Perspective and Etiquette in Frances Burney's Evelina

The use of a double narrative perspective in Frances Burney's Evelina allows for the characterization of Evelina to be revealed in a more subtle way through her careful use of deceit and sleight of hand in detailing her feelings toward the events which she relates to her guardian, Rev. Villars. Villars represents male dominion and authority over women; Evelina can do nothing unless she gains his approval. Male authority is a central theme of the text and the ability of Evelina to manipulate Villars is perhaps an indication of things to come. Evelina's first letter to Rev. Villars is indicative of how calculating a mind Evelina has, which is surprising considering Villars' description of her earlier as "quite a little rustic" who "knows nothing of the world."

In her first letter to Villars, Evelina strains to convince her guardian that the only reason she is willing to accompany the Mirvans on their trip to London is because they want her to. Her manipulativeness cannot help but be questioned-except by Villars-when she writes "pray don't suppose that I make any point of going, for I shall hardly sigh to see them depart without me; though I shall probably never meet with such another opportunity." Villars' response to this letter raises his role from mere authority figure to moral overseer of Republican proportions. He prays to Heaven for her felicity but with the caveat that it "keep vice as distant from your person as from your heart." Evelina, in other words, is welcome to all the happiness she can find provided it's happiness based on moral actions. Evelina's blatant lying to Villars suggests that perhaps he has not been as successful in his attempts to impose morality upon Evelina as he thought and, indeed, might even raise the possibility that Evelina will meet an end as ignominious as her mother. The use of the dual perspective adds to the tension of the novel in that Evelina comes to be seen clearly as not the same person as she is described by those around her which opens the door for more possibilities than the expected fairy-tale ending.