more privileged position than the heroines of Austen'searlier works,such as Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice. Jane Fairfax's prospects,in contrast,are bleak. In contrast to other Austen heroines Emmaseems immuneto romantic attraction.Unlike Marianne Dashwood,who is attracted to the wrong man before she settles on theright one, Emma showsno romantic interest in the men she meets.She is genuinely surprised(and somewhat disgusted)when Mr.Elton declares his love for her-much in the way Elizabeth Bennet singularly reactsto theobsequious Mr.Collins.Her fancy for Frank Churchill representsmore ofa longing for a little drama in her life than a longing for romantic love.Notably too,Emma utterly fails to understand the buddingaffection between Harriet Smith and Robert Martin;she interprets the prospective match solely in terms offinancial settlements and social ambition.It is only after Harriet Smithreveals her interest in 5 Mr.Knightley that Emma realises her own feelings for him. While Emma differs strikingly from Austen's other heroines in these two respects,she resembles Elizabeth Bennet and Anne Elliot,amongothers,in another way:she is an intelligent young woman with too littleto do and no ability to change her more privileged position than the heroines of Austen's earlier works, such as Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice. Jane Fairfax's prospects, in contrast, are bleak. In contrast to other Austen heroines Emma seems immune to romantic attraction. Unlike Marianne Dashwood, who is attracted to the wrong man before she settles on the right one, Emma shows no romantic interest in the men she meets. She is genuinely surprised (and somewhat disgusted) when Mr. Elton declares his love for her—much in the way Elizabeth Bennet singularly reacts to the obsequious Mr. Collins. Her fancy for Frank Churchill represents more of a longing for a little drama in her life than a longing for romantic love. Notably too, Emma utterly fails to understand the budding affection between Harriet Smith and Robert Martin; she interprets the prospective match solely in terms of financial settlements and social ambition. It is only after Harriet Smith reveals her interest in Mr. Knightley that Emma realises her own feelings for him. While Emma differs strikingly from Austen's other heroines in these two respects, she resembles Elizabeth Bennet and Anne Elliot, among others, in another way: she is an intelligent young woman with too little to do and no ability to change her 5’