In Jane Austen's Emma, ​​Mr. George Knightley chooses to live in Hartfield with Emma Woodhouse, the protagonist and heroine, after their marriage, instead of moving her to his elaborate estate, Donwell Abbey. This decision is significant because of what the choice reveals about their relationship. Typically, in a Jane Austen novel, married women move from the family home into their husbands' home, adopting their husband's life as their own. However, Mr Knightley makes the sacrifice of leaving his substantial estate to live with Emma due to her anxious and ill father having to stay in Hartfield. The decision demonstrates the importance of Emma in his life as well as the depth of his love, and the decision is in line with the close friendship the two have always had with each other. The event is also significant for its consistency with Emma's marital desires for herself, expressed to Harriet at the beginning of the novel. Despite the couple's unusual living arrangement, their situation reveals a great depth of love, is consistent with the needs and desires of Emma's character, and makes sense once the history and dynamics of their relationship are considered. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Emma and Mr. Knightley marry for love and even give up some of their prestige by not living in Donwell, and thus demonstrating that their relationship is based much more on emotion than on material wealth and success. Mr. Knightley makes the considerable sacrifice of leaving his large estate to be with her and make her happy because abandoning her father, Mr. Woodhouse, would make Emma unhappy. Emma recognizes how lucky she is to marry a man so willing to give up his home for his. Emma knew that “in leaving Donwell, she would have to sacrifice much independence of schedule and habits; that living constantly with his father, and without a home of his own, there would be much, much to bear” (417; chapter 51). Even when Emma tries to persuade Mr. Knightley to reconsider the plan, he insists that "he was fully convinced that no reflection could alter his wishes or opinion on the subject" (417; chapter 51). Their relationship proves even more deeply in love with Mrs. Weston's thoughts: “How few of those men in station to turn to Emma would have given up their home for Hartfield! And who but Mr. Knightley could know and tolerate Mr. Woodhouse, so as to make such an arrangement desirable!” (434; Chapter 53). While most marriages of the era focus on the male: his desires, successes, fortunes, connections and more, Emma and Knightley's marriage focuses primarily on her, or at least their mutual happiness and the comfort resulting from their deep love and attachment after their relationship. long friendship. The effects of Mr. Knightley's sacrifice are also consistent with Emma's initial desire to marry from the beginning of the novel, if she ever decided to marry. By marrying Mr. Knightley, Emma is able to marry for love, while maintaining her wealth, comfort, power at home, and closeness to her father. Emma's marriage to Mr. Knightley is significant in terms of shaping her character as a woman who knows what she wants and tends to get what she wants in the end. Emma enjoys the power and attention that her position in Hartfield with her ill and nervous father gives her. Emma explains to Harriet the meaning and importance of her life in Hartfield as the reason she will never marry, saying: “I think few married women are masters of the househalf as much of the husband as I am of Hartfield; and never, never could I have expected to be so truly loved and important; therefore always first and always just in the eyes of every man as I am in those of my father” (79; chapter 10). Emma initially had no intention of marrying for numerous reasons based largely on her fortune and social status so she did not need a man's title or money to make her rich; however, she also specifically states that the power, position, and attention she receives as mistress of her home, Hartfield, with her father's constant adoration, are better than any marriage or husband's home she might find herself in. However, she states that only love would have induced her to marry, and "without love, I am sure I would be a fool to change a situation like mine." (79; Chapter 10). Thus, Mr. Knightley's eventual choice to give up his large estate to live with her in Hartfield ensures Emma the same position of power she has always had in her home, as does her father's continued praise along with the added affection by Mr. Knightley. .Knightley. This conclusion to their marital cohabitation in Hartfield is therefore significant because not only is it consistent with Emma's character because she has achieved the ability to maintain her current situation of power, wealth and happiness, along with the benefit of truly loving Mr. Knightley; but it also provides evidence of Mr. Knightley's love for her and the satisfaction of marriage for both characters. While the choice to live in Hartfield instead of Donwell Abbey is positive for Emma's main characters, and provides a satisfying ending for the audience, there is more meaning to the choice than simply the happy ending. One of the main significances of the decision is how opposed the event is to the typical convention and propriety of marriage in Jane Austen's novels. Consistent with Jane Austen's novels, Emma, ​​just like Austen's other heroines, has a happy ending with a lovely wedding at the story's conclusion with "the wishes, the hopes, the trust, the predictions of the small band of true friends who attended the ceremony, were fully satisfied in the perfect happiness of the union.” (450; Chapter 55). However, Emma differs in that her situation and position remain the same, except that her new husband joins her life. Essentially, apart from the change of surname and the vows that make her a married woman, Emma's life does not change drastically, unlike all the other Austen heroines or secondary female characters. For example, in Sense and Sensibility and Pride and Prejudice, Elinor, Marianne, and Elizabeth Bennett all leave their homes to live with their husbands. These women leave their parents behind to insinuate themselves into their husband's life and start a new life as a wife. In Emma, ​​Mr. Knightley makes the sacrifice of leaving Donwell to live with Emma, ​​which gives her advantages of power and situation; Hartfield has been her home all her life and she has been the lady of the house since the marriages of her sister and her housekeeper. Emma essentially took on the male or husband role, that is, responsible for the house, the servants and the inhabitants of the house, including her father. In essence, Mr. Knightley moves into his own territory, differentiating their relationship and situation from those in other Austen novels. The reversal of gender roles regarding class, propriety, and wealth could be a potential problem for Emma and Mr. Knightley if it weren't for the details and history of their relationship. While Mr Knightley would appear to have little power in sacrificing his home to live in Emma's; that of women; that of his wife; the respect and influence he has ".