# Prologue explained — The Moonstone

> Chapter companion for The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins.

## What happens

The prologue recounts the storming of Seringapatam in 1799, focusing on the actions of Colonel Herncastle, who murders two Indian guards and steals the sacred Moonstone diamond from the forehead of a Hindu idol, thereby bringing a curse upon himself and his family.

## Themes in this chapter

### Imperialism and Colonialism

The storming of Seringapatam and the theft of the Moonstone exemplify British imperial aggression and the plundering of Indian cultural artifacts.

### The Curse and Fate

The prologue introduces the Hindu curse on the Moonstone, foretelling misfortune for its thieves and setting the stage for the novel's central conflict.

## Character check-ins

### John Herncastle

Colonel Herncastle is the central figure of the prologue; he murders the guards and steals the Moonstone, defying the warnings of his cousin.

### General Baird

General Baird leads the British assault on Seringapatam and is mentioned as the commanding officer during the storming.

## Key lines

> The Moonstone is a yellow diamond—a famous gem in the native annals of India.

The Moonstone is a renowned yellow diamond with a storied history in Indian records.

_Establishes the diamond's legendary status and Indian origins._

> The Moonstone should be watched, in the interests of art, for the recovery of the gem by the three priests, in whose keeping it had been placed, was an event considered, by the Hindoo believers, to be a certainty.

Hindu believers were certain that the three priests guarding the Moonstone would eventually recover it, and the gem should be monitored for art's sake.

_Highlights the religious significance and the prophecy of the diamond's return._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_moonstone_se/chapters/prologue
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_moonstone_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_moonstone_se/chapters