Who Jane Fairfax is
Jane Fairfax comes to Highbury as an elegant, accomplished young woman whose reserved manner contrasts with her aunt's talkativeness. She is the orphaned niece of Miss Bates and has been raised by friends.
Her arrival brings another person for Emma Woodhouse to observe, judge and try to understand. Yet Emma's response to Jane reveals uncertainty beneath her usual confidence in her own opinions.
Jane Fairfax and the others in the story
Miss Bates, Jane's aunt, is a kind, poor woman who lives with her aged mother in Highbury. Emma feels that she ought to like Jane, but admiration sits alongside resentment she cannot explain.
Mrs Elton takes Jane up as a project, much as Emma takes up Harriet Smith. A mysterious gift for Jane also prompts Emma to build a theory and share it with Frank Churchill.
Questions
Who is Jane Fairfax in Emma?
Jane Fairfax is the gifted, reserved niece of Miss Bates, and one of the new arrivals in Highbury.
How does Emma feel about Jane Fairfax?
Emma both admires and resents Jane.
Who raises Jane Fairfax?
Jane is raised by friends after being orphaned. Miss Bates is her aunt.