The Mysteries of Udolpho · Chapter
Chapter XXIII explained
Emily visits Madame Montoni, who has recovered her health but remains defiant against Montoni's demands.
What happens
Emily visits Madame Montoni, who has recovered her health but remains defiant against Montoni's demands. Montoni gives her until evening to consent or be moved to the east turret. He commands both women to dine with his guests, forcing Emily to wear the dress intended for her nuptials with Count Morano. During dinner, a violent quarrel erupts, and Montoni orders his wife carried away by ruffians. Emily faints and later awakens alone, resolving to search for her aunt in the east turret. She spends the evening in anxious solitude, eventually rekindling a fire for light and barricading her door.
Themes in this chapter
Oppression and Imprisonment
Madame Montoni is physically removed by ruffians; Emily is confined to her chamber and fears for her safety; the castle itself is a prison.
Female Agency and Vulnerability
Emily and Madame Montoni struggle against Montoni's commands; Emily's advice is ignored; both are subject to male violence and coercion.
Grief and Melancholy
Emily experiences anxiety, terror, and melancholy as she waits in solitude, unable to read or play music.
Characters to notice
- Emily St. Aubert
Visits her aunt, advises caution, is forced to wear the nuptial dress, faints after Madame Montoni is taken, and resolves to search for her aunt.
- Madame Montoni
Recovered but defiant; considers escape; is carried away by ruffians on Montoni's orders.
- Montoni
Demands his wife's consent, commands Emily's attire, presides over the dinner, and orders his wife's removal.
- Annette
Appears at the chamber door reporting fighting in the hall; flees when she hears approaching footsteps.
- Ludovico
Mentioned by Annette as fighting in the hall.
- Old Carlo
Described as compassionate but too loyal to Montoni to be trusted for escape plans.
Key passages
“Her aunt, as has been already shown, had a disposition, which delighted in contradiction, and which taught her, when unpleasant circumstances were offered to her understanding, not to enquire into their truth, but to seek for arguments, by which she might make them appear false.”
Madame Montoni habitually resisted unpleasant truths by seeking reasons to deny them rather than examining the facts.
Explains Madame Montoni's stubborn refusal to heed Emily's warnings.
“Emily’s remonstrances and representations, therefore, roused her pride, instead of alarming, or convincing her judgment, and she still relied upon the discovery of some means, by which she might yet avoid submitting to the demand of her husband.”
Emily's warnings only made Madame Montoni more prideful and determined to find a way to defy her husband.
Highlights the futility of Emily's attempts to persuade her aunt.
“The simplicity of a better taste, than Madame Montoni’s, was conspicuous in this dress, splendid as it was, and Emily’s unaffected beauty never had appeared more captivatingly.”
Emily's natural beauty was enhanced by the elegant simplicity of the Neapolitan-style dress, which surpassed her aunt's taste.
Describes Emily's appearance in the forced attire.
“An uncertain kind of terror pervaded Emily’s mind; the circumstances of the past hour still came dimly and confusedly to her memory; and her thoughts were various and rapid, though without tumult.”
Emily felt a vague terror as fragmented memories of the recent events swirled in her mind, but without panic.
Captures Emily's mental state after the violent scene.
“She endeavoured to withdraw her thoughts from the anxiety, that preyed upon them, but they refused control; she could neither read, nor draw, and the tones of her lute were so utterly discordant with the present state of her feelings, that she could not endure them for a moment.”
Emily tried to distract herself from her worries but could not focus on reading, drawing, or playing music, as her emotions were too disturbed.
Shows Emily's inability to find solace in her usual pastimes.
