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 Evelina and says that if Madame Duval wants to take Evelina away with her, she must come and speak to him about it in person. Mr. Villars is also disappointed with Sir John’s cold response to the revelation that Evelina is his daughter, but he tells Evelina that this is not her fault and that she is totally innocent in this regard. Mr. Villars also dislikes Evelina’s description of Sir Clement’s behavior toward her and says that if Sir Clement propositions her again, Evelina should return to Berry Hill.
Mr. Villars is a good moral guide for Evelina because he allows her freedom when necessary but also tries to protect her from bad influences (like Madame Duval, wherever possible). Although Sir John is Evelina’s father, he denies his marriage to her mother, Caroline. Therefore, many people wrongly believe that Evelina is illegitimate because her parents were unmarried when she was conceived. In the 18th century, illegitimate children were generally seen as inferior, as premarital sex was considered a sin. Meanwhile, Sir Clement constantly tries to seduce Evelina, even though he does not plan to marry her—he does not care that he could damage her reputation if people found out about this. As Evelina’s guardian, Mr. Villars feels it is his responsibility to keep Evelina innocent until she is married, as 18th-century British society valued sexual purity in unmarried women. Berry Hill (Evelina’s childhood home) symbolizes her innocence—Mr. Villars’s instruction for her to return there represents both a literal and figurative refuge away from Sir Clement’s lecherous behavior.
Themes
Literary Devices
