BETWEEN FOUR JUNCTIONS

presence of the slightly disapproving others, and returns the potential social impact of Emma and Frank’s actions to the foreground once again. The last line of the extract succinctly expresses this theme as, through Knightley’s cutting riposte, Austen asserts Emma’s folly.

In conclusion, Austen presents the episode as one with significant tension between the imagined and actual reality, conveyed through her use of repetition, unusual syntax and free indirect narrative. This dissonance is exacerbated through her rather scathing portrayal of Emma who engages in seemingly meaningless flirtation but is ultimately naïve in her actions, which draw the attention and condemnation of her companions – the end of the episode providing the most obvious example. Through this presentation of a minor transgression, Austen highlights the patriarchal social code which seems to govern interactions, any infractions becoming the subject of gossipy letters and snide remarks.