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 to Evelina and reassures her that, even if she is rejected by Sir John Belmont and denied her rightful inheritance, Mr. Villars will always take care of her treat her as a daughter. If it were up to him, Mr. Villars writes, he would bring Evelina home to Berry Hill and protect her from the outside world—but he knows that he cannot do this and that Evelina must find her own way in the world.
Mr. Villars is an excellent moral example for Evelina because he does not care about her social status (she is a noble but is perceived as illegitimate because her father denies his marriage to her mother). Mr. Villars loves and supports Evelina no matter what. He’s also a wise guardian because he understands that, although he wants to shelter Evelina, he must let her grow up and gain experience in the world. Berry Hill, Evelina’s childhood home in the countryside, symbolizes her innocence—which she must leave behind as she matures.
Themes
