The Mysteries of Udolpho · Chapter
Chapter X explained
Emily, struggling with grief and solitude, attempts to burn her father's secret papers as he instructed.
What happens
Emily, struggling with grief and solitude, attempts to burn her father's secret papers as he instructed. She experiences a terrifying hallucination of her father's face in the closet, but overcomes her fear and fulfills her promise by burning the papers. Later, she has an emotional farewell with Valancourt, who confesses his love and receives her reluctant affection. Madame Cheron arrives and scolds Emily for her secret meetings with Valancourt, accusing her of impropriety and duplicity.
Themes in this chapter
Grief and Melancholy
Emily's prolonged grief over her father's death manifests in hallucinations and a weakened mental state, as she struggles with solitude and the weight of her loss.
The Supernatural and the Unknown
The chapter features a supernatural illusion of St. Aubert's face in the closet, attributed to Emily's 'momentary madness' and the Gothic atmosphere of the lonely mansion.
Female Agency and Vulnerability
Emily asserts her agency by burning the papers despite temptation, yet remains vulnerable to the social constraints imposed by her aunt Madame Cheron, who criticizes her romantic choices.
Characters to notice
- Emily St. Aubert
Emily burns her father's papers despite temptation, experiences a hallucination of his face, and later confesses her esteem for Valancourt.
- St. Aubert
Deceased; his instructions and papers drive Emily's actions, and his apparition appears to her in a hallucination.
- Valancourt
Visits Emily at La Vallée, declares his love, and receives her acknowledgment of esteem before being interrupted by Madame Cheron.
- Madame Cheron
Arrives at La Vallée, scolds Emily for her secret meetings with Valancourt, and accuses her of duplicity and impropriety.
Key passages
“Can such things be, And overcome us like a summer’s cloud, Without our special wonder?”
Can such strange events happen to us as easily as a summer cloud passes over, without causing us particular astonishment?
The epigraph from Macbeth sets a tone of supernatural wonder and foreboding for the chapter.
“I have given a solemn promise, said she, to observe a solemn injunction, and it is not my business to argue, but to obey.”
I made a sacred promise to follow a serious command, and it is not my role to question it, only to comply.
Emily reaffirms her duty to burn her father's papers despite her curiosity, demonstrating her moral integrity.
“You know not, said he, the many anxious hours I have passed near you lately, when you believed me, if indeed you honoured me with a thought, far away.”
You have no idea how many worried hours I have spent close to you recently, while you thought I was far away—if you even thought of me at all.
Valancourt confesses his secret vigils near La Vallée, revealing his deep devotion to Emily.