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The First Epoch: Part 2, Chapter 3
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Woman in White, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Evidence and Law
Morality, Crime, and Punishment
Identity and Appearance
Marriage and Gender
Class, Industry, and Social Place
Summary
Analysis
Mr. Gilmore arrives at Limmeridge but is told that Mr. Fairlie will not see him until the next day because of his nerves. When Mr. Gilmore is finally invited to Mr. Fairlie’s study, Mr. Fairlie provokes him by refusing to send his servant from the room so that they might discuss the matter alone. Mr. Fairlie insists that his servant, who is holding a portfolio of etchings for him to examine, is not a man but a “portfolio stand” and so will not be interested in their conversation, but Mr. Gilmore—frustrated and offended—insists.
Mr. Gilmore demonstrates his belief in the class system again when he refuses to discuss business in front of Mr. Fairlie’s servant, which would be considered improper. Mr. Fairlie, however, demonstrates an even more extreme position and does not even feel that they need to treat his servant as a person but, instead, treats him as an inanimate object. Although Mr. Gilmore is portrayed as a traditional person, his attitude is certainly more progressive than Mr. Fairlie, who totally dehumanizes his servant and would have been seen as old-fashioned by middle-class readers.
Themes
Mr. Gilmore begs Mr. Fairlie not to allow Sir Percival to marry Laura. Mr. Gilmore now believes that Sir Percival has arranged the marriage for “mercenary means.” Mr. Fairlie teases Mr. Gilmore and suggests that he detests Sir Percival because he happens to be a man of rank—a Baronet—and insists that Mr. Gilmore is a political Radical. Offended, Mr. Gilmore loses his temper with Mr. Fairlie, but quickly sees that this method will get him nowhere with the stubborn man and tries to control himself. He begs Mr. Fairlie to reconsider, for Laura’s sake, and tells him that anyone would tell him that it is unwise to give a man “an interest of twenty thousand pounds in his wife’s death.”
Mr. Fairlie is so old-fashioned in his beliefs that he views Mr. Gilmore, who is very conservative and traditional, as a political Radical. This only exposes Mr. Fairlie’s outdated attitudes. Although there was still a strict class system, the treatment of and social attitudes towards servants, women, and members of the lower classes were improving. Mr. Gilmore sensibly points out that Sir Percival most likely wants to marry Laura for her money and that he will gain significantly if Laura dies, which may even give him an incentive to cause her death.
Themes
Seeing that he has made no progress with Mr. Fairlie, Mr. Gilmore tells Mr. Fairlie that the responsibility lies on him if anything happens to Laura, and Mr. Gilmore angrily leaves Limmeridge House. A week later, he sends the marriage settlement to Mr. Merriman, Sir Percival’s lawyer, with the clause regarding the twenty thousand pounds still included.
Mr. Gilmore realizes that there is nothing he can do. Although he can advise Laura legally, Mr. Fairlie is her legal guardian and has a significant say in her future. This makes his self-absorbed attitude all the more frustrating and tragic.
Themes
