Calling Jane Austen's "Emma" charming, Harold Bloom states, 'Austen is not writing a tragedy of the will...but a great comedy of the will.' He goes on to say that Austin's heroines have firmly defined selves, each molded with an individuality that suggest the author's potential for creating endless diversity in her enduring works.

This new edition offers a selection of contemporary critical commentary on this classic novel, along with a bibliography, a chronology of Austen's life, and an index for quick reference. Volumes in the "Bloom's Modern Critical Interpretations" series are intended for in-depth study of literary classics through eight to 12 full-length essays that represent the best criticism available on a specific work.