– The Perfection Of Femininity Essay, Research Paper
EVELINA: PERFECTION OF FEMININITY
When Frances Burney wrote Evelina in the Eighteenth Century, she was
able to capture the essence of what it meant to be a female at this time in history.
Throughout the novel, the character of Evelina captures the hearts of those around
her. Mr. Villars describes Evelina as ?this artless young creature, with too much
beauty to escape notice? (19). The character of Evelina encompasses the traits
attributed to the description of the female gender. These traits include a focus on
the importance of reputation; a lack of passion; and distinct physical attributes.
Above all else, Evelina holds her reputation in highest regards. Eighteenth
Century literature focuses on the belief that an individual?s external behavior
reflected his or her interior belief system. In ?An Essay on Man,? Alexander Pope
writes, ?Know then thyself, presume not God to scan / The proper study of
mankind is man? (II. 1-2). Eighteenth Century society judges individuals based on
their outside appearance. Throughout the novel, Evelina emphasizes her concern
with what other people think of her. When Evelina is in the company of Madame
Duval and her Branghton cousins, she oftentimes hides from her acquaintances,
embarassed to be seen in such company. Upon being seen by Lord Orville when
she is accompanied by prostitutes, Evelina laments, ?How vainly, how proudly
have I wished to avoid meeting him when only with the Branghtons and Madame
Duval,-but now, how joyful should I be had he seen me to no greater
disadvantage? (265). Evelina?s fears her reputation can easily be marred, should
just one man, such as Lord Orville, hold her in low regard.
Lord Orville?s opinion of Evelina plays an important role in her life,
because her primary cause for guarding her reputation is its importance in
courtship. Mr. Villars wisely reminds Evelina, ?Remember…nothing is so delicate
as the reputation of a woman; it is, at once, the most beautiful and most brittle of
human things? (184). The noblemen of the Eighteenth Century sought women
with virtuous reputations. Evelina cautiously regards her suitors, chastising Sir
Clement for his ?insolence? (221). In several instances, Sir Clement attempts to
?affront? Evelina and he offends her with his sexual aggressiveness. On one
occassion, Sir Clement discovers Evelina when she has been seperated from her
party. He uses the opportunity to lead her away into the dark alleys and when
Evelina is offended, he cries, ?Good God!-good Heaven!-my dearest life, what is it
I have done?-what is it I have said?? (221). Evelina refuses to be treated as
woman whose virtue could be in question. For example, after sending a letter of
apology Lord Orville for her party using his carriage without permission, Evelina
is mortified when Lord Orville sends a response which implies her intention to be
impure. Evelina?s main concern is that others think highly of her, especially when
it comes to her virtue.
While Evelina does keep her virtue intact, the most potentially damaging
aspect of her character are the circumstances of her birth. Since her father has not
claimed her as his legitimate child, Evelina must assume the false name of Anville.
Lady Howard writes to Lord Belmont, informing him, ?To be owned properly by
you, is the first wish of her heart? (148). It is not until Lord Belmont
acknowledges Evelina as his daughter that she is able to achieve true harmony in
her life. From this point on, Evelina?s life achieves near-perfection. She marries
the man of her dreams, holds a high place in society, and both her reputation and
the reputation of her mother is clear.
While Evelina exalts in her reunion with her father, she feels uncomfortable
expressing the strong emotions she feels on such an occassion. This is due to the
fact that the ideal Eighteenth Century female was unable to display passion.
Evelina acts passive and agreeable, just as Evelina does in her conversations with
the Branghton sisters. After being asked what she thinks of Mr. Brown, Evelina
replies, ?I am no judge,-but I think his person is very-very well? (190). Eveli
ambiguous response perplexes the sisters, because she has skirted the issue at
hand. Evelina also manages to remain unsided when the Branghtons ask her to
vote on their choice of activities for the evening. Evelina responds, ?I said, that as
I was ignorant what choice was in my power, I must beg to hear their decisions
first? (214). Evelina never casts a vote and the party remains at home. While
Evelina may appear indecisive in these situations, she plays the role of passive
female to fit the description of ideal femininity.
In actuality, Evelina displays high levels of passion at several points in the
novel. Upon meeting her father, Evelina writes, ?I could restrain myself no longer;
I rose and went to him; I did not dare speak, but with pity and concern unutterable,
I wept and hung over him? (427). Evelina is unable to hide the passion she feels
towards her father. When Evelina finds Mr. Macartney about to kill himself, she
writes, ?I grew stiff with horror: till recollecting that it was yet possible to prevent
the fatal deed, all my faculties seemed to return, with the hope of saving him?
(202). Evelina shows remarkable passion when saving the life of her brother. She
also reveals her passion for the city of London when she writes to Mr. Villars to
ask for permission to go to there. She writes, ?I have no happiness or sorrow, no
hope or fear, but what your kindness bestows, or your displeasure may cause. You
will not, I am sure, send a refusal without reasons unanswerable, and therefore I
shall chearfully acquiesce. Yet I hope-I hope you will be able to permit me to go!?
(26). In actuality, Evelina desperately wishes to visit London, and while she does
not directly express this interest to Mr. Villars, her passion in the matter becomes
clear. Essentially, Evelina does feel passions, yet she hides them with her displays
of passivity and indecisiveness.
While the ideal Eighteenth Century woman did not openly display her
passions, she did display certain physical attributes. Throughout the novel,
Evelina?s suitors praise her for her beauty. Sir Clement describes Evelina as
?loveliest of women? (221), while Lord Orville?s companion refers to Evelina as
?the most beautiful creature I ever saw in my life? (38) and compares her to the
infamous Helen of Troy. Evelina accentuates her beauty by assuming good
grooming habits along with wearing fine garments, on which the Branghton sisters
compliment her.
Evelina?s beauty is decribed as pale and soft, resembling a delicate work of
art. When she becomes lost from her party, a party of men heckles the beautiful
girl assuming she is a prostitue, as one exclaims, ?[She is] the voice of the prettiest
little actress I have seen this age? (220). Evelina?s beauty, while it does cause her
troubles, eventually results in her marriage to the man of her dreams. The novel
concludes with Evelina marrying Lord Orville, which also concludes the point in
her life which she is considered a vital and important female in society. The ideal
woman in the Eighteenth Century, upon marriage, immediately withdrew to
domestic life. At formal gatherings in London, married women retired to a
seperate room to play cards. Evelina writes, ?My mamma Mirvan, for she always
calls me her child, said she would sit with Maria and me till we were provided
with partners, and then join the card-players? (31). At the end of the novel,
Evelina marries Lord Orville, finishing her reign as the ideal of Eighteenth
Century femininity.
When Evelina rides off into the sunset, so to speak, with her Prince
Charming at the end of Evelina, the reader exalts in her victory. This is due to the
fact that Evelina represents the ideal female of the Eighteenth Century, so her
happiness is a necessary conclusion. Throughout the novel, Evelina?s gender is
contructed in the following characteristics: a focus on the importance of
reputation, a lack of passion, and distinct physical attributes. While Evelina may
or may not naturally possess these characteristics, she adopts them in order to
appear the ideal of femininity. In the end, Evelina achieves the exact results she
was looking for.