Woodhouse And George Knightley

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This essay will analyse the relationship between Emma Woodhouse and George Knightley in the text Emma from a feminist perspective. The relationship in general contains two different personalities. Emma is one who believes that she can create the ‘perfect couple’, which gives her the belief of ‘knowing everything’. George Knightley is more of a moral compass for Emma, and he usually displays his approval and disapproval of her actions. Before the relationship is examined; it would be insightful to reflect on the social context that the text is set in like the system of patriarchy, and the expectation of women from certain wealthy families.
The Elizabethan era was marked by the rule of Queen Elizabeth I (1558–1603). This era in English history has often been regarded as a golden age of the time. This was due to ideas of national pride, many reforms in areas of society, and the use of theatre alongside William Shakespeare (1564-1616). This society was however set within the confines of patriarchy.
Emma is also set within the confines of a patriarchal Elizabethan era society. Even though the text was written after the time of Queen Elizabeth I and Shakespeare because Jane Austen lived about 100 years after the two (1775-1817). The idea of patriarchy was one notion that continued. Patriarchy is defined as, “A system of society or government in which the father or eldest male is head of the family and descent is traced through the male line”. The father has control over the

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