The Mysteries of Udolpho

This initial set of chapters introduces key themes, such as The Dangers of Materialism and Greed and The Importance of Balancing Sensibility and Reason. Prominent motifs like mysterious music—such as when Emily hears the lute being played near the fishing house—as well as property and inheritance are introduced. These chapters also highlight the novel’s distinct narrative conventions: its episodic nature, as well as the abundance of quotes, poems, and songs.

Each chapter begins with a quote by a famous author, with the quote often illustrating key ideas in the section. For instance, Chapter 1, which paints the picture of an idyllic home, begins with this quote from the poet James Thomson: “[H]ome is the resort / of love, of joy, of peace and plenty.” The poems featured in the novel, 19 in total, were written by Radcliffe herself and provide a commentary and analysis of the events in the story. Additionally, the poems function as a narrative device, slowing down the action to appreciate nature as well as the process of creativity. In fact, the complete title of the novel is The Mysteries of Udolpho: A Romance, Interspersed with some Pieces of Poetry. Emily tends to notice and compose poems when she is inspired by nature and in a relatively calmer state of mind. Chapters with action, in which Emily may be imperiled, feature fewer poems; thus, poems become natural breaks in the narrative.

In Chapter 1, Emily finds a sonnet written to her. The sonnet, addressed to the pencil of the poet, urges it to write the beloved’s glory. The sonnet is a fine example of Radcliffe’s own poetry and can be seen as a way of exhibiting her poet-self within the more acceptable persona of the novelist. When Emily conveys her poem “The Glow Worm” (34) to St. Aubert, the narrative curiously notes that “whatever St. Aubert might think of the stanzas, he would not deny his daughter the pleasure of believing that he approved them” (37). The fact that the narrator introduced ambiguity about St. Aubert’s real opinion about Emily’s poetry is a metatextual reference to Radcliffe’s own modesty about her skill as a poet.

As in the case of the example of St. Aubert’s reaction to Emily’s poetry, narrative asides, in which the narrator takes a break from the story or makes an external comment on something, are common in the novel. In contemporary terms, narrative asides can be called “breaking the fourth wall,” where the story deliberately invites the reader or the viewer to consider its structure or artifice. Narrative asides and the presence of a narrator who directly addresses the reader as “you” were a common convention in the 18th- and 19th-century novel.

The first set of chapters shows that though The Mysteries of Udolpho is described as an example of Gothic literature, it also contains several elements of Romanticism and the Picturesque. The various descriptions of nature, such as the grounds of La Vallee, establish the importance of nature in the narrative. St. Aubert, a man who loves the serenity of nature, is presented as a source of wisdom. Emily, the novel’s protagonist, prefers the wildness of nature to its cultivated form: “she loved more, the wild wood walks that skirted the mountain” (19). M. Quesnel, the relative to whom St. Aubert is indebted, is shown as coarse and apathetic, wanting to cut down the trees around La Vallee because “Why should I not? They interrupt my prospects” (30). Thus, the love of nature emerges as a virtue, which is a key feature of Romanticism. The novel also has elements of the Picturesque, a form of narrative which features several interludes and journeys across a beautiful countryside.  

Plot devices, such as foreshadowing and mysteries, also make an appearance in this section. For instance, the idyllic life of the St. Auberts is tinged with the melancholy reflection of the loss of their older children, which foreshadows the troubles that are to befall the family. St. Aubert’s failing health in these chapters foreshadows his imminent death. Many mysteries—some of critical importance in the text—are introduced, such as the identity of the woman whose portrait St. Aubert kisses in Chapter 1. Such mysteries build the suspense in the episodic plot, creating momentum for the next installment of the story.

The relationship between St. Aubert and Emily is of particular importance, since St. Aubert serves as a moral compass for Emily for much of the novel. At the start of the novel, Emily is presented as intelligent, quiet, and sweet, qualities that are in keeping with the time’s standards of femininity. However, Emily also has to function as a heroine in the novel, navigating her way through many complex and dangerous situations. Her sound relationship with her like-minded father serves as a basis of values that guide her as she evolves as a protagonist.

Another important theme that emerges in this early section is the definition of feminine and masculine ideals. St. Aubert is shown as a man of sensitivity, refinement, and principles, which may be regarded as more stereotypically feminine values. Valancourt, the novel’s romantic hero—whose name is an implied combination of the words “valiant” and “courtly”—combines the sensitivity of St. Aubert with a hunger for action. Therefore, the male hero of the text is neither overly timid nor hypermasculine, combining both feminine and masculine ideals. In fact, Valancourt shares much of Emily and St. Aubert’s love for nature and art. He is identified as a reader, with St. Aubert discovering many books in his room. He also embodies the values of chivalry, charity, and compassion, such as when he gives the shepherd’s family all his money to help them out. When Emily faints, a wounded Valancourt tends to her, forgetting his own injuries. The narrative swiftly sets him up as the chief romantic lead of the plot, foreshadowing his enduring role in Emily’s life.