Analysis Of Female Delicacy In Frances Burney's Evelina

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Female delicacy during the eighteenth century was a value held above all else, and in Frances Burney’s Evelina, the fight for the main character’s, Evelina, fragility in a time of prevalent misogynistic violence molds the relationships and decisions made in her life. Burney tells the story of Evelina, a young and naive girl and her journey with rose colored glasses through the pressures of keeping her reputation in London society without compromising her virtue. The novel is told through letters written by Evelina and her own narration. In the letter XXIII Evelina describes something the Captain said during while at the Opera.
“…the Captain, quite displeased, said, “What signifies asking them girls? Do you think they know their own minds
Lord Merton, a rude aristocrat whom tries to seduce Evelina believes that women have nothing more to offer but their beauty and good nature. He says “in everything else she is either or unnatural. For my part, deuce take me if ever I wish to hear a word of sense from a woman as long as I live!" (361). Although less extreme these opinions can be found throughout the novel which obviously have an effect on Evelina as she grows up. When Evelina moves to London she realizes quickly that in a society where women are expected to be docile and accommodating, men are quick to take advantage. Mr. Villars, Evelina’s guardian, tells her “Remember, my dear Evelina, nothing is so delicate as the reputation of a woman: it is, at once, the most beautiful and the most brittle of all human things.” With this sage advice and after a few bad experiences with “fops” Evelina becomes warier of men’s
Villars. Burney’s choice of writing style gives the readers of Evelina a distinct understanding between one’s perspective and reality and the use of letters gives the reader a different understanding of the choices Evelina makes from her point of view. As a key component of her style, Burney reveals personality through her use of language. Her characters of the highest societal ranking (e.g. Lord Orville, Lady Louisa) speak with a formal tone, as opposed to the lower end, more vulgar characters (e.g. Captain Mirvan, Madame Duval), who speak without class or care of if their words are hurtful. Throughout the scene when referring to a male of high or low class, The Captain always spoke formally, using proper pronouns like “them” or “their.” In the passage above you can see that the Captain did not find women worth correct grammar. When speaking about women and their rightful place he would use slang like “ ‘em.” This further showcases the essence of what it meant to be a female during this time in

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