Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances
Frances Burney’s Evelina reflects 18th-century English society’s preoccupation with sensibility and etiquette. A person’s sensibility refers to their capacity for profound emotional reactions, especially as it relates to their ability to empathize with others and react emotionally to other people’s suffering. Sensible people were thus considered to be virtuous people, as those with natural sensibility were believed to care deeply about others and wanted to avoid offending people. To avoid giving offense, however, people also…
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Gender, Reputation, and Marriage
Women’s reputations are portrayed as extremely important and fragile in Evelina. Society prized female virginity in the 18th century, when Evelina is set, and any doubt about a woman’s purity could damage her reputation. However, 18th-century British society was also misogynistic, and even if an innocent woman was accused of sexual promiscuity, she was unlikely to be believed if she tried to defend herself. Outside of the fragility of their reputations, women were generally…
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Inheritance, Class, and Nobility
In the 18th century, Britain’s social and political landscape revolved around class. The upper classes, or nobility, wielded significant social and political power, while the middle and lower classes had little political representation or social clout. And while middle- and lower-class people often aspired to join the ranks of the upper crust, Burney suggests in Evelina that social mobility simply isn’t an option for them, and those who try to force their way in with…
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Innocence, Guidance, and Experience
As a young girl in a patriarchal society, Evelina relies on the guidance of her guardian, Mr. Villars, in navigating her early life. When she leaves home for the first time, however, she finds that her judgement is often tested in new situations and she worries about making mistakes that Mr. Villars might disapprove of. But as Evelina makes mistakes and gains experience, she comes to trust herself and realizes that she no longer…
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