Once Evelina arrives in London, she starts going to the theater with the Mirvans and enjoying herself immensely. One of the productions she attends is of King Lear, a play she says “has made me very sad.” This is an allusion to Shakespeare’s classic tragedy King Lear. Shakespeare’s play is based on the legend of King Lier—a supposed 8th-century king of the Britons—and the chaos that ensues after he decides to divide his kingdom amongst his daughters.
While Burney likely included King Lear in her novel because it was a highly popular play at the time she was writing (adding to the realism of Evelina’s story), it’s also possible that she included it more intentionally. That the play made Evelina “very sad” is significant—at this point in the story, she has just emerged from a sheltered and uncomplicated upbringing in rural England and is starting to confront the excitement and intensity of life as a young woman out in London society. Witnessing the dramatic nature of King Lear—and especially its depiction of chaotic family dynamics—is part of Evelina’s maturation process. Just as King Lear’s family story is full of twists and turns, Evelina’s own family story is about to be full of confusion and drama, as she learns that Miss Belmont has essentially lived her life in Evelina’s place as Sir John Belmont’s only daughter.
