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Volume 1, Letter 21
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
The next morning, Mrs. Mirvan tells Evelina that while they were at the opera, Lord Orville told her that he spoke to Mr. Lovel about Evelina. Lord Orville warned Mr. Lovel not to tell anyone about the misunderstanding between him and Evelina at the ball, when Evelina refused to dance with Mr. Lovel. Evelina is deeply moved and impressed by this, as it shows that Lord Orville is truly courageous—he spoke to Mr. Lovel in private without telling Evelina, so that she would not be worried or embarrassed by the situation.
Lord Orville demonstrates genuine sensibility, an 18th-century term associated with empathy and consideration for others. Rather than upset Evelina by bringing this conversation to her attention, Lord Orville approaches Mr. Lovel in private. Lord Orville also genuinely cares about Evelina’s reputation. Women’s reputations were extremely fragile in 18th-century British society, meaning that Evelina’s name could be irreparably damaged if people think that she is rude or does not understand etiquette.
Themes
Madame Duval comes for dinner and is extremely angry with Evelina for leaving her at the opera. Madame Duval is further annoyed when Mrs. Mirvan tells her that they—and Evelina—will soon leave London. Madame Duval says that Evelina should stay with her in the city, but Mrs. Mirvan says that this is impossible, and that Lady Howard expects to see Evelina. Madame Duval furiously says that she will involve the law, since Evelina is her granddaughter. Eventually, the group decides that Madame Duval will join the Mirvans and Evelina when they return to Howard Grove.
Although Madame Duval did not raise Evelina, she can legally make herself Evelina’s guardian as she is a blood relative. Unmarried women had few autonomous rights in the 18th-century Britain—legally, they were their guardian’s property. This attitude makes it difficult for Evelina to defend herself against Madame Duval, who can claim guardianship over Evelina if she chooses.
Themes
Evelina writes to Mr. Villars to tell him she has just received one of his letters. She is grateful for his continued support and thinks that Madame Duval is a poor guardian compared very poorly to him. Her last outing in London with the Mirvans will be to the Pantheon that night; they plan to set out for Howard Grove the next day.
Mr. Villars is a good moral guide for Evelina, as he allows her to gain experience while supporting her along the way. Because he himself is a moral person who genuinely cares about others, he is a good example for Evelina to follow. Madame Duval, in contrast, is selfish: she doesn’t care about others and doesn’t behave in a way that Evelina thinks it is right to emulate.
Themes
