Language In Clarissa, Evelina And Pride And Prejudice

uncanny perception is pivotal to Evelina's identity and
the cause of Evelinafs frequent misidentifications (315).
First, Willoughby and Lovel identify her as a pretty
bastard, then the Branghtons identify her as one of their
own. However, most troubling is Villarsf identification
of Evelina as his and not her father's. Though she was
bequeathed to him, and he does have the power of her
guardianship, he still knows her identity and has the
documents to prove it. Had he truly considered her his
own, would he not have given her his name? Instead, he
gives her the anagram of Anville, not only an anagram of
her name, but another for " a villein."
Likewise, Mrs. Selwyn' s name implies that she had to
offer her feminine side in order to win a place in
society after the death of her husband. In the end, she
does win. Willoughby, Mirvan, and Lovel use Madame Duval
as proof of Evelina's lack of birthright, placing her low
on the marriage scale. Burney uses Mrs. Selwyn, another
country gentlewoman, as the agent of Evelina's future
happiness. She successfully solves the mystery of
Evelinafs birth, confronting Sir John Belmont with the
truth and bringing Evelina to her rightful place in
society. Barbara Zonitch aptly confirms that in order
for a woman to defend herself against the dominant male