she is sweet, docile and not clever or unduly intelligent

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she is sweet, docile and not clever or unduly intelligent Written by Frances G (2/3/2011 12:01 a.m.) in consequence of the missive, Thank you Barbara for..., penned by Reeba

Mr. Knightley also does not think Harriet is intelligent. He says this several times in Chapter 8:

"She is not a sensible girl, nor a girl of any information. She has been taught nothing useful, and is too young and too simple to have acquired any thing herself"
"as to a rational companion or useful helpmate, he could not do worse."
"Vanity working on a weak head, produces every sort of mischief."

In fact, Emma says in that chapter that he is undervaluing her: "She is not a clever girl, but she has better sense than you are aware of"

I think Harriet has a personality that's easily influenced and she does not have the sense to see through the manipulators.

Since I believe in personal responsibililty, I think she is to blame, but she is also to be pitied because she lacks the skills to fight against Emma's extremely clever influence.

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Is Harriet Blameless? Jane Marie (2/1/2011 9:03 a.m.)

Harriet and Emma (Sorry, long) BarbaraB (2/2/2011 12:00 a.m.)
- Thank you Barbara for... Reeba (2/2/2011 8:34 a.m.)
  - she is sweet, docile and not clever or unduly intelligent Frances G (2/3/2011 12:01 a.m.)
    - IMO Mr Knightley is judging Harriet the.... Reeba (2/3/2011 5:03 a.m.)
      - Harriet is a Pushover   Robbin (2/3/2011 12:15 p.m.)
        
        That's exactly the way I see it (nfm)   Frances G (2/3/2011 10:00 p.m.)
        
        Only a draper.   Reeba (2/3/2011 4:22 p.m.)
        
        Harriet and the Martins   Bridget D (2/5/2011 3:32 a.m.)
        
        Emma and Lady Cat   Nikki N (2/5/2011 6:40 a.m.)
        
        Harriet, Blingley etc   Bridget D (2/5/2011 7:15 a.m.)
        
        Who's Harriet to say no??   Reeba (2/5/2011 3:53 a.m.)
        
        Harriet   Bridget D (2/5/2011 4:29 a.m.)
        
        I wouldn't minimize the importance...   Reeba (2/5/2011 5:11 a.m.)
        
        Harriet's talk   Bridget D (2/5/2011 6:27 a.m.)
        
        I agree to disagree....   Reeba (2/5/2011 7:26 a.m.)
        
        Under Emma’s spell   Robbin (2/4/2011 12:25 a.m.)
        
        Harriet as a plaything...   Patricia AA (2/4/2011 7:43 p.m.)
        
        Harriet   Bridget D (2/5/2011 2:15 a.m.)
        
        I would go further   Nikki N (2/4/2011 12:55 a.m.)
        
        Martins and Harriet   Bridget D (2/4/2011 4:24 p.m.)
        
        I agree -- a world of difference between Bingley &   AnnetteJ (2/4/2011 8:30 a.m.)
        
        I see it differently.   Reeba (2/4/2011 2:44 a.m.)
        
        Gratitude & Influence   Robbin (2/4/2011 8:11 p.m.)
        
        It depends on the way...   Reeba (2/5/2011 3:09 a.m.)
        
        PS:   Reeba (2/5/2011 3:14 a.m.)
        
        Time to stop   Myretta (2/5/2011 7:49 a.m.)
        
        Good points, I agree! (:D) nfm   Robbin (2/4/2011 1:02 a.m.)
  - You're Welcome:)--About age and and influence, etc. BarbaraB (2/2/2011 1:21 p.m.)
  - Harriet Sarah Yorkshire (2/2/2011 9:24 a.m.)
- Love your post! And I agree with you:) (nfm) Nina RG (2/2/2011 6:01 a.m.)
No, she isn't. :) Reeba (2/1/2011 12:04 p.m.)
- Just remembered another very important point. Reeba (2/1/2011 4:59 p.m.)
  - Harriet may not consider [any] body tiresome Stephanie (2/3/2011 5:18 p.m.)
  - Harriet's Character Jane Marie (2/1/2011 7:16 p.m.)
Were it not for Emma's misguided influence... jeffrey (2/1/2011 10:13 a.m.)
- I too think that Harriet would have Patricia AA (2/1/2011 10:32 a.m.)
I think Harriet is weak kathleen (elder) (2/1/2011 9:17 a.m.)
- Harriet is dazzled by the fact that Emma, the uncrowned AnnetteJ (2/1/2011 9:37 a.m.)
  - Emma's persistent wrong-headedness Sarah Yorkshire (2/1/2011 10:51 a.m.)
    - I don't get the feeling that... Reeba (2/1/2011 11:18 a.m.)
      - One and the same events... Patricia AA (2/1/2011 3:06 p.m.)
        
        I didn't say that :) Reeba (2/1/2011 4:33 p.m.)
      - To be good at something...   Rabab (2/1/2011 11:39 a.m.)
        
        I agree   Laraine (2/1/2011 3:01 p.m.)
        
        Emma the novel-ist!   Rabab (2/2/2011 6:59 a.m.)
    - This is what I cannot understand. Why would it have AnnetteJ (2/1/2011 11:02 a.m.)
      - Class Sarah Yorkshire (2/1/2011 11:22 a.m.)
      - The same reason as what...   Reeba (2/1/2011 11:12 a.m.)
        
        Something I've always wondered about this...   Erica M. (2/1/2011 5:30 p.m.)
        
        As an older friend of mine once remarked, "The good   AnnetteJ (2/1/2011 12:52 p.m.)
        
        I'm sure it still exists in some form nfm   Reeba (2/1/2011 1:00 p.m.)
        
        Let's stay on topic. Thanks. :-)   kathleen (elder) (2/1/2011 2:05 p.m.)

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