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
The next day, Evelina is shocked to receive a visit from Lord Orville. Lord Orville wants to know if Evelina knows that the two women that he saw her with the previous evening are prostitutes. Evelina says that she was not with them and will never see them again. Lord Orville is relieved—he was worried that the women had tricked Evelina, and he wished to warn her against them. Evelina is grateful for his concern and glad that he does not think badly of her. Before he leaves, Lord Orville kisses her hand, and Evelina marvels at a wonderful, courteous gentleman he is.
In 18th-century Britain, women were generally considered more deceitful and untrustworthy than men. Even if an innocent woman was wrongly linked to a scandal, her good name could be ruined. Yet instead of assuming the worst about Evelina, Lord Orville gives her the benefit of the doubt and seeks to guide rather than berate her. This shows that Lord Orville is a genuinely kind and thoughtful person who wants to help others learn and grow.
Themes
When Lord Orville has gone, Evelina goes down to breakfast with Madame Duval. During breakfast, Madame Duval abruptly announces that, if Evelina cannot be reunited with her father and find a wealthy husband, she should marry Tom. Evelina is affronted and does not want to discuss this. After this, Monsieur Du Bois passes Evelina a note that declares his love for her and his wish to marry her himself. Evelina is disappointed because she thought that Monsieur Du Bois was her friend.
Middle- and upper-class women in 18th-century Britain could not earn their own money, so they needed a husband to financially support them. Women often did not get a choice in who they married—they were essentially sold as commodities to a wealthy man to increase both family’s wealth. Madame Duval knows that if Evelina is reunited with her father, who is a wealthy nobleman, Evelina will receive a large inheritance and attract a noble suitor. However, if Evelina does not reunite with Sir John, she will have little to offer her husband in terms of money or social status. If this happens, she will have little choice but to marry Tom, who is middle-class.
Themes
