We have changed our privacy policy. In addition, we use cookies on our website for various purposes. By continuing on our website, you consent to our use of cookies. You can learn about our practices by reading our privacy policy.

Emma Home Quotes

How we cite our quotes: Citations follow this format: (Chapter.Paragraph)

Quote #1

"It is the greatest absurdity [….] The folly of not allowing people to be comfortable at home—and the folly of people's not staying comfortably at home when they can!" (13.24)

A man’s home is his castle. Valuation of home (and domestic spaces) reaches its height with Mr. Woodhouse.

Quote #2

Nobody, who has not been in the interior of a family, can say what the difficulties of any individual of that family may be. (18.15)

Austen’s narrator advocates for a sharp division between personal and public life.

Quote #3

She had a great idea that people who had extensive grounds themselves cared very little for the extensive grounds of any body else; but it was not worth while to attack an error so double-dyed […] (32.21)

Emma’s ironic observation can, of course, be taken two ways. It’s clear that Mrs. Elton cares nothing about anybody but herself (and her family’s land). It’s also somewhat true that everybody – even good people – is most attached to their own, familiar landscape.