- George Knightley
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George Knightley
Jeremy Northam as George Knightley in the 1996 American film adaptation of EmmaFull name George Knightley Gender Male Age 37 or 38 in the beginning of the novel Occupation Landed gentleman Primary residence Donwell Abbey; after he marries, Hartfield Family Romantic interest(s) Emma Woodhouse Sibling(s) Mr. John Knightley George Knightley is a principal character depicted by Jane Austen in her novel Emma, written in 1816. He is a very wealthy landowner and a lifetime friend of Emma's, though he is nearly seventeen years older than her. He enjoys correcting Emma, as Emma observes in chapter 1.
Character
A kind and compassionate person, Mr Knightley portrays good judgment, high moral character and maturity in contrast to Emma's adolescent personality. One incident which displays this is his disappointment when he sees Emma insult Miss Bates, a spinster of modest means. Mr. Knightley's later reprimand of Emma also demonstrates his affection and esteem for her as a friend. Another incident which shows his quality is his anger with Emma for persuading Harriet Smith to refuse Robert Martin's proposal of marriage, Martin being in Knightley's eyes an eminently suitable mate for Harriet.
Role in narrative
In the course of the story, Emma falls briefly in love with a young, handsome man named Frank Churchill. Mr. Knightley's jealousy is implied, and he makes several negative remarks about Churchill. We later find out that Mr. Knightley was afraid that Frank has had a negative influence on Emma. However, Frank Churchill's guardian—his aunt—dies, and he is now free to publicize his engagement to Jane Fairfax, which had been kept secret to avoid his aunt's disapproval. Emma is shocked, but realizes she had never really had romantic sentiments towards Frank Churchill. Nevertheless, she worries that Harriet has feelings for Frank, but then Emma discovers that Harriet has become infatuated with Mr. Knightley.
Now Emma is very unhappy; finally it dawns on her that she loves Mr. Knightley—and has for a time, apparently unconsciously—and is distressed as she believes Mr. Knightley and Harriet to be on the verge of marriage. Mr. Knightley is in London, visiting John and Isabella Knightley when he is apprised of Churchill's clandestine engagement. He decided to return to Hartfield to offer support to Emma, whom he believes to be deeply in love with Mr. Churchill. On the spur of the moment, after finding this to be untrue, he declares his love to Emma and asks her to marry him, and she accepts. Harriet and Robert Martin marry; Jane Fairfax and Frank Churchill plan a November wedding. Within a month, Emma and Mr. Knightley marry and, because Mr. Woodhouse can't face life without his daughter, Mr. Knightley gallantly moves in with Emma and her father at their estate, Hartfield.
Notable portrayals
- John Carson in the 1972 TV serial.
- Jeremy Northam in the 1996 American film.
- Mark Strong in the 1996 British TV drama.
- Jonny Lee Miller in the 2009 BBC TV serial.
Jane Austen GeneralLife Places People Cassandra Austen • Charles Austen • Francis Austen • Eliza Hancock • Catherine Hubback • Thomas Langlois LefroyAnalysis Janeite • Jane Austen in popular culture • Styles and themes of Jane Austen • Georgian society in Jane Austen's novels • Reception history of Jane AustenWorksMajor Sense and Sensibility (1811) • Pride and Prejudice (1813) • Mansfield Park (1814) • Emma (1815) • Northanger Abbey (1817) • Persuasion (1817)Minor Juvenilia Love and Freindship • The Beautifull Cassandra • The History of EnglandCharacters Elinor Dashwood • Edward Ferrars • Marianne Dashwood • John Willoughby • Elizabeth Bennet • Fitzwilliam Darcy • Jane Bennet • Lydia Bennet • Charles Bingley • Fanny Price • Edmund Bertram • Mary Crawford • Henry Crawford • Tom Bertram • Maria Bertram • Emma Woodhouse • George Knightley • Anne Elliot • Captain Frederick Wentworth • Catherine Morland • Henry TilneyAdaptationsSense and Sensibility 1981 TV miniseries • 1995 film • 2008 TV miniseries • Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters (2009 novel) • From Prada to Nada (2011 film)Pride and Prejudice 1940 film • First Impressions (1959 musical) • 1980 TV miniseries • 1995 TV miniseries • Darcy's Story • Pride & Prejudice: A Latter-Day Comedy (2003 film) • Mr. Darcy's Daughters (2003 novel) • An Assembly Such as This (2003 novel) • Duty and Desire (2004 novel) • These Three Remain (2005 novel) • Bride and Prejudice (2004 film) • 2005 film • Pride and Prejudice and Zombies (2009 parody novel) • Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls (2010 parody novel)Mansfield Park Emma 1972 TV miniseries • Clueless (1995 film) • 1996 film • 1996 TV miniseries • 2009 TV miniseries • Aisha (2009 film)Northanger Abbey Persuasion Categories:- Jane Austen characters
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