Quick Index Board Index Home FAQ Site Map

View thread Post response Board index Previous message Next message


Not yet...   Written by Thérèse (3/16/2013 5:45 a.m.) in consequence of the missive, yes, penned by Nikki N
Are you new?

In my opinion, the whole fortune of the Woodhouses is 60.000£, inclusive of Hartfield, maybe a bit more if Isabella is supposed to get more (but it is not certain).


It is already much more than the average gentry family who had about 700£ a year, that is, a fortune of about 14.000£ (per whole family).
Jane Austen writes that Emma is "the heiress of thirty thousand pounds".
Would she have already inherited them, from her mother, would have meant that the late Mrs Woodhouse whould have had a fortune of thirty thousand pounds, that is, twice that of Pride and Prejudice's Miss Darcy's, who is much upper (her mother was the daughter of an earl, who seems to have married considering her husband's huge estate) then she would probably have an establishment in town (thus Isabella would have moved in when marrying Mr John Knightley, instead of buying or renting a new home, as Brunswick Square houses started being built only in 1795). And Jane Austen would have written "the owner of thirty thousand pounds" or "the heiress of seventy thousand pounds".
And at Hartfield, she would have probably led a brighter life.
Already, I have written elsewhere that they were living with less than half the income of a sixty thousand pounds family fortune.
My opinion upon the late Mrs Woodhouse's own fortune, is that she may have brought up to twenty thousand pounds (which was a lot), and that this part may have already belonged to her daughter, or half of it, probably shared equally.
That is, it is not unthinkable that Emma (and Isabella) had already five or ten thousand pounds, and the left, would be at the death of their father.
As to Isabella inheriting Hartfield, it was the normal scheme as she was the eldest daughter and while Emma had not married Mr Knightley.
But Emma marrying the owner of the neighbouring estate, I think it could have been considered too, that Hartfield may merge with Donwell to create a larger estate; Isabella then, getting money or shares and Emma, Hartfield. Anyway money was unlikely to lack, as the Woodhouse's fortune was not mainly of landed estate, and as they were far from spending their income.


Previous message Next message Board index

All messages in the thread


Previous message Next message Board index

Pop up the novel text
Post a Response

Your Name:

OOPS INSURANCE
Put in a password in case you want to delete your message later

E-Mail (Optional; be aware that we've had trouble with people harvesting our addresses):

Subject:

Message:

The Vicar of Highbury is Mr _____

Frequently used phrase:

If you want to include a link, please provide both the URL address and a description of the page (start with http:// -- copy the address from your browser to ensure accuracy):

Optional Link URL:

Optional Link Title:



If you'd like to include an image (picture) with your message, please provide the full URL, beginning with http://, of the image file, ending in .jpg or .gif:

Optional Image URL:





Password:

Emma is maintained by Laraine with WebBBS 3.21.


View thread Post response Board index Previous message Next message
Board index

Group Read Board Pride & Prejudice Board Emma Board Sense & Sensibility Board Persuasion Board Mansfield Park Board Northanger Abbey Board Austenuations Board Jane Austen's Life & Times Board Lady Catherine & Co. Board Library Board Virtual Views Board Ramble Board Meetings Board Newcomers' Board Milestones Board Help Board Pemberleans Board





- Jane Austen | Republic of Pemberley -

Quick Index Home Site Map JAInfo

© 2004 - 2012 The Republic of Pemberley

Get copyright permissions

Quantcast