The scene delivered in Chapter 12 of Jane Austen's "Emma" contains Mr Knightly, Mr & Mrs John Knightly and Mr & Miss Woodhouse. Although this scene is not hilarious, Austen's dry, laconic wit juxtaposed with the seasonal backdrop creates an ironic and minutely observed sequence of events.

The very beginning of the chapter is humorous as Emma admits she would try to reconcile herself to Mr Knightly, but she will not accept any blame. This tells the reader that she is headstrong, stubborn and symmetrically, Mr Knightly is similarly disposed.

I find the comments made by Emma regarding herself tasteless, and wholly inappropriate for the Christmas occasion, "Little Emma, grow up a better woman than your aunt. Be infinitely cleverer, and not half so conceited." Whilst this is a humorous device, (and one can argue that Emma is trying to defuse the tense atmosphere), it makes light of the fact that...