Emma Morality and Ethics Quotes Page 3
Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)
| Quote #7 Fine dancing, I believe, like virtue, must be its own reward. (30.3) |
The conflation of truly admirable values with trivial ones is a classic Austen move. Knightley, of course, is speaking ironically – or is he?
| Quote #8 Frank was next to Emma, Jane opposite to them—and Mr. Knightley so placed as to see them all; and it was his object to see as much as he could, with as little apparent observation. (41.17) |
When Knightley decides to play detective, he does it only for the best reasons – love (for Emma) and jealousy (of Frank). OK, maybe they’re not equally good reasons.
| Quote #9 A young lady who faints, must be recovered; questions must be answered, and surprizes be explained. Such events are very interesting, but the suspense of them cannot last long. (39.4) |
This is another classic move of Austen’s narrator. Right at an exciting part, our narrator backs out of the action to narrate in very broad strokes.
