Harriet Smith is a fictional character from the novel Emma by Jane Austen. She is portrayed as a young woman of uncertain parentage, raised in a boarding school. Harriet is kind-hearted and impressionable, often influenced by the opinions of others, particularly her friend Emma Woodhouse. Throughout the story, Harriet's social status and romantic interests are central to her character development. She becomes the object of Emma's matchmaking efforts, which leads to various misunderstandings and challenges. Harriet's journey reflects themes of friendship, self-discovery, and the complexities of social class in early 19th-century England.