Alloy enjoyment

ALLOY 

The real evils indeed of Emma’s situation were the power of having rather too much her own way, and a disposition to think a little too well of herself; these were the disadvantages which threatened alloy to her many enjoyments. The danger, however, was at present so unperceived, that they did not by any means rank as misfortunes with her. The Narrator on Emma Woodhouse, Emma, Chapter 1

This is our introduction to Emma Woodhouse’s major character flaws, and the premise for the entire novel condensed into one paragraph! Wow! With words like evil, power, alloy, danger and misfortune packed into two sentences, one wonders how it could get any better!

Prior to writing the novel, Jane Austen candidly remarked to her family that “I am going to take a heroine whom no-one but myself will much like.” She knew that she was creating an endearingly flawed character for her novel, and this witty warning does little to alloy my anticipation of the enjoyment of it!