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Anne Catherick (“The Woman”)
Professor Pesca is an enthusiastic and lively Italian man and a close friend of Walter Hartright. It is Pesca who gets Walter the job teaching art at Limmeridge House and, therefore, introduces him to Laura Fairlie and involves him in the conspiracy against her. At the beginning of the novel, Pesca is a comical figure, who has thrown himself into English life and English customs in a way which is both endearing and a little ridiculous. He is a very affectionate and loyal friend to Walter, whom he feels indebted to since Walter once saved him from drowning. However, it is revealed that Pesca has hidden depths towards the end of the novel. Although he tells Walter that he left Italy “for political reasons,” it is unveiled at the novel’s end that Pesca is a member of the same political organization to which Count Fosco belonged and betrayed. It is, therefore, revealed that the seemingly mild-mannered Pesca has, in fact, been involved in violent political action and has possibly killed for his country. Pesca helps Walter foil Count Fosco as, when Walter follows the Count to the opera, the Count recognizes Pesca and panics, inadvertently leading the political organization to him and bringing about his own demise. Pesca, although he is not involved in the main action of the story, is a crucial part of resolving the plot and defeating Count Fosco.
Professor Pesca Quotes in The Woman in White
The The Woman in White quotes below are all either spoken by Professor Pesca or refer to Professor Pesca. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
The First Epoch: Part 1, Chapter 2
Quotes
My sister Sarah, with all the advantages of youth, was, strangely enough, less pliable. She did full justice to Pesca’s excellent qualities of heart; but she could not accept him implicitly, as my mother accepted him, for my sake. Her insular notions of propriety rose in perpetual revolt against Pesca’s constitutional contempt for appearances; and she was always more or less undisguisedly astonished at her mother’s familiarity with the eccentric little foreigner. I have observed, not only in my sister’s case, but in the instances of others, that we of the young generation are nothing like so hearty and so impulsive as some of our elders.
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The Third Epoch: Part 5, Chapter 1
Quotes
It was strange to look back and to see, now, that the poverty which had denied us all hope of assistance, had been the indirect means of our success, by forcing me to act for myself. If we had been rich enough to find legal help, what would have been the result? The gain (on Mr. Kyrle’s own showing) would have been more than doubtful; the loss – judging by the plain test of events as they had really happened – certain. The Law would never have obtained me my interview with Mrs. Catherick. The Law would never have made Pesca the means of forcing a confession from the Count.
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Professor Pesca Quotes in The Woman in White
The The Woman in White quotes below are all either spoken by Professor Pesca or refer to Professor Pesca. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
The First Epoch: Part 1, Chapter 2
Quotes
My sister Sarah, with all the advantages of youth, was, strangely enough, less pliable. She did full justice to Pesca’s excellent qualities of heart; but she could not accept him implicitly, as my mother accepted him, for my sake. Her insular notions of propriety rose in perpetual revolt against Pesca’s constitutional contempt for appearances; and she was always more or less undisguisedly astonished at her mother’s familiarity with the eccentric little foreigner. I have observed, not only in my sister’s case, but in the instances of others, that we of the young generation are nothing like so hearty and so impulsive as some of our elders.
Related Characters:
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Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
The Third Epoch: Part 5, Chapter 1
Quotes
It was strange to look back and to see, now, that the poverty which had denied us all hope of assistance, had been the indirect means of our success, by forcing me to act for myself. If we had been rich enough to find legal help, what would have been the result? The gain (on Mr. Kyrle’s own showing) would have been more than doubtful; the loss – judging by the plain test of events as they had really happened – certain. The Law would never have obtained me my interview with Mrs. Catherick. The Law would never have made Pesca the means of forcing a confession from the Count.
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Page Number and Citation:
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