Highbury In Emma

This thesis sets out to illustrate that Highbury in Emma is a dynamic hierarchical community through the exploration of the daily behaviors and marriages of people therein. Highbury is, first of all, a hierarchical village made of five ranks. People of the five ranks lead their lives in line with some established codes of manners. Their conformity to the codes serves to maintain the hierarchical orders. Secondly, Highbury is at the same time a dynamic community. With the increase of their wealth, people from inferior ranks like the Coles begin to elevate themselves socially. They purchase such social indicators as carriages, country houses, and then follow the imitable codes established by their superiors like Mr. Knightley and the Woodhouses. Step by step, they edge their way into the higher ranks. However, the social climbing of the inferiors must be conducted on the terms given by the superiors. In this sense, Highbury is a dynamic hierarchical community. In addition, the practices of patronage help to illustrate Highbury as a dynamic hierarchical society.The marriage practices in Highbury in Emma are constrained by the interaction of parity of rank, personal attraction and sufficiency of wealth. Although the three items do not always work equally in these marital practices, and which item is to play a comparatively leading role depends on the specific marriage, parity of rank has a defining voice in the possible operation of Highbury marriages. Thus, the hierarchical nature of Highbury is highlighted. Paradoxically, based on the approximate parity of rank or sufficiency of wealth, personal attraction can play a comparatively important role in the marriage as in the case of Jane Fairfax. The financial and social improvement of Jane Fairfax and the status-related rise of Miss Hawkins by means of marriages serve to evidence that Highbury is a dynamic hierarchical community.