Emma

"Emma" was first published by John Murray in December of 1815. It was the last of Austen's novels to be published before her death, and, like her earlier works, was published anonymously. Shortly before the publication of "Emma," Austen was invited to meet with the Prince Regent's librarian, who encouraged her to dedicate her next novel to the Prince Regent a great admirer of her work. Although Austen was not particularly fond of the Prince, she chose to follow the librarian's suggestion and later satirized her meeting with him in "Plan of a Novel, according to hints from various quarters."

There were two thousand copies of "Emma" printed in the first edition, but more than a quarter remained unsold after four years. The novel was generally well-received by the public. Unfortunately, Austen earned very little from its publication: most of the profits were used for the ill-timed printing of a second edition of "Mansfield Park" a few months later, and she ultimately only earned 40 pounds from the novel in her lifetime.

"Emma" was a departure for Austen because, unlike her other novels, the work focuses on a wealthy and beautiful heroine with no financial concerns or need to marry. The quest for financial security and an appropriate husband is central to her other works and adds a serious element to their narrative structures. "Emma" has a generally lighter tone because it lacks this dramatic conflict. The heroine of the novel is also unique because of her seeming immunity to romantic sensibility. It is only at the end of the work that Emma succumbs to love; before that point, she shows minimal romantic interest in any of the male characters.