Monsieur Du Bois Character Analysis in Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World

Monsieur Du Bois is Madame Duval’s French lover who escorts her to London. Monsieur Du Bois is generally polite and reserved. He does not speak much English, so his perspective is mainly lost on the other characters—only Evelina, who speaks a little French, can converse with him. The relationship between Madame Duval and Monsieur Du Bois is ambiguous, but it is implied that Monsieur Du Bois does not really have feelings for Madame Duval and is probably with her for her money. Monsieur Du Bois ends up falling in love with Evelina and confessing his love to her—thus ending his relationship with Madame Duval. Although Evelina is annoyed by Monsieur Du Bois’s conduct, he is generally an unthreatening and somewhat pathetic character.

Monsieur Du Bois Character Timeline in Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World

The timeline below shows where the character Monsieur Du Bois appears in Evelina: or, The History of a Young Lady’s Entrance into the World. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Sensibility, Etiquette, and Appearances Theme Icon

Inheritance, Class, and Nobility Theme Icon

The next evening, Madame Duval and her French companion, a young man named Monsieur Du Bois , join Evelina and the Mirvans after dinner. Captain Mirvan greets the visitors rudely, and... (full context)

...that she wants to go home. Lord Orville leaves them, and they call their carriages. Monsieur Du Bois helps Madame Duval into her coach. When she gets in the coach, however, she screams... (full context)

Gender, Reputation, and Marriage Theme Icon

...Sir Clement and to let Madame Duval ride with the ladies. Madame Duval insists that Monsieur Du Bois must come too, and he squeezes into the carriage. (full context)

...go and look for her—but just at that moment, Madame Duval bursts in, followed by Monsieur Du Bois . They are both bedraggled and covered in mud, and Madame Duval furiously reproaches the... (full context)

Madame Duval complains that Monsieur Du Bois tried to carry her out of the rain but slipped and fell in a puddle.... (full context)

Innocence, Guidance, and Experience Theme Icon

...morning, Evelina goes to visit Madame Duval. When she arrives, she is startled to find Monsieur Du Bois in Madame Duval’s bedchamber. Embarrassed, Evelina tries to leave the room, but Madame Duval laughs... (full context)

Madame Duval and Monsieur Du Bois arrive at the Mirvans’ for dinner. Captain Mirvan immediately begins to tease them and mocks... (full context)

...Clement immediately joins the Captain in teasing Madame Duval. Sir Clement makes a joke about Monsieur Du Bois dropping Madame Duval in a puddle, and Monsieur Du Bois responds that he would never... (full context)

...set off for Howard Grove, when Madame Duval arrived late to set off and brought Monsieur Du Bois with her. (full context)

...Grove, while a carriage is prepared for Mrs. Mirvan, Maria, Evelina, and Madame Duval. When Monsieur Du Bois climbs into the coach with the ladies, Captain Mirvan roughly drags him out again. The... (full context)

...was Du Bois. Sir Clement says that it was, and Madame Duval is horrified because Monsieur Du Bois is her companion whom Captain Mirvan forced her to leave in London. (full context)

Captain Mirvan asks Sir Clement if he thinks Monsieur Du Bois will be hung, and Sir Clement says it is possible. Madame Duval rushes from the... (full context)

Madame Duval decides that she does not believe Sir Clement and Captain Mirvan’s story about Monsieur Du Bois ’s arrest. Later that day, a servant delivers a letter to Madame Duval, and Madame... (full context)

...letter she has just received. It is allegedly from a “County Justice” who writes that Monsieur Du Bois has been arrested for treason and that Madame Duval must go to court as a... (full context)

Madame Duval also receives a note from the servant, which tells her that Monsieur Du Bois has escaped from prison. Madame Duval tells the coachmen to turn around and hurry home—she... (full context)

...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... (full context)

...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. (full context)

...Mr. Villars and tells him about the previous evening that she spent with Madame Duval, Monsieur Du Bois , and the Branghtons. When they arrived at Mr. Branghton’s house, Evelina, Madame Duval, and... (full context)

...Madame Duval again sends Evelina to visit the Branghtons and make plans for the evening. Monsieur Du Bois accompanies Evelina and is very polite and attentive. When she arrives, she finds Mr. Branghton... (full context)

Back in the shop, Evelina and Monsieur Du Bois wait for Miss Branghton and Tom to return from an outing. When they arrive, Evelina... (full context)

...they all burst out laughing. Evelina, infuriated, coldly bids them good day and leaves with Monsieur Du Bois , who is also shocked by their rudeness. When Evelina gets home, Madame Duval angrily... (full context)

The next evening, Evelina, the Branghtons, Madame Duval, Monsieur Du Bois , and Mr. Smith go to Vauxhall Gardens. Although the garden is very pretty, Evelina... (full context)

...the prank Sir Clement and Captain Mirvan played on her, when they convinced her that Monsieur Du Bois was in prison. Tom and Mr. Smith start to laugh and Sir Clement angrily tells... (full context)

A few nights later, Evelina, Madame Duval, Monsieur Du Bois , and the Branghtons again congregate in the Branghton’s shop. Mr. Macartney reads in the... (full context)

A few nights later, Evelina, Madame Duval, Monsieur Du Bois , Mr. Smith, Mr. Brown, and the Branghtons visit Marybone Gardens to see a musical... (full context)

...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... (full context)

The next day, Evelina, Madame Duval, the Branghtons, and Monsieur Du Bois go for a walk in Kensington Gardens. Evelina is annoyed because Tom will not leave... (full context)

...her away from London. The previous morning, she was forced to visit the Branghtons with Monsieur Du Bois and was pestered by him, Tom, and Mr. Smith. When she returns, she discovers that... (full context)

...a cold and cannot come to Evelina’s wedding but that she has broken up with Monsieur Du Bois and, therefore, will leave her whole inheritance to Evelina. Captain Mirvan then leaves with Maria... (full context)