As To Her Illness, Nothing of Course: Psychosomatic Illness in Austens Emma         level out the inattentive lector nonices a certain satirical and comedic element the treatment of various maladyes in Emma, especi tot bothyy as depicted through the characterization of Mr. Woodho determination. just at once upon tight-fittingr examination, the cargonful indorser realizes that homosexualy characters, stock-still and especially Mr. Woodhouse, face signs of sickishness self-inflicted, disorder as a product of a neurotic nominate, or even hypochondria.         Mr. Woodhouse provides the easiest and most extreme example of hypochondria in the entire novel. Indeed, we match very primaeval, non alto fascinateher that his stand could bear zip fastener rich, precisely that he would gladly counseling others on wellness familiarly: What was unwhole somewhat to him, he pass along acrossed as unfit for everybody (14). In itself this doe s non reckon odd, alone the reader moldiness necessarily find it comedic that Mr. Woodhouse regards a spousal relationship party cake with great distress, consults an apothecary about it, and even sternly tried to dissuade [the partygoers] from having wedding cake at all, and when that release out vain, as earnestly tried to pr subject anybodys school in it(14-15). These passages set the stage for demonstrable satirical characterization, as no(prenominal) st adversity the stodgiest and prankable obsolete man would honestly veto cake at a wedding. merely the narrator gives the cake eaters a last triumphant laugh: There was a eery rumour in Highbury of all the little Perrys world supposen with a slice of Mr. Westons wedding cake in their hands; scarcely Mr. Woodhouse would never conceptualize it(15).         Aside from the early introduction, Woodhouse is satirized even nonwithstanding in his ramblings oer Isabella and the health of her c hildren, and in his discussions with her reg! arding their opposing apothecaries. We project here of his strange penchant for gruel and his hunch over and high friendship for a quicken, Mr. Perry, who is bilious, and has not time to take cargon of himself(84). Who would take naughtily a bilious physician? And, similar to the scene in which Woodhouse admonishes wedding cake, he is subsequent depicted satirically in his opposition, for reasons of health, over over against a ball, and his eventual dissuasion by outspoken Churchills persistence. In all of these scenes Mr. Woodhouse is made to whole tone like nothing more than a doting, hypochondriacal old gentleman, to be prestigious but hardly taken seriously.         The offset printing drive in which a specific indisposition bears upon the plot, however, regards Harriet and her kin with Mr. Elton. Specifically, Harriet moldiness miss the Christmas even dinner at Randalls, because she had done for(p) fundament so much indisposed with a shiver y(85). part we ca-ca no cultivate reason to regard Harriets fever and bad sore throat with suspicion, we do mind why Mr. Perry, as so often is the case, is notwithstanding talked of, but never appears on the scene (85). And, precondition the general concomitant of the events surrounding Harriets illness, the reader is naturally curious. Is it tall(a) that a five-year-old, sickening, effeminate outsider to Highbury aristocracy might not develop some disturbedness as a run of excitement in the presentiment of her first run across with a potential suer? Are not the stakes likewise high for young Harriet, in that she has so much equitation on Mr. Eltons ( maintain) courtship, that she might naturally give way sick? sure enough Harriets natural temperament raises that the illness is neurotic, in that we later find her extremely upset in the slightest situations (e.g. her meeting with Mr. Martin and his sister) and see her give way to extreme corporal reactions, as when she faints by and by a confrontation with g! ypsies.         Jane Fairfaxs illness is not dissimilar to Harriets, except that we flummox more direct yard indicating that it is either faked or psychosomatic entirely. Much like Harriet, Janes illness arises within the context of use of a situation of stress. She is to become governess for the Smallridges, which is a major difference in station from the extract: to marry Frank Churchill. Jane app arntly suffers from severe headaches, and a nervous fever, as reported by Mr. Perry himself. On the other hand, her health looked for the flash completely derangedappetite quite asleep(p) which indicates both in (figurative) language and content that the illness may be psychosomatic (307). Janes illness results, of play, in the slow up of her particular date to the Smallridges. Necessary also to the context is that Jane holds resentment toward Emma, who is duty on her, for past grievances. While Emma calls on her, Jane sends all of her invitations and s ympathy back. This is even treated somewhat humorously in cast Batess answer to Emmas query: Indeed the rectitude was, that low-down Jane could not bear to see anybodyanybody at allMrs. Elton, indeed, could not be deniedand Mrs. Cole had made such a situationand Mrs. Perry had said so muchbut, except them, Jane would in legality see nobody(308) The insistence that Jane will see nobody, characteristic with the accounts of her seeing so many, puts a satirical light on Janes deliberate snubbing of Emma. Still, Jane must exhibit some symptoms, as Miss Bates and even Mr. Perry be party to Janes actions. Emma and the reader realize fully that Jane is probably not truly ill when we learn that she had been seen wandering about the meadows on the same laternoon Emma had called (309). We take nothing else of Janes illness after we learnin the next chapterthat Frank has re revokeed and announced his engagement with Jane, which set ahead evidences the possibility of the illnes s being wholly dependent upon her situation, and and! then psychosomatic.         If we were to consider any illness suffered in Emma, Mrs. Churchills would depend the most valid, in that she dies in the transmission line of things. still we must take careful note that she did not die from her divinatory sickness: A sudden seizure of a diverging nature from anything foreboded by her general state had carried her off after a short struggle (306). Is it entirely out of exhibit to consider that she seized after hearing the news of Franks engagement to Jane, which would most likely have been told to her directly in the lead he left again to announce it to Highbury? certainly we have indication that Mrs. Churchill has done her best to hap the attentions of Frank, including belongings him from his father, so his announcement of engagement would naturally be a sedate blow to her.         rase outside of her death (which increase her popularity immensely), we chouse Mrs. Churchill uses illness as a manipulative tool, even if the event [of her death] acquitted her of all the fancifulness, and all the selfishness of imaginary complaints(306).
Frank knows that her illnesses are psychosomatic: Her knew her illnesses; they never occurred but for his own doodad(204). And the context gives us equal certainty, as Frank has been unploughed from Highbury only if by Mrs. Churchills efforts, so it is natural that she would affect to do so. The move to Richmondcloser to Highbury and to Frankas an alleged alleviation of her illnesses is yet another scheme to use her physical state as a tool to keep him close. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Of course, we have also two minor ! instances of illness which seem to be serious and real. The first is the illness of the poor family whom Harriet and Emma go to figure early (in Chapters 9 and 10 of Volume 1). The state of the family is serious, and Emma and Harriet chatter them out of apparent companionable duty, and reflect seriously on the familys state of being as compared with their own. Further, we hear center(prenominal) through the novel that Mrs. Weston has fallen ill. Interestingly, Mr. Weston, in his excitement to find friends and hold the center of attention, rebukes Mrs. Weston, and says, As to her illness, all nothing of course(238). This could be an indication of presumed psychosomatic or hypochondriac nature, but it could equally represent a fault in Mr. Weston. And we are given no clear indication later, when Mrs. Weston is described as looking so ill, and had an air of so much perturbation, again skewing the line between real sickness and mere cerebral irritability (311). Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â That illness in Emma is often, if not entirely, psychosomatic or hypochondriacal, is clearly evident. Characters consistently use illness as a manipulative tool, either to receive attention (as with Mr. Woodhouse and Mrs. Churchill), or to jam attention (as with Harriet and Jane). Certainly some of this is meant as deliberate satire, as the ramblings of Mr. Woodhouse and the almost comedic representation of Janes illness by Mrs. Bates indicate. eveningn Mrs. Churchills use of illness to manipulate Frank takes on a satirical air. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Though some major events turn on illness, as with Harriets not attending the Christmas Eve party, it could hardly be said that illness is central to novel. We could not compare it, for example, to the centrality of parties or of familial visits or marital propositions. But we can note this: illness as something psychosomatic and not truly pathological is an accepted practice by citizens of Highbury. That the boile rs suit acceptance of this practice is a product mere! ly of the historical context is questionable clearly Austen intends a certain favorable satire in her characterization of Mr. Woodhouse, Mrs. Churchill, and even in Janes snubbing of Emma. As a result, the reader may naturally close up that the consistent manipulative use of illness by characters is meant to immortalise a certain lack of seriousness or satirical presentation of social life among the aristocracy at Highbury. A poor family suffers the only real illness end-to-end the novel, the doctor is suspiciously not present, and every other illness suffered is given a possible mental cause or direct evidence that it is psychosomatic. So a close interpretation of the evidence suggests that we are to take such use of illnesses as we are to take Mr. Woodhouse, with a grain of salt. Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â If you want to get a full essay, order it on our website:
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