The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe (Volume Three)

[Jamie]

This is for the discussion of The Mysteries of Udolpho by Ann Radcliffe (Volume Three).

[Diane]

So Madame Montoni is dead and now I will find out what evil Montoni has planned for poor Emily.
Who is the apparition outside Emily's casement? Really? If Emily is willing to suffer who knows what at the hands of Montoni to save the property for her true love, why would it never occur to her that he would travel the ends of earth to rescue her? Especially when the apparition beacons to her.
Maybe I'm guessing wrong and to be fair, the castle is scarey.
I must read on to find out.

[Jamie]

I sometimes couldn't understand her strength and courage in certain situations and fear and lack of action in others. Her actions sometimes seemed backwards or inconsistent. Personally once her aunt married Montoni who planned to go to another country and Emily received word of Montoni's corruption, Emily would not have broken her promise to have left her aunts care (now Montoni was her gardian) and entered a convent until she was of age.

[Diane]

Jamie wrote: "I sometimes couldn't understand her strength and courage in certain situations and fear and lack of action in others. Her actions sometimes seemed backwards or inconsistent. Personally once her aun..."

My thoughts also.
But then again she is very young and had been sheltered by her parents. That can make a big difference, especially when you are suddenly all alone in the world. She had to have been afraid to act independently.
Besides, if she had entered a convent, end of story.

The chick needed a car, a phone, and a VISA. A little electricity wouldn't have hurt either.

[Diane]

I just thought if it. She was so sheltered that her father, even on his deathbed, told her nothing except keep the money, burn the papers without reading them, go to her aunt's and keep the house in the family. Oh, and by the way, we're broke.
That is not preparation for life. I'm indignant for Emily since she is too sweet to feel it herself.
Gotta go and read more :-)

[Jamie]

Diane wrote: "I just thought if it. She was so sheltered that her father, even on his deathbed, told her nothing except keep the money, burn the papers without reading them, go to her aunt's and keep the house i..."

Haha! That would be a funny rewrite in the book. Give her a car, phone and visa and she wouldn't be any better off since nobody else would have a phone, a car can't drive through the mountainous forest and no computers for the visa. What she did need was better advice and life help from her father. I agree. She still is pretty well equipped while fulfilling the roll of a virtuous daughter and woman. I can't imagine how I would have handled the situation. Her father had time to tell her and advise her about the contents of the papers. The ought the whole book I kept wondering "what did she see on the papers!"