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Essay on The Character of Frank Churchill

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Using Chapters 23, 24 and 25 Write an Analysis of the Character of
Frank Churchill

Frank Churchill is one of the dominant characters in Jane Austen’s
‘Emma’ despite the fact that he is not fully introduced until chapter twenty-three. Each of the characters in ‘Emma’ play a role in delivering Austen’s personal comments on the society of that time. Mr
Knightley, for example, often reflects Austen’s views of Emma’s behaviour and expresses her own opinions on social issues and through
Emma she portrays the views of society. The purpose of Frank’s character is to highlight Austen’s views that people should not be judged by appearances alone and his relationship with Emma shows the consequences of being too prejudiced to judge …show more content…

This is made even clearer when Mr
Knightley points out that Frank should have done his duty in visiting his new step-mother months ago but Emma is determined to excuse any negligence on his part, blaming his neglect on those who have authority over him.

This predisposition to like Frank makes Emma too biased to change her opinion once she has met him, which makes her dangerously susceptible to Frank’s manipulation later in the novel. An example of this is in chapter twenty-five when Frank goes to London for the day, reputedly to get his hair cut. Emma at first is disappointed that he should do something of such little importance so impulsively. However, she decides to forgive and forget despite the fact that those around her, such as Mrs Weston and Mr Knightley, believe the whole incident to be ridiculous and the actions of a man who thinks too rashly and without rational thought.

The real reason Emma dismisses Frank’s odd behaviour is that Mr
Weston tells her that Frank thinks she is beautiful and charming therefore she is ready to disagree with Mr Knightley’s comment that
Frank is a “trifling, silly fellow.” However the real excuse arises from Emma’s vanity. Emma believes herself to be a good judge of character and tells herself that Frank’s attitude towards the whole incident upon his return proves that he is neither trifling nor silly since he does not “glorify in the

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