Austen 250 Reader Series: An Introduction to Emma
- Maizie Ferguson
- Jun 28
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 29
"Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich..." So commences Austen's effervescent 1815 novel, Emma, which follows the escapades of a bright young woman––with a penchant for match-making––in a small, pastoral English village. Upon opening Emma readers find one of literature's most notable opening lines (and one of the most memorable heroines).
Handsome, clever, and rich? Let us read on...
An enthusiastic "welcome back" is in order, dear Janeites, to the Austen 250 Reader Series!
During this 250th anniversary year––a year of great import for Austen scholars, admirers, and fans the world over––we are embarking on a blog series here at JASP which places Austen's novels in the limelight, bookclub style. Read more about the Austen 250 Reader Series here.
I invite you to read along with me as I cover Emma over the course of the next twelve weeks, in the same fashion as Sense and Sensibility released earlier this year, just biweekly.
While the original novel was published in three volumes––characteristic to the 19th century literary world––I will follow the all-in-one version most typical to modern copies. Should you decide to follow along, you can expect a post (comprised of a brief summary, reflection, and analysis) every other Friday, commencing this upcoming week on SATURDAY, July 5th, due to the holiday occurring Friday, July 4th.
The reading schedule is as follows:
(SATURDAY) July 5: Chapters 1-9
July 18: Chapters 10-18 (end of Volume I)
August 1: Chapters 19-26
August 15: Chapters 27-36 (end of Volume II)
August 29: Chapters 37-45
September 12: Chapters 46-55 (end of Volume III)
A conclusion post will follow, released the following Friday. Now, if you are on the fence about joining in our celebratory (and don't forget comic!) literary escapade, please look no further than this thorough article on Emma from the Jane Austen Society of North America.
Emma is personally dear to me as it was my very first Austen novel. Take it from me, dearest Janeites, it made quite the positive impression if I'm still here...
All jests aside, whether this might be your inaugural or even your I-don't-know-how-many-times-this-is read, as we voyage together, I would love to hear your thoughts on characters, plot-points, themes, and what have you. (In other words, etc., etc.) Please feel free to use the comments section below as much or as little as you wish!
Do keep an eye out for the first post of the Emma Austen 250 Reader Series this upcoming Friday, and without further ado, I will leave you procure your favorite copy, settle in with a cuppa (perhaps a dependable fan, too, if you, like this author, reside somewhere currently experiencing a dreadful heat wave), and get to reading!
If you happened to participate in our annual Jane Austen Summer Program, you will likely know that Austen's debut, Sense and Sensibility, was our symposium novel. Missed out and dearly wish for S&S discussion? Follow along with the vlog here! If you fancy a recap of JASP 2025, find updates, photos, and coverage on Instagram, X, Facebook, and Bluesky.
Janeites, be sure to mark your calendars for next June 11-14! Join us in 2026 at Seton Hill University for 'Pride, Prejudice & the Pursuit of Happiness', with more details to come.
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