An expert on Jane Austen has been talking to the Herald about the author’s novel Emma.
Sophie Reynolds, head of collections, interpretation and events at Jane Austen’s House, was speaking in advance of a festival about the book to be held at the Chawton museum this summer.
She said: “We’re very excited to release the programme for our Emma Festival in July, the third in our series of festivals celebrating the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth.
“Each festival features a programme of special events, including themed tours, talks, workshops and performances.
“At the heart of our Emma Festival is our popular annual Dress Up Day on July 19 – and this year it’s promising to be bigger and better than ever.”
Jane Austen wrote Emma in 1814 while living in the cottage which now bears her name. It was her fourth published novel, released in December 1815, and the last published in her lifetime.
Sophie added: “Emma is often described as Jane Austen's most perfect novel - perhaps because it has so many layers. It can be read again and again and will always turn up something new.
“It is deceptively simple. The characters and plot appear straightforward, but it is full of hidden meanings, twists and turns, jokes and riddles.
“This is wonderful for a reader, but it does make it hard to dramatise - which is perhaps why there have been so many attempts to do so.”
In 1995 Alicia Silverstone brought Emma up to date as Cher Horowitz in Clueless.
The Emma Festival runs from July 12 to 20. For details and tickets visit https://janeaustens.house/