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
Evelina writes to 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 Monsieur Du Bois had to wait in the shop because Polly and Miss Branghton were still getting dressed. When the girls finally came downstairs, they had a huge argument with Tom before they even greeted Madame Duval or Evelina.
The Branghtons are middle-class and are not educated in etiquette, or manners, the way that upper-class people are. Their behavior therefore seems uncouth to Evelina—even though she is not educated in etiquette either, she has spent time with upper-class people in the past and knows how to behave properly.
Themes
The Branghton family bicker and fight all the way through dinner, after which Miss Branghton, Polly, and Tom take Evelina downstairs to sit in the shop. When they enter the shop, Evelina notices a gloomy young man in the corner, who leaves as soon as they come in. The Branghtons tell Evelina that the man, Mr. Macartney, is a poor Scottish poet who rents the upstairs room from Mr. Branghton.
The Branghtons are middle-class and have made their money in trade, through their shop, rather than inheriting it through family connections. Class divisions were quite rigid in 18th-century Britain, so the Branghtons have not socialized with people in upper-class circles. Their behavior is rude and uncouth, and this shows that they lack sensibility—an 18th-century term that refers to a person’s empathy or consideration of others.
Themes
Evelina is concerned about Macartney because he looks so sad, but the Branghtons complain that he pays too little for the room and never seems to eat. The Branghtons show Evelina some poems that Macartney has written, and Evelina is deeply affected by them and thinks that they reveal a tortured soul. She wishes she could do something to help him and resents the Branghtons for their cold attitude toward him.
Evelina demonstrates her natural sensibility (which was also associated with emotional sensitivity and a deep connection to the arts) as she emotionally responds to Macartney’s poetry and feels deep concern for him because he is poor and depressed. The Branghtons, in contrast, are insensible and only think about the money they can make from Macartney as their tenant.
Themes
Evelina, Madame Duval, and the Branghtons are then invited for tea with the Branghton’s neighbor, Mr. Smith. Mr. Smith introduces himself to Evelina with an extremely pompous speech which, although it imitates good manners, only shows how poor Mr. Smith’s etiquette really is. Evelina even says that she prefers the theatrical speeches Sir Clement makes over those Mr. Smith makes.
Eighteenth-century Britain was strictly divided by class, and social mobility was restricted. However, this did not stop lower- and middle-class people from aspiring to join the nobility, even though this was essentially impossible for them. Mr. Smith, who is middle-class, wants to fool people into thinking he is noble and therefore educated in etiquette and refined speech. Evelina, who has interacted with real nobles like Sir Clement, easily sees through Mr. Smith and finds him pretentious. However, just because someone is noble does not mean they are a good person. Evelina is not fooled by Sir Clement either—he is an immoral person though he is a nobleman.
Themes
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