What is the most famous quote from Emma?

The opening line: “Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence.”

Who said “Badly done, Emma”?

Mr. Knightley scolds Emma after she is rude to Miss Bates at the Box Hill picnic. In the book his exact words are “It was badly done, indeed!” Films often shorten it to “Badly done, Emma!”

Who said “If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more”?

Mr. Knightley says it to Emma when he finally tells her how he feels, near the end of the book.

What does “handsome, clever, and rich” mean?

It means Emma is good-looking, smart and wealthy. In Jane Austen’s day, “handsome” could describe a woman as well as a man.

Emma quotes, explained for kids

Emma begins with one of Jane Austen’s most famous sentences and is full of lines that are funny, sharp and surprisingly wise. Many of the best come from Emma herself, who is clever but often wrong, and from Mr. Knightley, the friend who tells her the truth. With a 6–9 year old, these lines are great for talking about bossiness, honesty and saying sorry. Try reading one aloud and asking, “Was Emma being kind here, or just clever?”

Every line is quoted word for word from the original 1815 novel by Jane Austen.

Quote 1: “Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence”
Narrator, the very first line of the book, introducing Emma
What it means: Emma seems to have everything: good looks, brains, money and a happy nature. The word “seemed” hints that she still has things to learn.
Ask your child: Does having lots of nice things always make someone happy?
Quote 2: “Vanity working on a weak head, produces every sort of mischief.”
Mr. Knightley, mr. Knightley worries that Emma is filling her friend Harriet’s head with big ideas
What it means: He means that if you praise someone too much and they believe it, they can start making silly mistakes.
Ask your child: Why might too much praise cause problems?
Quote 3: “Better be without sense, than misapply it as you do.”
Mr. Knightley, mr. Knightley scolds Emma for talking Harriet out of a kind marriage offer
What it means: He says it would be better not to be clever at all than to use your cleverness the wrong way, as Emma is doing.
Ask your child: Can a clever person still make a silly choice? Can you think of an example?
Quote 4: “One half of the world cannot understand the pleasures of the other.”
Emma Woodhouse, emma answers her father, who can’t understand why anyone would want to go out in the cold
What it means: Emma means people enjoy very different things, and that is okay. What is fun for one person might seem strange to another.
Ask your child: What do you love doing that someone in your family doesn’t understand?
Quote 5: “I never have been in love; it is not my way, or my nature; and I do not think I ever shall.”
Emma Woodhouse, emma tells Harriet she does not plan to marry
What it means: Emma is sure she will never fall in love and is happy as she is. Readers enjoy watching whether she is right.
Ask your child: Have you ever been very sure about something and then changed your mind?
Quote 6: “silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way.”
Emma Woodhouse, emma thinks about Frank Churchill after he rides all the way to London just to get his hair cut
What it means: Emma means a silly thing can seem charming when a sensible person does it boldly and confidently.
Ask your child: Is something silly still silly if a grown-up does it with confidence?
Quote 7: “There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart,”
Emma Woodhouse, emma watches Harriet behave sweetly and thinks about what really makes people lovable
What it means: Emma decides that being warm and kind matters more than being clever.
Ask your child: Who is someone you know with a very kind heart? How do they show it?
Quote 8: “It was badly done, indeed!”
Mr. Knightley, after a picnic at Box Hill, Mr. Knightley tells Emma off for making fun of the kind, chatty Miss Bates
What it means: He is telling Emma that her joke was cruel, because Miss Bates had always been kind to her. Emma feels terrible and decides to make it right.
Ask your child: What is a good way to say sorry when you have hurt someone’s feelings?
Quote 9: “If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more.”
Mr. Knightley, mr. Knightley finally tells Emma how he feels during a walk in the garden
What it means: He means his feelings are so big that he can’t find enough words to describe them.
Ask your child: Is it sometimes hard to say how much you love someone? How else can you show it?
Quote 10: “Seldom, very seldom, does complete truth belong to any human disclosure”
Narrator, the narrator comments as Emma and Mr. Knightley share their feelings
What it means: When people talk about their feelings, they hardly ever tell the whole truth. Something is usually a little hidden or a little mixed up.
Ask your child: Why do you think people sometimes keep part of the truth to themselves?

Questions about Emma quotes

What is the most famous quote from Emma?: The opening line: “Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable home and happy disposition, seemed to unite some of the best blessings of existence.”
Who said “Badly done, Emma”?: Mr. Knightley scolds Emma after she is rude to Miss Bates at the Box Hill picnic. In the book his exact words are “It was badly done, indeed!” Films often shorten it to “Badly done, Emma!”
Who said “If I loved you less, I might be able to talk about it more”?: Mr. Knightley says it to Emma when he finally tells her how he feels, near the end of the book.
What does “handsome, clever, and rich” mean?: It means Emma is good-looking, smart and wealthy. In Jane Austen’s day, “handsome” could describe a woman as well as a man.