Emma Woodhouse

Highbury is a village in Surrey, England. Located about 16 miles from London, Highbury is an idyllic, genteel rural village with a close-knit community and healthy local economy.

Hartfield is an estate next to Highbury, and is Emma's home. It is the seat of the Woodhouse family, led in name by Mister Woodhouse. Hartfield is a comfortable, substantial house. It is elegant, orderly, and blessed with lovely gardens.

Miss Anne Taylor is Emma's governess, she lives with Emma and her father at Hartfield. Miss Taylor is equal parts friend and superior to Emma, and gives her guidance with perhaps too gentle a hand. Miss Taylor is of age to seek a husband of her own. Miss Taylor speaks politely and eloquently as befits a well-educated woman in her late 20s.

Mister Henry Woodhouse is Emma's father. An elderly, kindly, and somewhat fragile man, Mister Woodhouse is constantly concerned about the effects of many everyday things on his health and that of others. Mister Woodhouse speaks as a well-educated but doddering old man. Generous and well-mannered, his oddities are tolerated by others in Highbury with good grace.

Isabella Knightley is Emma's sister. She is married to John Knightley, younger brother of George Knightley. Isabella lives in London and has five children: Henry, John, Bella, Emma, and George

George Knightley is a neighbor and close friend of Emma despite his more advanced age of 37 years. Mister Knightley is Emma's only critic, because unlike others he does not turn a blind eye to her faults and simply wishes to see her grow to her full potential. Mister Knightley owns and resides at Donwell Abbey, and is the older brother of John Knightley. Mister Knightley is considerate, thoughtful, insightful, levelheaded, honest, hard-working, and honorable. Mister Knightley does not believe in ostentatious displays of wealth, eschewing even a pair of carriage horses.

A large and respectable estate within walking distance of Hartfield and the home of George Knightley.

John Knightley is the younger brother of George Knightley and husband of Isabella. He is 31 years old and lives in London, where he makes a living as an attorney. John is not particularly social, but does enjoy time with his family. John is well-spoken but tends to be rather straightforward when others would prefer a degree of delicacy.

Jane Fairfax is an orphan whose only family is Miss Bates, her Aunt, and Mrs. Bates, her grandmother. Beautiful, bright, elegant, with the best of manners. Very well educated and talented at singing and playing the piano. Miss Fairfax is the only person who Emma envies. Jane resides with Miss Bates and Mrs. Bates. Jane speaks elegantly and politely, as a modest young lady should.

Philip Elton is a handsome and well-mannered young vicar that lives in Highbury. He is 27 years old and unmarried. Despite his good manners he can at times be rather pretentious and presumptuous. Emma tolerates Mister Elton, but does not particularly like him. He speaks well, but is at times over-elegant and flatters too much.

Miss Bates is the daughter of Mrs. Bates. She is a friendly, garrulous spinster who speaks with great volume and velocity. Miss Bates is a kind woman who was raised by the former vicar of Highbury, but now has fallen into financial difficulty and rents rooms with her mother in a home in Highbury. Miss Bates is a soft-hearted gossip that wishes the best for everyone. Emma is somewhat exasperated by her empty-headed chatter, but attempts to endure it with good grace.

Mister Perry is the apothecary in Highbury. He is frequently consulted on matters of health, particularly by Mister Woodhouse.

The mistress of a boarding school for girls in Highbury. Frequent companion of Mister Woodhouse and Miss Bates.

William Larkins works for Mister Knightley on the estate of Donwell Abbey. He helps run the estate and sometimes also performs errands, like delivering gifts.

Prominent residents of Highbury that made their money in trade. Second in status only to Emma and her father, they have a large house, servants, and other expenses usually associated with the landed gentry.

Harriet Smith is a young friend of Emma's, 17 years old, naïve, and lovely. She is a boarder at the school run by Mrs. Goddard.

Eleanor Morland is a young woman of 22 years who is recently come to Highbury for an extended stay with her Uncle. Raised in the serene countryside near Derbyshire by a clergyman, Miss Morland enjoys the blessings of rural life while pursuing her passions for art. Gifted in painting, with a healthy figure and acceptable manners, she is a welcome addition to Highbury's social scene while presenting no threat to Emma's preeminence.

Mister Thomas Crawford is a charming 26 year old man who has come to Highbury as a guest of the Coles. Reserved and quiet, but with a formidable intellect and education, Mister Crawford is most comfortable with a small number of close acquaintances in intimate settings. When comfortable with his peers, his wry sense of humor makes him a pleasant addition to conversation. The Crawford family is newly come to wealth, having benefited largely from wise investments on the Continent, but Mister Crawford has excellent classical taste and speaks with precise and dignified diction.