Emma Woodhouse is a beautiful, high-spirited, intelligent, and 'slightly' spoiled young woman of twenty. Her mother died when she was young. She has been mistress of the house since her older sister got married. Although intelligent, she lacks the discipline to practise or study anything in depth. She is very compassionate to the poor, but at the same time has a strong sense of class status. Her affection for and patience towards her valetudinarian father are also noteworthy. While she is in many ways mature, Emma makes some serious mistakes, mainly due to her conviction that she is always right and her lack of experience. Although she has vowed she will never marry, she delights in making matches for others. Her father advises her to stop this unsolicited, thankless task of match-making, but she realizes it too late....