The culmination of Jane Austen's genius, a sparkling comedy of love and marriage Now a major motion picture starring Anya Taylor-Joy   Beautiful, clever, rich—and single—Emma Woodhouse is perfectly content with her life and sees no need for either love or marriage. Nothing, however, delights her more than interfering in the romantic lives of others. But when she ignores the warnings of her good friend Mr. Knightley and attempts to arrange a suitable match for her protegee Harriet Smith, her carefully laid plans soon unravel and have consequences that she never expected. With its imperfect but charming heroine and its witty and subtle exploration of relationships,  Emma  is often seen as Jane Austen's most flawless work. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators. "Jane Austen is my favorite author! ... Shut up in measureless content, I greet her by the name of most kind hostess, while criticism slumbers." —EM Forster Jane Austen (1775-1817) was extremely modest about her own genius but has become one of English literature's most famous women writers. She is the author of Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Emma, Persuasion, Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey. Fiona Stafford is a Fellow and Tutor in English at Somerville College, Oxford. Tony Tanner was a Fellow of King's College, Cambridge, and Professor of English and American Literature at Cambridge. Chapter I Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable homeand happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessingsof existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the worldwith very little to distress or vex her. She was the youngest of the two daughters of a most affectionate,indulgent father; and had, in consequence of her sister's marriage,been mistress of his house from a very early period. Her motherhad died too long ago for her to have more than an indistinctremembrance of her caresses; and her place had been suppliedby an excellent woman as governess, who had fallen little shortof a mother in affection. Sixteen years had Miss Taylor been in Mr. Woodhouse's family,less as a governess than a friend, very fond of both daughters,but particularly of Emma. Between them it was more the intimacyof sisters. Even before Miss Taylor had ceased to hold the nominaloffice of governess, the mildness of her temper had hardly allowedher to impose any restraint; and the shadow of authority beingnow long passed away, they had been living together as friend andfriend very mutually attached, and Emma doing just what she liked;highly esteeming Miss Taylor's judgment, but directed chiefly byher own. The real evils, indeed, of Emma's situation were the power of havingrather too much her own way, and a disposition to think a littletoo well of herself; these were the disadvantages which threatenedalloy to her many enjoyments. The danger, however, was at presentso unperceived, that they did not by any means rank as misfortuneswith her. Sorrow came—a gentle sorrow—but not at all in the shape of anydisagreeable consciousness.—Miss Taylor married. It was MissTaylor's loss which first brought grief. It was on the wedding-dayof this beloved friend that Emma first sat in mournful thoughtof any continuance. The wedding over, and the bride-people gone,her father and herself were left to dine together, with no prospectof a third to cheer a long evening. Her father composed himselfto sleep after dinner, as usual, and she had then only to sitand think of what she had lost. The event had every promise of happiness for her friend. Mr. Westonwas a man of unexceptionable character, easy fortune, suitable age,and pleasant manners; and there was some satisfaction in consideringwith what self-denying, generous friendship she had always wishedand promoted the match; but it was a black morning's work for her.The want of Miss Taylor would be felt every hour of every day.She recalled her past kindness—the kindness, the affection of sixteenyears—how she had taught and how she had played with her from fiveyears old—how she had devoted all her powers to attach and amuseher in health—and how nursed her through the various illnessesof childhood. A large debt of gratitude was owing here; but theintercourse of the last seven years, the equal footing and perfectunreserve which had soon followed Isabella's marriage, on theirbeing left to each other, was yet a dearer, tenderer recollection.She had been a friend and companion such as few possessed: intelligent,well-informed, useful, gentle, knowing all the ways of the f