The figure in the margins: A case of the Gypsies in Emma

Nibedita Patel

doi:10.22161/ijeel.5.3.4

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JOURNAL ARTICLE

Author: Nibedita Patel

Keywords: Jane Austen, Emma, Gypsies, Nineteenth Century England

Abstract: In this article I intend to explore the phenomenon of what has often been called the “Gypsy Problem” in nineteenth-century Britain. Although the Gypsies have been in Great Britain at least since 1505, interest in the Gypsies exploded in the nineteenth century, and mainstream British Legislators, scholars and writers all found themselves fascinated by this mysterious people whose origins, language and customs were unknown to people outside of the tribe. Jane Austen’s novel Emma clearly portrays the world of the gypsies. The contemporary literature in English is flourishing as a result of the development of cultural pluralism and globalization. In such multicultural context, it is necessary and significant for scholars to make a study of the representations of the Gypsies in the margins and the need for the integration of these people to the mainstream of the society. The developing world of Austen with the industrial advancement, was in need to utilize all social resources, including their population effectively and strategically. Though the community of Highbury is not industrialized yet the growth of trade class and the yeomanry reflects the changing time of the nineteenth century. In my paper, I am interested to explore that Harriet Smith’s encounter with a group of gypsies reveals a great deal about perceptions of gypsies in the early part of the nineteenth century, and it will shed light on Austen’s preoccupation with a social system, understood as England undergoing change.

Article Info: Received: 27 Apr 2026; Received in revised form: 23 May 2026; Accepted: 27 May 2026; Available online: 31 May 2026

DOI: 10.22161/ijeel.5.3.4