Emma is considered a masterpiece of the British writer Jane Austen. With her main character Emma Woodhouse, the author depicts the maturing process of a privileged and intelligent woman at the beginning of the 19th century, who harms others with her misguided perceptions and eventually finds her place in society. Emmas greatest joy is "matchmaking": pairing women with suitable husbands. But her well-intentioned matchmaking attempts usually turn out disastrously.

Jane Austen (16 December 1775 - 18 July 1817) was an English novelist known primarily for her six major novels, which interpret, critique, and comment upon the British landed gentry at the end of the 18th century. Austen's plots often explore the dependence of women on marriage in the pursuit of favourable social standing and economic security.