Write a short and comprehensive summary of Austen's Emma.

To
get a short and comprehensive summary of is a bit of a trick, especially
if all characters are of importance. Peripheral characters will of necessity be omitted, yet you
can fill them in in your own summary, which this summary will only be a guiding reference
for.

Almost twenty-one years old, Emma loses her friend and governess, Miss
Taylor, when she marries and becomes Mrs. Weston. Emma, having "rather too much her own
way" and thinking a "little too well of herself," finds a replacement for Miss
Taylor's lost companionship in the newly befriended Harriet Smith whom Emma decides to groom for
a higher social class. Though Harriet is romantically attached to farmer Robert Martin, Emma
decides she should instead be attached to the vicar Mr. Elton. Mr Knightley, Emma's neighbor,
friend and the patriarchal overseer of Highbury as owner of Donwell Abbey (and benefactor and
friend of Robert Martin) warns Emma that she is inappropriately relating to Harriet while
ignoring other relationships that are worthy of her notice.

Just as Mr.
Knightley predicted, Emma's efforts with Harriet backfire when Mr. Elton, who has long been in
love with Emma--humoring Harriet only to please Emma--proposes to Emma in her carriage on their
way homeward through the snow after a party at the Weston's home. Emma rejects him. Emma is
shocked.

"You have made yourself too clear. Mr.
Elton, my astonishment is much beyond any thing I can express."

Elton is outraged. Harriet is heartbroken. Elton goes off to Bath
and later brings back to Highbury a bride. While Harriet is beginning her protracted period of
weeping, Jane Fairfax and Frank Churchill (Mr Weston's natural son raised by the deceased wife
and mother's family) both make their appearance in Highbury. Even though Jane receives a
mysteriously delivered pianoforte while Frank is inexplicably in London, no one has reason to
connect the two.

The entrance of Mrs. Elton and her bustling friendship with
Jane leads to a strawberry party, an outing to Box Hill and a ball, which all result in the
revelation of secrets between Jane and Frank, Harriet and Mr. Knightley, and Frank and Emma,
while Mr. Knightley has secret plans for farmer Martin. At the strawberry party, Mrs. Elton
pressures Jane to accept a governess position (putting Jane in a compromising position) and Jane
and Frank quarrel. The quarrel is slyly continued at the Box Hill outing while Emma thinks Frank
is showing a romantic interest in her. Emma insults Miss Bates thus earning a scolding from Mr.
Knightley, who shows his manliness by dancing with Harriet at the ball after she is scorned by
Elton.

The story soon after resolves with the truth about Frank and Jane's
secret engagement coming to light following Mrs. Churchill's death. Emma realizes Mr. Knightley
was again correct in warning her that Frank was insincere in his attentions. Mr. Knightley
facilitates the engagement of Harriet to Robert Martin, and Emma realizes she loves Mr.
Knightley and that he mustn't marry anyone but her, which is convenient because he knows he
mustn't marry anyone but Emma.