Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World

Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World

by

Fanny Burney

Teachers and parents! Our Teacher Edition on Evelina makes teaching easy.

Monsieur Du Bois Character Analysis

Monsieur Du Bois is Madame Duval’s French lover who escorts her to London. Monsieur Du Bois is generally polite and reserved. He does not speak much English, so his perspective is mainly lost on the other characters—only Evelina, who speaks a little French, can converse with him. The relationship between Madame Duval and Monsieur Du Bois is ambiguous, but it is implied that Monsieur Du Bois does not really have feelings for Madame Duval and is probably with her for her money. Monsieur Du Bois ends up falling in love with Evelina and confessing his love to her—thus ending his relationship with Madame Duval. Although Evelina is annoyed by Monsieur Du Bois’s conduct, he is generally an unthreatening and somewhat pathetic character.
Get the entire Evelina LitChart as a printable PDF.
Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World PDF

Monsieur Du Bois Character Timeline in Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World

The timeline below shows where the character Monsieur Du Bois appears in Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Volume 1, Letter 16
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
Inheritance, Class, and Nobility Theme Icon
The next evening, Madame Duval and her French companion, a young man named Monsieur Du Bois , join Evelina and the Mirvans after dinner. Captain Mirvan greets the visitors rudely, and... (full context)
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
Inheritance, Class, and Nobility Theme Icon
...that she wants to go home. Lord Orville leaves them, and they call their carriages. Monsieur Du Bois helps Madame Duval into her coach. When she gets in the coach, however, she screams... (full context)
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon
...Sir Clement and to let Madame Duval ride with the ladies. Madame Duval insists that Monsieur Du Bois must come too, and he squeezes into the carriage. (full context)
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
...go and look for her—but just at that moment, Madame Duval bursts in, followed by Monsieur Du Bois . They are both bedraggled and covered in mud, and Madame Duval furiously reproaches the... (full context)
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon
Madame Duval complains that Monsieur Du Bois tried to carry her out of the rain but slipped and fell in a puddle.... (full context)
Volume 1, Letter 17
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon
Innocence, Guidance, and Experience Theme Icon
...morning, Evelina goes to visit Madame Duval. When she arrives, she is startled to find Monsieur Du Bois in Madame Duval’s bedchamber. Embarrassed, Evelina tries to leave the room, but Madame Duval laughs... (full context)
Volume 1, Letter 19
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon
Innocence, Guidance, and Experience Theme Icon
Madame Duval and Monsieur Du Bois arrive at the Mirvans’ for dinner. Captain Mirvan immediately begins to tease them and mocks... (full context)
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon
...Clement immediately joins the Captain in teasing Madame Duval. Sir Clement makes a joke about Monsieur Du Bois dropping Madame Duval in a puddle, and Monsieur Du Bois responds that he would never... (full context)
Volume 1, Letter 25
Innocence, Guidance, and Experience Theme Icon
...set off for Howard Grove, when Madame Duval arrived late to set off and brought Monsieur Du Bois with her. (full context)
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon
...Grove, while a carriage is prepared for Mrs. Mirvan, Maria, Evelina, and Madame Duval. When Monsieur Du Bois climbs into the coach with the ladies, Captain Mirvan roughly drags him out again. The... (full context)
Volume 2, Letter 2
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon
Inheritance, Class, and Nobility Theme Icon
...was Du Bois. Sir Clement says that it was, and Madame Duval is horrified because Monsieur Du Bois is her companion whom Captain Mirvan forced her to leave in London. (full context)
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon
Captain Mirvan asks Sir Clement if he thinks Monsieur Du Bois will be hung, and Sir Clement says it is possible. Madame Duval rushes from the... (full context)
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon
Madame Duval decides that she does not believe Sir Clement and Captain Mirvan’s story about Monsieur Du Bois ’s arrest. Later that day, a servant delivers a letter to Madame Duval, and Madame... (full context)
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon
Inheritance, Class, and Nobility Theme Icon
...letter she has just received. It is allegedly from a “County Justice” who writes that Monsieur Du Bois has been arrested for treason and that Madame Duval must go to court as a... (full context)
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon
Madame Duval also receives a note from the servant, which tells her that Monsieur Du Bois has escaped from prison. Madame Duval tells the coachmen to turn around and hurry home—she... (full context)
Volume 2, Letter 9
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon
...Branghton shows them to their lodgings when they arrive. Mr. Branghton tells Madame Duval that Monsieur Du Bois is at his house, and Madame Duval is amazed to learn that Monsieur Du Bois... (full context)
Inheritance, Class, and Nobility Theme Icon
...them all about the trick that Captain Mirvan played on her to convince her that Monsieur Du Bois was in prison. Tom laughs at this, and a chaotic argument breaks out. (full context)
Volume 2, Letter 11
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
Inheritance, Class, and Nobility Theme Icon
Innocence, Guidance, and Experience Theme Icon
...Mr. Villars and tells him about the previous evening that she spent with Madame Duval, Monsieur Du Bois , and the Branghtons. When they arrived at Mr. Branghton’s house, Evelina, Madame Duval, and... (full context)
Volume 2, Letter 14
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
...Madame Duval again sends Evelina to visit the Branghtons and make plans for the evening. Monsieur Du Bois accompanies Evelina and is very polite and attentive. When she arrives, she finds Mr. Branghton... (full context)
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
Inheritance, Class, and Nobility Theme Icon
Back in the shop, Evelina and Monsieur Du Bois wait for Miss Branghton and Tom to return from an outing. When they arrive, Evelina... (full context)
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
Inheritance, Class, and Nobility Theme Icon
...they all burst out laughing. Evelina, infuriated, coldly bids them good day and leaves with Monsieur Du Bois , who is also shocked by their rudeness. When Evelina gets home, Madame Duval angrily... (full context)
Volume 2, Letter 15
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
Inheritance, Class, and Nobility Theme Icon
Innocence, Guidance, and Experience Theme Icon
The next evening, Evelina, the Branghtons, Madame Duval, Monsieur Du Bois , and Mr. Smith go to Vauxhall Gardens. Although the garden is very pretty, Evelina... (full context)
Volume 2, Letter 16
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon
Inheritance, Class, and Nobility Theme Icon
...the prank Sir Clement and Captain Mirvan played on her, when they convinced her that Monsieur Du Bois was in prison. Tom and Mr. Smith start to laugh and Sir Clement angrily tells... (full context)
Volume 2, Letter 17
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
A few nights later, Evelina, Madame Duval, Monsieur Du Bois , and the Branghtons again congregate in the Branghton’s shop. Mr. Macartney reads in the... (full context)
Volume 2, Letter 21
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon
A few nights later, Evelina, Madame Duval, Monsieur Du Bois , Mr. Smith, Mr. Brown, and the Branghtons visit Marybone Gardens to see a musical... (full context)
Volume 2, Letter 22
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon
Inheritance, Class, and Nobility Theme Icon
...should marry Tom. Evelina is affronted and does not want to discuss this. After this, Monsieur Du Bois passes Evelina a note that declares his love for her and his wish to marry... (full context)
Volume 2, Letter 23
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
The next day, Evelina, Madame Duval, the Branghtons, and Monsieur Du Bois go for a walk in Kensington Gardens. Evelina is annoyed because Tom will not leave... (full context)
Volume 2, Letter 24
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon
...her away from London. The previous morning, she was forced to visit the Branghtons with Monsieur Du Bois and was pestered by him, Tom, and Mr. Smith. When she returns, she discovers that... (full context)
Volume 3, Letter 21
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances  Theme Icon
Inheritance, Class, and Nobility Theme Icon
...a cold and cannot come to Evelina’s wedding but that she has broken up with Monsieur Du Bois and, therefore, will leave her whole inheritance to Evelina. Captain Mirvan then leaves with Maria... (full context)