# I explained — The Woman in White

> Chapter companion for The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.

## What happens

Walter Hartright introduces the narrative, explaining that the story will be told by multiple witnesses to present the truth directly, as in a court of law. He establishes his role as the primary narrator and sets the stage for the events to come.

## Themes in this chapter

### Law and Justice

The chapter opens with a critique of the legal system, suggesting that wealth can corrupt justice, and frames the story as an alternative to a court proceeding.

## Character check-ins

### Walter Hartright

The narrator introduces himself as a teacher of drawing, aged twenty-eight, who will begin the story.

## Key lines

> This is the story of what a woman’s patience can endure, and what a Man’s resolution can achieve.

This narrative will showcase a woman's endurance and a man's determination.

_Sets the thematic focus on gender roles and personal strength._

> If the machinery of the Law could be depended on to fathom every case of suspicion... the events which fill these pages might have claimed their share of the public attention in a Court of Justice.

If the legal system were reliable in investigating all suspicions, these events would have been tried in court.

_Highlights the perceived failures of the justice system._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_woman_in_white_se/chapters/i
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_woman_in_white_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_woman_in_white_se/chapters