diff --git a/src/Components/Inlines/Emphasis.php b/src/Components/Inlines/Emphasis.php
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..bf8a2ab
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/Components/Inlines/Emphasis.php
@@ -0,0 +1,86 @@
+<?php
+
+namespace Erusev\Parsedown\Components\Inlines;
+
+use Erusev\Parsedown\AST\Handler;
+use Erusev\Parsedown\AST\StateRenderable;
+use Erusev\Parsedown\Components\Inline;
+use Erusev\Parsedown\Html\Renderables\Element;
+use Erusev\Parsedown\Html\Renderables\Text;
+use Erusev\Parsedown\Parsedown;
+use Erusev\Parsedown\Parsing\Excerpt;
+use Erusev\Parsedown\State;
+
+final class Emphasis implements Inline
+{
+    use WidthTrait, DefaultBeginPosition;
+
+    /** @var string */
+    private $text;
+
+    /** @var 'em'|'strong' */
+    private $type;
+
+    const STRONG_REGEX = [
+        '*' => '/^[*]{2}((?:\\\\\*|[^*]|[*][^*]*+[*])+?)[*]{2}(?![*])/s',
+        '_' => '/^__((?:\\\\_|[^_]|_[^_]*+_)+?)__(?!_)/us',
+    ];
+
+    const EM_REGEX = [
+        '*' => '/^[*]((?:\\\\\*|[^*]|[*][*][^*]+?[*][*])+?)[*](?![*])/s',
+        '_' => '/^_((?:\\\\_|[^_]|__[^_]*__)+?)_(?!_)\b/us',
+    ];
+
+    /**
+     * @param string $text
+     * @param 'em'|'strong' $type
+     * @param int $width
+     */
+    public function __construct($text, $type, $width)
+    {
+        $this->text = $text;
+        $this->type = $type;
+        $this->width = $width;
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @param Excerpt $Excerpt
+     * @param State $State
+     * @return static|null
+     */
+    public static function build(Excerpt $Excerpt, State $State)
+    {
+        if (! isset($Excerpt->text()[1])) {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        $marker = $Excerpt->text()[0] === '*' ? '*' : '_';
+
+        if ($Excerpt->text()[1] === $marker and \preg_match(self::STRONG_REGEX[$marker], $Excerpt->text(), $matches)) {
+            $emphasis = 'strong';
+        } elseif (\preg_match(self::EM_REGEX[$marker], $Excerpt->text(), $matches)) {
+            $emphasis = 'em';
+        } else {
+            return null;
+        }
+
+        return new self($matches[1], $emphasis, \strlen($matches[0]));
+    }
+
+    /**
+     * @return Handler<Element>
+     */
+    public function stateRenderable(Parsedown $Parsedown)
+    {
+        return new Handler(
+            /** @return Element */
+            function (State $State) use ($Parsedown) {
+                return new Element(
+                    $this->type,
+                    [],
+                    $State->applyTo($Parsedown->lineElements($this->text))
+                );
+            }
+        );
+    }
+}
diff --git a/src/Parsedown.php b/src/Parsedown.php
index c96c4d0..55c130c 100644
--- a/src/Parsedown.php
+++ b/src/Parsedown.php
@@ -411,35 +411,6 @@ class Parsedown
         return $Elements;
     }
 
-    protected function inlineEmphasis($Excerpt)
-    {
-        if (! isset($Excerpt['text'][1])) {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        $marker = $Excerpt['text'][0];
-
-        if ($Excerpt['text'][1] === $marker and \preg_match($this->StrongRegex[$marker], $Excerpt['text'], $matches)) {
-            $emphasis = 'strong';
-        } elseif (\preg_match($this->EmRegex[$marker], $Excerpt['text'], $matches)) {
-            $emphasis = 'em';
-        } else {
-            return;
-        }
-
-        return [
-            'extent' => \strlen($matches[0]),
-            'element' => [
-                'name' => $emphasis,
-                'handler' => [
-                    'function' => 'lineElements',
-                    'argument' => $matches[1],
-                    'destination' => 'elements',
-                ]
-            ],
-        ];
-    }
-
     protected function inlineEscapeSequence($Excerpt)
     {
         if (isset($Excerpt['text'][1]) and \in_array($Excerpt['text'][1], $this->specialCharacters, true)) {