In “Emma” and Her Other Novels, Jane Austen Refuses to Punch Down
And as we read and write and “make sport for our neighbors,” so should we.
When my best friend Melody and I met in person for the first time (we became friends over the internet; thirteen years later neither of us has yet been revealed to be an axe murderer) our visit was fueled by late-night takeout noodles, chocolate, strawberries, a plethora of inside jokes, and Bigelow’s Constant Comment tea (a delicious blend of orange peel, spices, and black tea leaves; Bigelow, if by some miracle you’re reading this, please consider sponsoring me). Those last two coalesced when we referred to the tea as “Miss Bates tea,” because if you know anything about Miss Bates, you know she is constantly commenting.
Miss Hetty Bates is a secondary character in Jane Austen’s fourth novel, Emma, the last book to be published while Austen was still alive. Once the daughter of a relatively prosperous clergyman in the town of Highbury, Miss Bates is, as the book opens, a middle-aged spinster caring for her elderly mother on a meager income. She is cheerfully resigned to her lot in life, deriving her small pleasures from frequent visits to her neighbors and friends, sharing goodhearted gossip, and singing the praises of her niece Jane Fairfax. Miss Bates is kind to everyone…
