The Moonstone Analysis

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Wilkie Collin’s The Moonstone: A Mysterious Jewel In the novel “ The Moonstone” written by Wilkie Collins,the author emphasis the importance of Victorian social class issues and the eighteenth century societal ethical morals by incorporating romance, mystery and crime. Collins portrays the Moonstone as an ancient Hindu relic with mysterious powers. In the beginning of the novel the Moonstone was originally stolen by Colonel John Herncastle during a battle in India with the English army. As Herncastle wither and rotting away of age, he consign the Moonstone to family in an trivial attempt to infect Lady Verinder ( the head of the Verinder household) with the diamonds ill fated luck.“ The dying Indian sank to his knees, pointed …show more content…

The theft of the Moonstone was effected by love, social position, betrayal and death. During the 18th century the modern ethical morals began a divide between the rich and poor that widely led to bias and discriminant behavior of a person's social position and gender which ultimately decided the fate of the investigation for the moonstone. In The Moonstone the beginning of the novel takes place in a ideal, rich european household, which was mainly composed of the masters or owners of the establishment and the servants of the house. When the stone was taken on the day of rachel's verinder birthday the authorities were immediately called and an investigation took place.Lieutenant Seagrave began the investigation with a very firm and one sided view. Seagrave upon reaching the house he without hesitation immediately suspected the servants. He also interrogated each servant twice and demanded that the servants, private quarters were to be thoroughly searched. The higher up were not treated in the same manner and the servants were unjustly suspected based off no real evidence at the time . His actions and character reflects how men in powerful or authoritative positions during the Victorian …show more content…

If not for the socially bias views lower class people like Rossana spear would commit suicide and life as a whole would easier than it was before. In the events that occurred after the theft of the moonstone the lairs,theft, and traitor revealed themselves as the main protagonist's that prolonged the search for the cursed diamond. Rachel Verinder was not the lying, deceitful, or traitorous type, however her withholding key information about certain characters that would indeed in fact help and quicken the search for the moonstone will label her stand in the story as deceitful. Her actions were justified in both the cases in which she withheld information. In the story when the moonstone was stolen, she hid in her room and refused to be questioned, knowing full well that Franklin Blake was the theft in the night. Later in the story she reveals how she attended and witnessed the theft. “ But I have never, in my experience, seen her so strange and so reserved as she is now. The loss of her jewel seems almost to have turned her brain. Who would have thought that horrible diamond could have laid such a hold on her in so short a time?”(Collin

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