Both Emma and Clueless reconstruct specific social environments and address an audience of that similar en

Emma and Cher, the protagonist of Clueless, subscribe to these social “rules” while subverting the expectations of their world though freewill. The rebellion however still results in one condition: the characters' choices must ultimately live up to society’s demands. Yet, in Emma, Austen shows her criticism of the society by making Emma step out of her expected line of a woman’s duty, “with very little intention of marrying at all”.

Clueless can be viewed as a humourous indictment of modern society while Emma is also a humourous indictment of Austen’s society. The viewer, in comparing the film with novel can see the situational humour more vividly after knowing the plot and outcome of the novel. In Emma, humour is based mostly on irony and situational humour such as Harriet’s trust in Emma about Mr Elton’s charade although Emma mistakenly misread it for Harriet “whatever you say is right and therefore I suppose and believe might be so…” Comedy of the manners, the decorum of code of manners and behaviour, illusions and errors such as the unexpected engagement of Frank and Jane also form a part of the comedy in Emma. From this, the difference in the film technique, such as Murray’s use of language “a disco-dancing, Oscar Wilde-reading, Streisand ticket-holding friend of Dorothy. Know what I’m saying?” comedy display characters’ attitudes and the ‘teen’ carefree culture. An understanding of the humour in Emma unmasks other such humours in film which are reinforced by visual, slapstick and verbal comedy such as one-liners “Isn’t my house classic? The columns date all the way back to 1972”, gags, “Do you like Billie Holiday?” “I love him!” and repartee “Would you say I’m selfish?” “No, not to your face” that portray the humour used today. The social context dictates the humour since the audience changes. For the popular audience, visual and repartees are more appealing. In Austen’s time, manners were important so only situational humour and irony were the main forms

Some topics in this essay:
Heckerling’s Clueless, Cher Dionne, Jane Fairfax, Austen’s Emma, Emma Emma, Billie Holiday”, Beverly Hills, Tai Mel, Dorothy I’m, Emma Clueless, situational humour, novel film, merely entertainment purposes, beverly hills, plastic noses, virgin despite, entertainment purposes, merely entertainment, humour irony, characters plot, mobile phones, remaining virgin despite,