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There is no charm equal to tenderness of heart.

Jane Austen, Emma

Literature

The story behind the card

Emma Woodhouse says this to herself in Volume II, chapter 13 of Jane Austen's Emma (1815). Clever, rich and self-assured, Emma spends much of the novel arranging other people's love lives. One plan has hurt her young friend Harriet Smith, whom she convinced that the vicar, Mr Elton, loved her. When Harriet answers a gentle request with tearful gratitude, Emma is moved, reflects that warmth and tenderness of heart outshine any cleverness, and admits she lacks it. Austen reportedly said no one but herself would much like this heroine.

Türkçe oku
Şefkatli bir yürek kadar çekici bir şey yoktur.
Jane Austen, Emma

Emma Woodhouse bu sözü, Jane Austen'ın Emma (1815) romanının ikinci cildinin 13. bölümünde kendi kendine söyler. Zeki, varlıklı ve yargısından emin olan Emma, romanın büyük bölümünde başkalarının aşk hayatını düzenlemeye uğraşır. Bu planlardan biri genç arkadaşı Harriet Smith'i üzmüştür: Emma onu, papaz Mr Elton'ın ona âşık olduğuna inandırmıştır. Harriet, Emma'nın yumuşak bir ricasına gözyaşları içinde minnetle karşılık verince Emma çok duygulanır. Yürek sıcaklığının ve şefkatin her türlü zekâdan üstün olduğunu düşünür ve bunun kendisinde olmadığını itiraf eder. Austen'ın, bu kahramanı kendisinden başka kimsenin pek sevmeyeceğini söylediği anlatılır.

Sources and further reading

Background reading: Jane Austen
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