Social class is a major theme permeating Emma and The Canterbury Tales. Both texts are set at a time when class system has a dominant effect on the whole society. While both of them explore the significance of social class, the two texts deal with the subject with very different approaches. Austen illustrates the theme in a realistic way in Emma, and maintains the traditional hierarchy throughout the whole novel, while Chaucer attempts to overturn social norms and break the hierarchy, presenting the theme in an unrealistic way. The Presence of Social Class The theme of social class is evident throughout the whole novel of Emma. Austen presents the distinction between the upper class and the lower class and its impact explicitly. The scene of turning down Mr. Martin's proposal is one of the evidence. When Mr. Martin proposes to Harriet, Emma advises Harriet to reject Mr. Martin, saying that the consequence of such a marriage would be ˜the loss of a friend' because she ˜could not have visited Mrs. Robert Martin, of Abbey-Mill Farm' (43; 1: ch. 7). Her resentment and prejudice against Mr. Martin only stem from the fact that he is a farmer, and that there is a stark contrast between their wealth and position in the society that she even does not hesitate for a moment about the loss of her connection with Harriet to avoid the risk of her social status being stained by the lower class. Similar to Emma, the existence of social class is conspicuous throughout The Canterbury Tales. The characters with different professions and roles represent the three fundamental orders in the 14th-century society. The knight, who stands for the upper class, is always respectable, and is the first one to be described and to share his tale. Although the narrator claims that he does not intend to recount the tales in any special order by saying ˜That in my tale I haven't been exact, To set folks in their order of degree' (744-745), the sequence of describing the characters and recounting their tales basically matches their social rank in descending order. "Realistic" versus "unrealistic' and preservation versus overthrow of social class Although the class-consciousness is highly perceptible in both Emma and The Canterbury Tales, there is a significant difference in the authors' treatment of the theme. Austen preserves the social hierarchy in her novel, though she may not necessarily approve it, and is realistic about its influence on people's lives, whereas Chaucer attempts to break the conventions and overthrow the hierarchy. Emma upholds the concept of social class and maintains the distinction between different strata by declining the possibility of changing one's social rank. Harriet is a natural daughter of nobody, but Emma tries to lift her status by being acquainted with her, believing that Mr. Martin is ˜undoubtedly her inferior as to rank in society' and ˜The sphere in which she moves is much above his. “ It would be a degradation.' (50; 1: ch. 8) From these quotes, it is clear that Emma is convinced Harriet shares an equal status with her since Harriet has become her intimate friend and thus it would be a ˜degradation' to get married with Mr. Martin. Emma's attempt to raise Harriet's status is further reinforced by her encouragement and approval of Harriet's fancy to Mr. Elton, who is supposed to be more superior in terms of class. Subsequently, it is discovered that Mr. Elton despises Harriet because of her lower status. A similar scene appears in the later part of the novel where Emma mistakes Harriet's affection for Mr. Knightley as Frank Churchill whom is again more superior. Eventually, everything from the match with Mr. Elton to that with Frank Churchill turns out to be a failure. Emma's long attempt to boost Harriet's status has been in vain. Later when it is revealed that Harriet is a daughter of a tradesman, Emma admits that Mr. Martin is a suitable person to get married with Harriet. All these show that one's status can hardly be altered no matter how hard he or she tries, and those who are not born with good blood will never measure up to those who are, thus indicating that Austen defends the traditional class system against being toppled. This argument can be further supported by Mr. Weston's first marriage and the Coles' dinner party. Mr. Weston's first marriage is supposed to be a good means for him to climb up the social ladder since Miss Churchill comes from a wealthy family of the upper class, but this marriage turns out to be a breakdown and their relationship is in jeopardy as a result of their inequality, as supported by the quote ˜It was an unsuitable connection, and did not produce much happiness.' (13; 1: ch. 2) Obviously, Mr. Weston's second marriage with Miss Talyor is more ˜suitable' because they share more equality in their social status. Apart from that,