The theme of marriage is set up from very close to the beginning of the novel as it is Miss Taylor's marriage which brings Emma into the situation in which the novel takes place. Miss Taylor's marriage is presented in a very positive way to the reader partly though Mr Woodhouse's negativity and the way in which other characters argue with him in that respect. Marriage is presented at this point as the ideal state for women and indeed for men, which is exactly how it was viewed amongst society at the time. The couples story so far is concluded in chapter two when Austen recounts what has happened in Mr Weston's past to bring him to this marriage. The reader is informed of Mr Weston's previous marriage to Miss Churchill which was a marriage for love which could only be afforded because Miss Churchill had been so...