Abstract:

Emma is Jane Austen’s masterpiece of her realistic novels, which is considered to be a fiction written in her most mature style with the best integrated structure. This paper aims to discuss the reasons for Emma’s maturity from internal and external factors as an effort of better understanding the heroine’s complex character. Emma used to be an ignorant, selfish and snobbish girl. However, she was born kind and is independent both in thinking and action. When she has made some errors, she can always come down to think and reflect on herself in time, which to some extent contributes to her moral maturity. Moreover, after a series of setbacks and by the influences of her family environment and Mr.Knightley, she  changes her values and learns to respect and care about others. Finally Emma develops into a considerate, selfless and rational woman.                                                                                                                  
Key words: Emma; perceptual; rational; character; maturity; morality.

摘要：

《爱玛》是英国著名女作家简•奥斯汀的现实主义名著，被公认为是奥斯汀风格最成熟、结构最完整的一部小说。本文旨在从内因、外因两个方面论述促使爱玛成熟的原因，深层次地理解爱玛这个女主人公的复杂性格。爱玛曾经是一个无知自私势力的女孩，但她天性善良并且在思想行为上都相对独立。每当错误发生，她都能冷静下来去思考，及时反省自己，这在一定程度上促进了她的道德成熟。另外，经过一系列的打击以及在她家人和奈特利先生的影响下，爱玛改变了她的价值观，学会了尊重关心他人，最终成为了一位温柔体贴无私理性的女性。

关键词：爱玛；感性；理性；性格；成熟；道德

1. Introduction
1.1 Introduction to Emma
Emma, first published in 1815, is considered to be one of the most influential classic novels of the 19th century. Although born in a mall village, Steventon in England, Jane Austen has got a wide-ranged and deep understanding of the middle class. She focuses on their provincial life with the touch of humor and that of minor landed gentry, country clergymen and their families, both of which are characterized by the fact that marriage determines a woman’s social status. As Jane Austen mainly writes about genteel ladies’ lives and marriages, her novels are regarded as popular literature for a long time, and does not gain great popularity and attention from the critics until her death. She is the first one to write novels in contrast to popular form of the sentimental or the gothic, and her change of style turns out to be a success. She has created six novels in total, namely, Sense and Sensibility, Pride and Prejudice, Manifield Park, Emma, Northangery Abbey and Persuasion. Emma is regarded as her most successful work.