Emma begins with Miss Emma Woodhouse, the title character, losing her governess and a dear friend through the governess' marriage to Mr. Weston. Emma has no one to blame but herself as she was behind the match in the first place. She apparently loves to match make for people and cannot wait for her next challenge.

The loss of her governess prompts Emma to begin to search for a new companion, and Miss Harriet Smith fits the bill perfectly. Although she is beneath Emma in status, she is just the sort of friend Emma thinks she needs. She takes Harriet in and does her best to groom Harriet to be a suitable friend.

Since Harriet is single, Emma immediately begins pairing her off with the most eligible bachelor in Highbury, Mr. Elton. This leads to a great deal of confusion as Mr. Elton already has his...