Emma tells the brilliant, witty, and charming coming-of-age story of Emma Woodhouse, a beautiful, clever, and wealthy young woman who is perfectly content with her single life in the quiet English countryside of Highbury. Having no desire or financial need for marriage herself, Emma finds her greatest joy in playing cupid and orchestrating the romantic pairings of those around her. Following a successful match for her former governess, she mistakenly convinces herself of her infallible matchmaking abilities and takes the sweet but unsophisticated Harriet Smith under her wing as a protégé. Completely ignoring the rational warnings and sharp criticisms of her close family friend and moral compass, Mr. George Knightley, Emma misinterprets social cues and forces inappropriate attachments that quickly unravel into a series of embarrassing misunderstandings, awkward love triangles, and social complications. Through these humbling disasters, Emma is forced to confront her own vanity, class prejudices, and emotional blindness, ultimately realizing that her misguided meddling has nearly cost her the chance at discovering her own true love.