Specimen Passage and Commentary

Abstract

Jane Austen’s art in Emma is one of subtle technique and flexible style: it is hardly an exaggeration to say that not a word is superfluous and every sentence and paragraph, however apparently unimportant, plays its part in the presentation of story, character and theme. The followng analysis of a single short passage is offered as an illustration of these qualities and as an example that may be helpful to the student called upon to undertake a similar exercise. The passage occurs at the beginning of Chapter 38: the company is assembling for the ball at the Crown. The lines are numbered here for ease of reference.