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Volume 2, Chapter 11
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Mysteries of Udolpho, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Marriage, Love, and Inheritance
The Wonders of Nature
Mystery and Superstition
Mortality
The Value of Education and Art
Summary
Analysis
Annette comes to Emily’s chamber in a hurry, saying that she believes the mysterious man who was talking to Montoni earlier was Orsino (who is still wanted for murder). Emily asks Annette if she heard music the previous night, but Annette didn’t hear anything like what Emily describes. Emily remembers Madame Montoni again and wants to go speak to Montoni.
The fact that only Emily seems to have heard the mysterious music shows once again how her education from St. Aubert has trained her to be able to recognize beauty in the world that others overlook.
Themes
Montoni is busy, but Annette lets Emily know that Barnardine, the porter, can help Emily sneak into the east turret to see Madame Montoni. Emily, Annette, and Barnardine meet in secret at night. Barnardine says he might be able to tell her some things, but only if Emily is alone, without Annette. Emily insists on Annette staying and eventually Barnardine relents. He confirms that Madame Montoni is still alive and that he might be able to take her to see her aunt, if she goes alone. She makes plans to meet him the next day.
Barnardine was the servant that Montoni suspected of betraying him earlier, and his actions in this passage do little to dispel the idea that he is a shifty character. Emily’s decision to trust Barnardine shows how desperate she is and how few allies she has in Udolpho, because even she can sense there is something unusual about Barnardine’s requests for her to show up alone.
Themes
That evening, Emily doesn’t hear the music from the previous night and assumes that means it was something supernatural. She’s frightened at first but then wonders if, since the music is pleasant, it’s a sign from St. Aubert, who is watching over her.
