Lorna Doone · Chapter
Lorna Begins Her Story explained
Lorna Doone shares her personal history and inner turmoil with John Ridd, describing her isolated life in the Doone Valley, her longing for understanding and purpose, and her complex relationships with her grandfather Sir Ensor Doone, the C
What happens
Lorna Doone shares her personal history and inner turmoil with John Ridd, describing her isolated life in the Doone Valley, her longing for understanding and purpose, and her complex relationships with her grandfather Sir Ensor Doone, the Counsellor, and the violent Carver Doone. She recounts finding and saving the orphaned Cornish girl Gwenny Carfax, and reveals her struggles with the lawless world around her, her vague memories of her parents, and her sense of being the heiress to a 'mad domain' of outlaws.
Themes in this chapter
Family and Loyalty
Lorna's complex feelings toward her grandfather Sir Ensor, the Counsellor, and Carver highlight the tensions within the Doone family.
Gender Roles and Independence
Lorna's isolation and lack of female companionship, her longing for guidance, and her struggle to define her own identity in a male-dominated violent society.
Nature and the Rural World
The beauty of the Doone Valley contrasts with Lorna's inner sadness; nature serves as both solace and a reminder of her confinement.
Justice and Revenge
Lorna reflects on the lawlessness of the Doones and the 'curse' of living among thieves, questioning morality and justice.
Characters to notice
- Lorna Doone
Tells her life story to John Ridd, expressing loneliness, confusion about her past, and despair over the violence around her.
- John Ridd
Listens attentively to Lorna's story, tries to comfort her, and learns about her background.
- Gwenny Carfax
A little Cornish girl saved from starvation by Lorna; her father Simon Carfax disappeared into a mine.
- Sir Ensor Doone
Lorna's grandfather, old and harsh, but kind to her; he is one of the few who listens to her.
- Counsellor Doone
Lorna's uncle, a wise but manipulative man who treats her questions lightly and aspires to control her inheritance.
- Carver Doone
Son of the Counsellor, known for strength and savagery; he aspires to marry Lorna.
- Simon Carfax
Gwenny's father, a Cornish miner who disappeared after being brought to Exmoor.
- Sabina
Lorna's deceased Aunt Sabina, who taught her and was a comfort until her death.
Key passages
“I cannot go through all my thoughts so as to make them clear to you, nor have I ever dwelt on things, to shape a story of them.”
Lorna admits she struggles to organize her thoughts into a coherent narrative.
Opening of Lorna's story, showing her difficulty in expressing her inner life.
“There are but two in the world who ever listen and try to help me; one of them is my grandfather, and the other is a man of wisdom, whom we call the Counsellor.”
Only Sir Ensor Doone and the Counsellor show any interest in Lorna's concerns.
Highlights Lorna's limited support system.
“A little Cornish girl she is, and shaped in western manner, not so very much less in width than if you take her lengthwise.”
Lorna describes Gwenny Carfax as a stout, short Cornish girl.
Introduction of Gwenny Carfax.
“What I want to know is something none of them can tell me—what am I, and why set here, and when shall I be with them?”
Lorna questions her own identity and purpose in life.
Central existential question of the chapter.
“We should not be so quiet here, and safe from interruption but that I have begged one privilege rather than commanded it.”
Lorna explains that her private area in the valley is a privilege she requested, not a right.
Shows Lorna's limited authority within the Doone community.
