Evelina (Masterplots II: Women’s Literature Series)
At a glance:
- Author: Frances Burney
- First Published: 1778
- Type of Work: Novel
- Type of Plot: Social realism
- Time of Work: The 1770’s
- Setting: London, England
- Principal Characters: Evelina Anville, The Reverend Mr. Villars, Lord Orville, Sir Clement Willoughby, Madame Duval, Lady Howard, Mrs. Mirvan, Captain Mirvan, Mr. Macartney
- Genres: Long fiction, Social realism, Epistolary literature
- Subjects: Genealogy, Tricks, Class conflict, Love or romance, Abandoned children, Manners or customs, Social life, Ministry or ministers, England or English people, Eighteenth century, Adoption or adopted children, London, Lifestyles, Cruelty, Orphans or orphanages, Gossip, Naivete, Nobility
- Locales: London, England
Form and Content
As its subtitle accurately indicates, Fanny Burney’s Evelina recounts the story of a young woman’s “entrance into the world.” “The world” is a particularly rich and meaningful term in Burney’s formulation, implying not only the world of London society, ranging from a modest silversmith’s shop to the grand pleasure garden of Vauxhall, but also the entire world of adult experience—in particular love, courtship, and marriage. Burney’s youthful and vivacious heroine also finds herself continually and uncomfortably caught between worlds:...
[The entire page is 2361 words long]
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