Write a short note on the character of mr. Knightley in jane austen's emma
Answers
A kind and compassionate person, Mr. Knightley exhibits good judgement, high moral character and maturity in contrast to Emma's still-maturing character: as a hero, he also has presence and authority, and a natural life-like quality. The most hard-working of Austen's heroes, he is also the least posh, not even keeping a pair of carriage horses. Despite a certain sharpness of tongue, his genuine qualities are revealed for example by his disappointment when he sees Emma insult Miss Bates, a spinster of modest means. Mr. Knightley's reprimand of Emma for this insult also demonstrates his affection and esteem for her as a friend. Another revealing incident is his anger with Emma for persuading Harriet Smith to refuse Robert Martin's proposal of marriage, Martin being in Knightley's eyes an eminently suitable mate for Harriet: the violent row that follows leaves the pair estranged for some considerable time. But while in some respects serving as a conduct book mentor for Emma, Knightley too is taken on a journey of discovery – of his unconscious desire for Emma; of his own imaginative and jealousy-fuelled blunders... which brings the characters into a more realistic, egalitarian relationship, just as in their marriage her money will complement his role as the leading local landowner.