Posted by kathleen (elder) on July 23, 1997 at 10:03:41:
In reply to In Spite Of or Because Of? posted by Diane on July 22, 1997 at 21:37:34
] "Faultless in spite of all her faults" has always been one of my favorite lines. Do you think Mr. Knightley loved Emma in spite of or because of her faults? I believe it's a combination of both.
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Mr Knightley tells Emma that "I am losing all my bitterness at spoilt children, my dearest Emma. I, who am owing all my happiness to you. . . . My interference was quite as likely to do harm as good. . . . I do not believe I did you any good. The good was all to myself, by making you an object of the tenderest affection to me. I could not think about you so much without doating on you, faults and all; and by dint of fancying so may errors, have been in love with you ever since you were thirteen at least." [emphasis mine]