Mr. Emerson Character Analysis in A Room with a View

George’s father, Mr. Emerson is an intelligent, thoughtful man who comes from a somewhat lower-class background. He has little regard for social niceties and perhaps lacks tact, but he means well and is a kind person. He encourages George to trust in love and follow his heart, not realizing that George is in love with Lucy. When he learns that George has kissed Lucy twice, he apologizes to her, but once he realizes that Lucy also has feelings for George he is a major force in urging and persuading Lucy to follow her own heart and be with George.

Mr. Emerson Quotes in A Room with a View

The A Room with a View quotes below are all either spoken by Mr. Emerson or refer to Mr. Emerson. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Society, Manners, and Changing Social Norms Theme Icon

I think he would not take advantage of your acceptance, nor expect you to show gratitude. He has the merit—if it is one—of saying exactly what he means. He has rooms he does not value, and he thinks you would value them. He no more thought of putting you under an obligation than he thought of being polite. It is so difficult—at least, I find it difficult—to understand people who speak the truth.

Related Characters: Mr. Beebe (speaker), Lucy Honeychurch, Charlotte Bartlett, Mr. Emerson

Related Symbols: Indoors, Outdoors and Views

Page Number and Citation: 8

Explanation and Analysis:

About old Mr. Emerson—I hardly know. No, he is not tactful; yet, have you ever noticed that there are people who do things which are most indelicate, and yet at the same time—beautiful?

Related Characters: Lucy Honeychurch (speaker), Mr. Emerson

Page Number and Citation: 10

Explanation and Analysis:

I think that you are repeating what you have heard older people say. You are pretending to be touchy; but you are not really. Stop being so tiresome, and tell me instead what part of the church you want to see. To take you to it will be a real pleasure.

Related Characters: Mr. Emerson (speaker), Lucy Honeychurch

Page Number and Citation: 21

Explanation and Analysis:

"Mr. Beebe—old Mr. Emerson, is he nice or not nice? I do so want to know."

Mr. Beebe laughed and suggested that she should settle the question for herself.

Related Characters: Lucy Honeychurch (speaker), Mr. Emerson, Mr. Beebe

Page Number and Citation: 34

Explanation and Analysis:

At this point Mr. Emerson, whom the shock of stopping had awoke, declared that the lovers must on no account be separated, and patted them on the back to signify his approval. And Miss Lavish, though unwilling to ally him, felt bound to support the cause of Bohemianism.

Related Characters: Mr. Emerson, Miss Lavish

Related Literary Devices:

Page Number and Citation: 57

Explanation and Analysis:

Fifty miles of Spring, and we've come up to admire them. Do you suppose there's any difference between Spring in nature and Spring in man? But there we go, praising the one and condemning the other as improper, ashamed that the same work eternally through both.

Related Characters: Mr. Emerson (speaker)

Related Symbols: Indoors, Outdoors and Views

Page Number and Citation: 59

Explanation and Analysis:

"I taught him," he quavered, "to trust in love. I said: 'When love comes, that is reality.' I said: 'Passion does not blind. No. Passion is sanity, and the woman you love, she is the only person you will ever really understand.'"

Related Characters: Mr. Emerson (speaker), George Emerson

Page Number and Citation: 183

Explanation and Analysis:

Mr. Emerson Character Timeline in A Room with a View

The timeline below shows where the character Mr. Emerson appears in A Room with a View. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...a view, and are interrupted by a man at another dinner table. The man, named Mr. Emerson , says that he and his son George are willing to exchange their rooms (which... (full context)

...Lucy leave dinner and talk with Mr. Beebe in another room. Charlotte asks about the Emersons, and says that she could not put Lucy and herself under any obligation to them... (full context)

Charlotte worries that she was rude in rejecting the Emersons’ offer and asked Mr. Beebe if she should apologize, but he says she doesn’t need... (full context)

Slightly defending Mr. Emerson ’s kind offer, Lucy agrees that he is not tactful but asks, “yet, have you... (full context)

Lucy and Charlotte move into the Emersons’ rooms, and Charlotte explains to Lucy that she has taken the room George was in,... (full context)

...they finally find themselves at the church of Santa Croce. There, they happen to see Mr. Emerson and his son George. (full context)

...trip over the feet of a statue of a bishop, and goes to help him. Mr. Emerson also goes to the boy and says, “a baby hurt, cold, and frightened! But what... (full context)

An Italian woman comes and helps the boy up. Mr. Emerson tries to talk to her, but she does not speak English. Lucy explains to Mr.... (full context)

...church, a reverend is showing a congregation the church, and lectures about the Giotto frescoes. Mr. Emerson disagrees with what the reverend is saying, and loudly corrects him. The reverend awkwardly says... (full context)

...of grayness, of tragedy that might only find solution in the night.” Lucy and the Emersons walk around the church, and Mr. Emerson tells Lucy that George is very unhappy. He... (full context)

...spots Charlotte in a nave of the church. Lucy joins her cousin and thanks the Emersons for “a delightful morning.” (full context)

...Miss Lavish, but admits that she finds her a bit “unwomanly,” and shares an anecdote: Mr. Emerson had once warned a woman in the Pension about drinking too much lemonade because of... (full context)

...to describe how Miss Lavish later invited her to go into the smoking-room with the Emersons, which she regarded as “an unsuitable invitation.” Miss Lavish then went and spent time alone... (full context)

...Mr. Eager and Miss Lavish for some reason. Charlotte and Mr. Eager talk about the Emersons, and Mr. Eager says that Mr. Emerson has written for the “Socialistic Press.” Mr. Eager... (full context)

...Mr. Emerson murdered his wife (though he supplies no proof). He asks Lucy if the Emersons had said bad things about him when they were with her in Santa Croce, and... (full context)

...of Florence. As Lucy thinks over the murder she saw and the murder accusation against Mr. Emerson , Charlotte continues to figure out seating arrangements for the upcoming drive. (full context)

...Italians to mythological figures. In the carriage are Mr. Beebe, Mr. Eager, Miss Lavish, the Emersons, Lucy, and Charlotte. Mr. Beebe had invited the Emersons along without asking Mr. Eager first,... (full context)

...stops the carriage and tells the driver that his female friend will have to leave. Mr. Emerson , though, says that “the lovers must on no account be separated.” Mr. Eager speaks... (full context)

Mr. Emerson talks with Miss Lavish and regrets the way that Mr. Eager treated the young driver,... (full context)

Charlotte tells Miss Lavish that she asked Mr. Emerson what his profession was, and he answered “the railway,” which she found “such a dreadful... (full context)

Worried, Mr. Emerson asks Mr. Eager to ask the driver where George is. Charlotte, meanwhile, slips some money... (full context)

...Mr. Eager claimed someone at the Pension Bertolini had murdered his wife. She can’t remember Mr. Emerson ’s name, and thinks the accused was a Mr. Harris. She says that she absolutely... (full context)

Lucy says that these Emersons are probably not the same ones as were in Florence, and Mr. Beebe agrees. He... (full context)

...mother about the kiss, and will keep that promise. She reiterates that she thinks the Emersons are “respectable people,” and says that she will not complain about them. Lucy is unsure... (full context)

Mr. Emerson , just entering the room, says that men and women will be equal, and says... (full context)

Freddy tells Mr. Emerson that he will call on him later (a long-standing social tradition of visiting someone and... (full context)

...church, and insists that Minnie come. After church, Mrs. Honeychurch and Lucy stop by the Emersons’ home. Mr. Emerson meets Mrs. Honeychurch and tells her that he likes his new home,... (full context)

...while Charlotte and Mrs. Honeychurch go into the church. There, Lucy is surprised to find Mr. Emerson , who immediately apologizes on behalf of George. (George has apparently told his father about... (full context)

...a sort of depression, just as his mother was when George was a baby. The Emersons had not baptized George, and then George got typhoid. Mr. Eager convinced Mrs. Emerson that... (full context)

Lucy feels bad and tells Mr. Emerson that he doesn’t have to leave his home, since she is going to Greece. But... (full context)

Lucy tries to explain to Mr. Emerson that she left Cecil for her own reasons, but he tells her that she is... (full context)

...Mr. Beebe tells Lucy to marry George, saying, “he will do admirably.” Lucy looks to Mr. Emerson and thinks that his face is “the face of a saint who understood.” Mr. Emerson... (full context)