Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances
Gender, Reputation, and Marriage
Inheritance, Class, and Nobility
Innocence, Guidance, and Experience
Summary
Analysis
Mr. Villars writes back to Lady Howard and says that although he fears introducing Evelina to her father, Sir John, he has often struggled with the issue and does not always know the right thing to do. Mr. Villars despises Sir John because he cruelly abandoned Caroline, Evelina’s mother, while she was pregnant. Before Caroline died, Mr. Villars promised her that he would raise Evelina and protect her from Sir John. Evelina grew up into a sweet, sensible young woman, and Mr. Villars decided that, rather than expose her to her debauched father, he would leave her his own fortune instead and allow her to live anonymously.
Mr. Villars is a good moral guide to Evelina: he does not always know the best way to behave, but he always strives to do the right thing. Mr. Villars carefully considers Evelina’s needs, and this demonstrates his sensibility (an 18th-century term for empathy and consideration for others). Sir John’s actions irreparably damaged Caroline’s reputation because his abandonment made it look like she became pregnant out of wedlock. Eighteenth-century British society valued purity in women, and premarital sex was considered unacceptable, especially for women. Caroline did not want Sir John to meet Evelina, as she feared that he would be a bad example and that Evelina will be led astray as Caroline was.
Themes
However, Mr. Villars now sees that protecting Evelina is impossible and that Madame Duval will resort to violence and manipulation if she cannot get her own way. Mr. Villars also thinks there is some sense in trying to secure Evelina’s rightful inheritance and wishes Lady Howard to attempt this, not Madame Duval. He is deeply opposed to a lawsuit, which he says would be a public disgrace to Evelina and wants the matter to be settled privately. Instead, Mr. Villars asks Lady Howard to write to Sir John and tell him about Evelina. Mr. Villars adds that he also has a letter from Caroline to Sir John, which he will send if necessary.
Mr. Villars realizes that he cannot always shelter Evelina and that, if he tries, he may do more harm than good. Upper-class women could not earn money in this period, so Evelina must either be given her inheritance or find a wealthy husband to provide for her. Mr. Villars demonstrates sensibility as he thinks carefully about how a lawsuit would affect Evelina and impact her reputation.
Themes
