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
As soon as Emily has a chance, she confronts Quesnel about what he’s been doing to La Vallée. But Quesnel just says Emily should be grateful for how skillfully he’s handled things. Emily tries to stay calm around him but cries when she’s alone. She continues to try to think of ways to get out of her upcoming marriage to Count Morano, but no matter how she rejects him, he continues to admire her.
Quesnel views success at La Vallée as extracting the most money out of it. His values clearly conflict with Emily’s, with Emily caring more about preserving the environment and protecting her old servant, Theresa. Similar to Montoni, the novel leaves some ambiguity as to whether Quesnel is deliberately disobeying Emily’s wishes or whether he’s just so selfish that he doesn’t consider that she might feel differently.
Themes
Emily is glad when Quesnel and his wife finally leave, but she soon faces the anger of Montoni, who remains determined to marry her to Count Morano. Instead of scolding Montoni, Emily now tries begging for mercy. She also tries asking Madame Montoni, but all her efforts are unsuccessful.
Even after realizing that Montoni tricked her, Emily defers to him, begging for mercy instead of becoming defiant. This shows how much humility is a central trait of her character.
Themes
Montoni’s friend Orsino begins making frequent visits, and something about these mysterious visits temporarily turns Montoni’s attention away from Emily. The Senate recently began investigating the death of a Venetian nobleman, who was a known enemy of Orsino and who seemed to have been killed by assassins. Montoni agrees to shelter Orsino in his house because Montoni has his own obligations to Orsino.
This passage finally confirms what the novel has so far only hinted at—that Montoni is involved in some crooked operations. Although Montoni himself isn’t wanted for murder, his gambling debts have left him with no choice but to protect Orsino, showing how his previous actions have consequences.
Themes
Madame Montoni confronts Emily. She says that if she were unmarried herself, she would be eager to marry the generous Count Morano, who keeps sending bridal gifts. When Emily still refuses, Madame Montoni tells her it’s time to finally forget about Valancourt. That night, Emily has difficulty sleeping due to nightmares.
Both Montoni and Madame Montoni see Emily as an opportunity to enrich themselves. This passage explores different ideas of generosity: While Madame Montoni calls Count Morano generous because he leaves Emily with expensive gifts, Emily herself sees Valancourt as more generous because he gives what little he has to help others.
Themes
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