Emma "likes it like that"?
Posted by Bonny on April 14, 1998 at 04:42:12:
In response to last week for Tomalin..., written by Kate on April 12, 1998 at 21:20:08
] This is the last week of discussion of Tomalin. It's a time to post any thoughts you have on her whole idea or project, her approach to the materials etc etc, as well as comments on the remainging chapters.
Any thoughts on Tomalin's take on "Emma", on the eroticizing of the mentor-pupil relationship of Emma and Mr Knightley? I quote:
"Emma is blind to everything she does not want to see, and is enlightened only when her mistakes are shown up and the good advice of her brother-like lover is accepted....having started as one whose pleasure is all in thinking, manipulating, and imposing her will, she is discovering another pleasure in the passionate surrender of her will...Emma says she will never address her husband as George...he will always be Mr Knightley, preserving the master-pupil relationship that is so satisfying -even delicious- to her."
Though I have pursued thoughts along similar lines to this I find Tomalins putting of it, the sexualized dominance and submission a bit hard to take. JA may havehad the 'power to imagine experience outside her own", but I don't think she intended to represent Emma with almost a perversion as Tomalin does.
- not perverted at all P. Bingham 12:58:04 4/14/98
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- not aggressive Bonny 06:38:59 4/15/98
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- not aggressive Bonny 06:38:59 4/15/98
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