Posted by Kathy on July 01, 1997 at 04:58:29:

In reply to Re: ...and the battle for Emma's soul... posted by Kathy F. on June 30, 1997 at 23:32:44

I'm not quite sure what you're trying to argue now. Here, you seem to contradict everything you stated previously, which is that Mr. Knightley wasn't really in love with Emma until Box Hill:

Didn't I say it had been a while? ;-) But I think that he would have controlled himself enough to not show that much difference in his actions, like Emma did when she thought that Mr. Knightley was in love with Harriet. So I still hold to Emma3 and the apparent lack of affection (until you read between the lines) as being the more proper interpretation.

Before, you stated that he really wasn't aware that he loved her until She and Frank are going at it at the picnic. Now you're agreeing with us that he was just controlling himself all along? I don't get it. As far as Emma3 being the "righter" interpretation in this respect, I can't agree with you there. Mark Strong delivers nore than enough sexual-frustration-energy long before Frank's arrival OR Box Hill. And his "I held you in my arms" speech, which I felt was dripping with romantic affection, occurred in the exact equivalent scene to the one in which Jeremy gives Gwyneth's back that longing look. IMO, BOTH interpretations are correct in this respect, as Mr. Knightley's romantic love for Emma has grown over the years, and even though he won't acknowledge it to himself at the time, he IS attracted to her early on in the story. Jane Austen made it pretty obvious, planting ironic clues from the beginning.

Once and for all, I think this proves what we had initially stated (and you contradicted), which is that Mr. Knightley had been well aware of his love for Emma long before Box Hill:

"On his side, there had been a long standing jealousy, old as the arrival, or even the expectation, of Frank Churchill. He had been in love with Emma, and Jealous of Frank Churchill, from about the same period, one sentiment having enlightened him as to the other."