If Miss Bates, in Jane Austen's Emma, ​​can be perceived from afar as a minor character, a more in-depth analysis reveals that she is of capital importance in this novel. . As a representative of Highbury's lower classes, Miss Bates not only gives readers insight into their situation, but she also serves as an example of the correct behavior that would be expected of the upper classes towards their social inferiors. Being the talk of the town also makes Miss Bates an important source of information in Highbury and she also acts as a spokesperson for the mysterious and reserved Jane Fairfax. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on 'Why violent video games should not be banned'? Get an original essay Due to the fact that she is the daughter of the late vicar of Highbury, Miss Bates might be expected to lead a quite comfortable life in terms of financing. However, she and her mother face the difficult situation of having to survive on the charity of caring members of the upper class. This leads us to conclude that the character of Miss Bates was constructed in this way so that Austen could illustrate the relationships that exist between members of the upper class and their social inferiors. For example, it is mainly through the Bates that Austen is able to model proper gentlemanly behavior for Mr. Knightley, when he sends them apples from his own orchards and gives them the use of his car. Through the relationship between Mr. Knightley and Miss Bates, the author is able to convey the message that with privilege comes responsibility. Likewise, through Miss Bates, Austen is able to draw on incorrect behavior of the upper classes that stems from their superiority and lack of sensitivity. towards the fate of the most deprived. Emma, ​​for example, initially fails to sympathize with Miss Bates because she is so busy avoiding the latter because of her "horror of ending up with Highbury's second and third rates". This reckless and irresponsible behavior leads her to snub and, as a result, seriously offend Miss Bates at the picnic at Box Hill. The fact that Mr. Knightley berates Emma by saying, "How could you be so insensitive to Miss Bates?" How could you be so insolent towards a woman of her age, character and situation? - proves that Miss Bates is being used as a moral lesson by Austen. This also leads us to conclude that her role is important in Emma's transformation as a character. Just as Mr. Knightley's outburst is a shocking revelation to us, it has the same effect on Emma. It is in fact this incident that serves as the catalyst for the turning point in the protagonist's life. Another moral lesson that Austen conveys through Miss Bates is the consequence of being a single woman in the lower class of a patriarchal society. As illustrated by other female characters in the novel, such as Harriet Smith and Mrs. Weston, Austen draws on the fact that it was necessary for women of low social status to marry in order to ensure financial stability. Miss Bates is a lesson for characters like Jane Fairfax and Harriet Smith, who fear finding themselves in a difficult situation like her. The conversation between Harriet Smith and Emma Woodhouse regarding the latter's declaration that she would never marry is important in illustrating this argument. Emma stating "I don't want a fortune, I don't want a job...", highlights the fact that unlike Miss Bates, she can choose not to marry because she is the heiress to thirty thousand pounds and therefore has financial stability. The character.