Emily of New Moon
Encyclopedia
Emily of New Moon is the first in a series of novels by Lucy Maud Montgomery
about the development of a writer. It was first published in 1923.
series, the Emily novels depicted life through the eyes of a young orphan
girl, Emily Starr, who is raised by her relatives after her father dies of consumption
. The series was less romanticized and more realistic than the Anne novels. Montgomery considered Emily to be a character much closer to her own personality than Anne, and some of the events which occur in the Emily series happened to Montgomery herself. Emily is described as having black hair, purply violet eyes, pale skin and a unique and enchanting "slow" smile.
Emily Starr is sent to live at New Moon Farm on Prince Edward Island
with her aunts Elizabeth and Laura Murray and her Cousin Jimmy. She makes friends with Ilse Burnley, Teddy Kent, and Perry Miller, the hired boy, who Aunt Elizabeth looks down upon because he was born in 'Stovepipe Town', a poorer district. Each of the children has a special gift. Emily was born to be a writer, Teddy is a gifted artist, Ilse is a talented elocutionist, and Perry has the makings of a great politician. They also each have a few problems with their families. Emily has a hard time getting along with Aunt Elizabeth, who does not understand her need to write. Ilse's father, Dr. Burnley, ignores Ilse most of the time because of a dreadful secret concerning Ilse's mother. Teddy's mother is jealous of her son's talents and friends, fearing that his love for them will eclipse his love for her; as a result, she hates Emily, Teddy's drawings, and even his pets. Perry is not as well off as the other three, so his Aunt Tom once tries to make Emily promise to marry Perry when they grow up, threatening that unless Emily does so, she will not pay for Perry's schooling.
Other unforgettable characters are Dean "Jarback" Priest, a quiet, mysterious cynic who wants something he fears is ever unattainable; fiery Mr Carpenter, the crusty old schoolteacher who is Emily's mentor and honest critic when it comes to evaluating her stories and poems; "simple" Cousin Jimmy, who recites his poetry when the spirit moves him; and strict, suspicious Aunt Ruth who yet proves to be an unexpected ally in times of trouble.
and CBC Television
in 1998. It was filmed on Prince Edward Island and starred local children. The series currently airs on Canada's Vision TV
in English and TLN
in Spanish, and in the USA on This TV
.
The series is also currently available on Hulu.
In April 2007, the novels were adapted into a 26-episode animated television series in Japan called Kaze no Shoujo Emily (Emily, The Wind Girl). The series was produced by NHK
and Tokyo Movie Shinsha
.
Lucy Maud Montgomery
Lucy Maud Montgomery OBE , called "Maud" by family and friends and publicly known as L.M. Montgomery, was a Canadian author best known for a series of novels beginning with Anne of Green Gables, published in 1908. Anne of Green Gables was an immediate success...
about the development of a writer. It was first published in 1923.
Plot summary
Similar to her earlier and more famous Anne of Green GablesAnne of Green Gables
Anne of Green Gables is a bestselling novel by Canadian author Lucy Maud Montgomery published in 1908. Set in 1878, it was written as fiction for readers of all ages, but in recent decades has been considered a children's book...
series, the Emily novels depicted life through the eyes of a young orphan
Orphan
An orphan is a child permanently bereaved of or abandoned by his or her parents. In common usage, only a child who has lost both parents is called an orphan...
girl, Emily Starr, who is raised by her relatives after her father dies of consumption
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
. The series was less romanticized and more realistic than the Anne novels. Montgomery considered Emily to be a character much closer to her own personality than Anne, and some of the events which occur in the Emily series happened to Montgomery herself. Emily is described as having black hair, purply violet eyes, pale skin and a unique and enchanting "slow" smile.
Emily Starr is sent to live at New Moon Farm on Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
with her aunts Elizabeth and Laura Murray and her Cousin Jimmy. She makes friends with Ilse Burnley, Teddy Kent, and Perry Miller, the hired boy, who Aunt Elizabeth looks down upon because he was born in 'Stovepipe Town', a poorer district. Each of the children has a special gift. Emily was born to be a writer, Teddy is a gifted artist, Ilse is a talented elocutionist, and Perry has the makings of a great politician. They also each have a few problems with their families. Emily has a hard time getting along with Aunt Elizabeth, who does not understand her need to write. Ilse's father, Dr. Burnley, ignores Ilse most of the time because of a dreadful secret concerning Ilse's mother. Teddy's mother is jealous of her son's talents and friends, fearing that his love for them will eclipse his love for her; as a result, she hates Emily, Teddy's drawings, and even his pets. Perry is not as well off as the other three, so his Aunt Tom once tries to make Emily promise to marry Perry when they grow up, threatening that unless Emily does so, she will not pay for Perry's schooling.
Other unforgettable characters are Dean "Jarback" Priest, a quiet, mysterious cynic who wants something he fears is ever unattainable; fiery Mr Carpenter, the crusty old schoolteacher who is Emily's mentor and honest critic when it comes to evaluating her stories and poems; "simple" Cousin Jimmy, who recites his poetry when the spirit moves him; and strict, suspicious Aunt Ruth who yet proves to be an unexpected ally in times of trouble.
Series
The three Emily novels are Emily of New Moon (1923), Emily Climbs (1925) and Emily's Quest (1927). The series follows Emily through her school years and her climb up the symbolic "Alpine Path" to becoming a successful author (the Alpine Path is a phrase from a poem which was inspirational to her from a young age). The later books also follow Emily through several romances and adventures. Emily is a heroine with a love for the beauty in nature and art, loyalty to her friends, a thirst for knowledge, and a passionate dedication to her writing.Publication
Since its original publication in 1923, the book has never gone out of print. The most popular editions of the book include the following.| ISBN | Published | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Seal, Mass Market Paperback | ||
| Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, paperback | ||
| Cornstalk, hardcover |
Translations
The book has been translated into numerous languages, including the following.- Kumkunen Emily(Emily Dreming)' and 'Emily, Chowon ew Bit(Emily, the Light on the plain)(Korean)
- Emīlija no Jaunā mēness (Latvian)
- Pieni runotyttö (Finnish)
- Emilka ze Srebrnego Nowiu (Polish)
- Emily (Swedish)
- Emily, la de Luna Nueva (Spanish)
- Emily della Luna Nuova (Italy)
- Kawaii Emily (Japanese)
- Emilie de la Nouvelle Lune (French)
- Emily auf der Moon-Farm (German)
- Emily-Dokhtare Darrehaye Sabz (Persian)
- Emily z Nového Mesiaca (Slovak)
Television
The novels were adapted into a TV series by Salter Street FilmsSalter Street Films
Salter Street Films was a Canadian television and film production company based in Halifax, Nova Scotia.- History :The company was founded by brothers Paul and Michael Donovan in 1983. Paul Donovan was trained as a director at the London Film School; Michael graduated from Dalhousie University’s...
and CBC Television
CBC Television
CBC Television is a Canadian television network owned by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, the national public broadcaster.Although the CBC is supported by public funding, the television network supplements this funding with commercial advertising revenue, in contrast to CBC Radio which are...
in 1998. It was filmed on Prince Edward Island and starred local children. The series currently airs on Canada's Vision TV
Vision TV
VisionTV is a Canadian English language Category A specialty channel that broadcasts multi-faith, multicultural, and general entertainment programming aimed at the 45 and over demographic....
in English and TLN
Telelatino
Telelatino, also referred to as TLN, is a Canadian Category A Specialty channel broadcasting general interest programming from Canada and around the world, primarily in Italian and Spanish...
in Spanish, and in the USA on This TV
This TV
This TV is a United States general entertainment television network, with a large emphasis in its programming on movies....
.
The series is also currently available on Hulu.
In April 2007, the novels were adapted into a 26-episode animated television series in Japan called Kaze no Shoujo Emily (Emily, The Wind Girl). The series was produced by NHK
NHK
NHK is Japan's national public broadcasting organization. NHK, which has always identified itself to its audiences by the English pronunciation of its initials, is a publicly owned corporation funded by viewers' payments of a television license fee....
and Tokyo Movie Shinsha
Tokyo Movie Shinsha
, formerly known as , is a Japanese animation studio, founded on October 1946. One of the oldest and most prominent anime studios in Japan, it has also produced numerous animated series airing in other countries such as France, the United States, and Italy. The company currently uses "TMS...
.
External links
- Online text of Emily of New Moon
- An L.M. Montgomery Resource Page Excellent resource on L.M. Montgomery and her novels.
- Anime World: Kaze no Shoujo Emily NHK's Official Kaze no Shoujo Emily site.
- The L.M. Montgomery Research Group This scholarly site includes a blog, an extensive bibliography of reference materials, and a complete filmography of all adaptations of Montgomery texts.
- The L.M. Montgomery Literary Society This site includes information about Montgomery's works and life and research from the newsletter, The Shining Scroll.