"Emma's" structure is centred around several marriages, some of which are realized, others merely anticipated. These marriages are defined and evaluated with the context of the social standing of each participant, a complex factor in Jane Austen's time which was calculated as a combination of family background and wealth. Especially highlighted in the novel is the effect of social status on women, who were denied the opportunity of improving their position by hard work. Unlike their male counterparts, who could force their way up by becoming successful businessmen, women had to place all their hopes in matrimony, and rely on personal charm or beauty to provide them with an opening into the higher classes. Perhaps for this reason, that it was the only means of escape from social limitations, matrimony is emphasized as one of the key themes in "Emma."

The first marriage in the novel, between Miss...