A Female Novelist

While we may consider Burney to be a bit wishy washy in Evelina I think it is completely understandable. It can not forget that she was a pioneer of the kind, so of course Austen and the like who followed are going to be bolder. They simply were able to be this way and had they been the first I think their books would have just as likely contain just the same amount of trepidation.
Finally reading a book written by a female author was great. Burney being a female herself brought more depth and believability to Evelina's character. Additionally, some of the minor tiny little aspects of things Evelina would say or ways in which things were described (so little that I can't even think of an example of) made me go only a female author. Granted I may have red into things but I think there is a clear difference in the writing styles between man women. But all in all Burney's Evelina could not have been written by a male if it was it would have turned out to be a completely different book.

Usage of Letters in Evelina and Pamela

If Burney's Evelina, was an enjoyable read for me, it is no wonder that her novel was a popular one of the time period. The use of letters as the medium to present the first person narrative is no longer foreign to us (as Richardson used it as well). However, I feel that Burney's use of the letters helped me, as the reader, understand and picture the goings on of the societal culture of eigteenth century England.

When I read Pamela's letters there were many times when I couldn't distinguish her innnocence from her ability to feign it in overexaggerated situations or explanations. It may due to the differences in social status of both characters, as one is a servant girl and the other a daughter of a well-to-do gentleman, and the different situations that each girl faces in society. However, whatever the cause, Evelina's letters lend a more objective and thus more pleasurable read than those of Pamela's.

Burney's Brilliance

Evelina is an entertaining read, it is definitely my favorite so far. Burney created a character who is incredibly complex, which stimulates interesting discussions in class. I personally believe that Evelina is somewhat of a snob, but I feel that 18th century society is to blame. Living a quiet and humble country life is fine if you remain ignorant of high society, but catching a glimpse of it is bound to make any person long for social mobility. Despite Evelina's tendency to be a snob at certain points, she is nevertheless a likable character. Her innocence, awkwardness, and ignorance of the world she desires to be a part of forces you to sympathize with her. She really has no one to instruct her, instead she has to learn from her mistakes. One thing that interests me is the fact that Burney includes several strong female characters. Although Duval is embarrassing, she is not passive and defends herself. There is also Mrs. Selwyn, a woman who always has a witty response to an inane or pretentious comment that someone else made. My theory is that Evelina, Duval, and Selwyn reflect certain aspects of Burney's personality.

A new name, same game: Virtue Rewarded

I really enjoyed Evelina, however, as I read I could not but think of Pamela. While Evelina was not as blatant, and Burney's character infinitely more human and relatable than Pamela, the conclusion was ultimately the same, that if you just try your best to follow the rules of society, you will be rewarded handsomely.

Even more so than Pamela, Evelina reminded me of a Jane Austen novel. The parallels with Austen's Persuassions were never ending. Both novels utilize the a heroine to portray a proper woman of their time. Having most recently read some reviews of Austen's work from the 19th Century, I could not help but feel that Burney was trying to create the same effect(obviously before Austen), they both created novels that could also double as a handbook for how women should behave. What is funny about the review from these time periods is the fear that women would read these novels and think that stories like this could happen to them too. Apparently the men didn't want them to have big dreams of chivalrous men that would come and sweep them off their feet no matter what their social status. imagine that!

Harley as Healer

Mackenzie's The Man of Feeling not only celebrates Harley as a man of goodness as he reacts to the human suffering around him, but it also gives voice to the truth that goodness is not extinguished in those afflicted by the ills of the world. Thus, Mackenzie's version of morality is one of compassion and beneficence in reaching out by word and action to those in need, recognizing the goodness in those who have fallen along life's way, and not judging them in their misfortunes.

Mackenzie allows his hero to vent his sorrow through an "unmasculine" release of neverending tears. Time after time Harley feels compassion deeply, shows it openly, and takes action to help the unfortunate. Thus, the author directs the men in his society to break from cold indifference (both internal and external), as it is a moral obligation to feel sympathy. And tears may flow freely and copiously, for to do so is not less manly- it's more humane.

Evelina in Love

I read the book before so there was not much in the plot that actually surprised me in the end. However, I was surprised by the letter that Mr. Villars sent to Evelina in Volume III letter VI. In that letter Mr. Villars warns Evelina that she is in love with Lord Orville, and in order to prevent further harm to herself, she must leave his society as soon as possible. I was really surprised by this letter because I thought it was so obvious that Evelina was in love with Lord Orville, and I just took it for granted that Evelina knew it too. This kind of cemented Evelina’s innocence for me, and it made me wonder what Evelina originally thought her relationship with Lord Orville meant. I know Mr. Villars was never very pretentious and didn’t wish for Evelina to marry the wealthiest and most eligible bachelor available. However, I did think that Evelina had loftier aims in mind, with Evelina trying to fit into the “in crowd” and everything. Evelina’s response to Mr. Villars (Volume III Letter IX) is very characteristic of her personality and fear of embarrassment. She says, “Long since, doubtful of the situation of my heart, I dreaded a scrutiny….I began, indeed, to think my safety insured, to hope that my fears were causeless, and to believe that my good opinion and esteem of Lord Orville might be owned without suspicion, and felt without danger” (321). It seems to me that Evelina judged whether she was doing what was right or wrong by other people’s reactions to her behavior. Since no one scrutinized her for her feelings towards Lord Orville, she thought there was nothing wrong with them. Evelina further mentions, “You, Sir, relied upon my ignorance; -- I, alas, upon your experience; and, whenever I doubted the weakness of my heart, the idea that you did not suspect me, --restored my courage, and confirmed my error!”(322). Evelina felt that if she would be in love, Mr. Villars would have mentioned it, but since he never did, she just assumed that there was nothing wrong or dangerous with feeling the way she did.

Evelina and her Captain Courageous

Burney's Evelina is an enjoyable read. The protagonist evokes compassion from the reader, as one is caught up in the sentimental storyline of Evelina as she seeks a connection with her birth father, Sir Belton, and unexpectedly finds love with the perfect man,Lord Orville. And one can't help but root for her all the way. I had a lump in my throat more than a few times - especially when she tells Macartney that she is his sister. And the scenes with her birth father tugged at my heart, as Burney writes their emotions achingly raw and real. When I picked up Evelina I was resigned to another boring read "a la Pamela," but I was pleasantly surprised. Evelina is an endearing character that speaks to the sweet innocence that once was every girl, and to get to know her more and more through every page is to revisit bittersweet memories of one's coming of age- no matter what the century.

But it is the crude, coarse, captivatingly callous Captain who is my favorite character. His antics in making fools of Madame Duval and Mr. Lovel are laugh- out- loud hysterical. And talk about "knocking one off his/her high horse"- Madame Duvall's robbery/mud debacle is just the comeuppance the "grande dame wannabe" deserves. Burney brings life to the Captain as the voice of truth in a society chock full of pretention and pomposity. He says what's on his mind, and he acts accordingly - even if it means bringing in an ear-biting monkey to ridicule the foppish, snobby, simpering Lovel. As the Captain is placed into that society by default, and refreshingly takes on no airs to adapt to it, he sees fit to unmask the phonies abounding around him. Bravo il Capitano!