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 from London. She and Madame Duval are staying near the Branghtons, and Mr. Branghton shows them to their lodgings when they arrive. Mr. Branghton tells Madame Duval that Monsieur Du Bois is at his house, and Madame Duval is amazed to learn that Monsieur Du Bois has not been in prison but has been with the Branghtons the whole time. Madame Duval realizes that Captain Mirvan and Sir Clement played a prank on her, and she rants furiously all the way to Mr. Branghton’s house.
Captain Mirvan and Sir Clement are misogynistic, and they played a malicious trick on Madame Duval by making her believe that her lover, Monsieur Du Bois, was in prison. They did this simply to entertain themselves. They know that they will face no consequences for it, as Madame Duval is widowed and does not have a husband to defend her. In 18th-century Britain, unmarried women were often mistreated and victimized in this way due to their vulnerability.
Themes
When they arrive at Mr. Branghton’s house, Evelina notes that the shop downstairs is large, but the upstairs apartment is small and messy. They find the family there with another man named Mr. Brown. Miss Branghton and Polly seem quite ashamed that Evelina should see their rooms. Madame Duval tells them all about the trick that Captain Mirvan played on her to convince her that Monsieur Du Bois was in prison. Tom laughs at this, and a chaotic argument breaks out.
The Branghtons are middle-class and have made their money through their shop, rather than inheriting it through familial wealth. Eighteenth-century Britain was strictly organized according to class, and even if middle-class people earned as much as nobles, they would not be considered nobility without prestigious family connections. Miss Branghton and Polly are ashamed to have Evelina see their rooms because Evelina is noble—her father is a nobleman—and, therefore, according to the class hierarchy, she’s their social superior.
Themes
After the argument has settled down, Miss Branghton tells Evelina that Mr. Brown is Polly’s lover. Polly and Miss Branghton seem to be in competition over who will get married first. Polly tells Evelina that Miss Branghton has no lovers but is in love with the downstairs neighbor, Mr. Smith, who is a gentleman and too refined for her. Evelina wishes that they would not tell her such things, as she finds it very improper.
Marriage was the main goal for young middle- and upper-class women in this period, as only lower-class women worked to earn their own money. Middle- and upper-class women had to rely on their families or their husbands to financially support them. British society was strictly organized around class during this era, and people did not often marry outside their own class.
Themes
