Why did Frank Churchill, from Austens Emma, want a secret engagement to Jane?
He wanted a secret engagement, because he knew his aunt would never approve of his attachment to a penniless girl. A girl, too, who was socially beneath him. Had he announced the engagement, his aunt could have either seen to it that the engagement was broken or threatened him with the loss of his inheritance. At the very least, it would have been extremely unpleasant for him to incur his aunt’s wrath. No doubt he used his aunt’s frequent illnesses to convince Jane to take part in this secret, even though he didn’t believe they were always of physical origin. In the chapter where Mrs. Weston tells Emma of the understanding between Frank and Jane, Mrs. Weston says this about his uncle’s reaction and what happened when the truth came out: “Most favourably for his nephew–gave his consent with scarcely a difficulty. Conceive what the events of a week have done in that family! While poor Mrs. Churchill lived, I suppose there could not have been a hope, a chance, a possibility;–but scarcel
