Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Mysteries of Udolpho, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Marriage, Love, and Inheritance
The Wonders of Nature
Mystery and Superstition
Mortality
The Value of Education and Art
Summary
Analysis
A carriage appears to take Emily and Madame Cheron to Thoulouse. Emily feels sullen but pretends to smile.
The trip Emily takes with Madame Cheron compares unfavorably to the one she took with St. Aubert, emphasizing her aunt’s shortcomings.
Themes
Meanwhile, far away, Valancourt has reached his destination. He is still thinking happily of Emily, even as he dreads having to convince her family of his worth. He is the younger son of older parents, with his brother, Count de Duvarney, being almost 20 years older. Valancourt’s father placed great value on education, although Valancourt’s intelligence hasn’t been able to change his family’s poor financial situation. Like many young men his age, Valancourt is in the army. He is currently on a leave of absence, but it’s about to expire, so he is anxious to resolve matters with Emily’s family soon.
Valancourt’s education and childhood have a strong resemblance to Emily’s own, showing why the two of them get along so well. Valancourt’s status as the youngest in his family by such a wide margin suggests both his inexperience but also his potential to grow. Valancourt’s service in the army adds urgency to his need to determine how Emily feels about him.
Themes
Emily and Madame Cheron make it to Thoulouse, with Madame Cheron giving Emily unpleasant lectures along the way. When Emily sees Madame Cheron’s house, she can’t believe that someone as ostentatious as Madame Cheron is the sister of St. Aubert. Emily didn’t realize how attached she could get to an inanimate object until she remembers La Vallée. Still, she remembers St. Aubert’s instructions not to grieve too much, and so she tries to find the positive side of her new living arrangement.
Madame Cheron’s condescending advice on the journey contrasts with St. Aubert’s habit of dispensing humble wisdom during Emily’s journey with him. Once again, Emily struggles between her desire to be obedient and her feeling that perhaps her aunt is a flawed person who cares too much about flashy material things.
Themes
