The Mysteries of Udolpho

Setting

1584, Southern France and Northern Italy.

Main characters

Emily St. Aubert: A young, orphaned French woman.
Valancourt: A young man of noble character, travelling with Emily and her father.
Madame Cheron: Emily’s aunt, a selfish, vain widow who take Emily as her ward.
Montoni: A scheming Italian nobleman who wants control of Emily and Cheron.

Summary

Emily and her father, who share a close bond over their love of nature, travel through the Pyrenees from their home in Gascony to the Mediterranean coast of Roussillon, crossing mountainous landscapes on their journey. They encounter the young and handsome Valancourt, who shares their love of the natural world. Soon Emily and Valancourt fall in love.

Emily’s father succumbs to an illness, leaving Emily orphaned. Before he dies, he instructs her to burn some of his old papers without looking at them. She catches a glimpse of one, which intrigues and terrifies her. Emily goes to live with her aunt, Madame Cheron, who discourages Emily and Valancourt’s relationship. Cheron does not care for Emily or her interests and shows little affection towards her. Soon, Cheron marries again, to a dubious Italian nobleman, Montoni. Montoni introduces Emily to his friend Count Morano and wants them to marry, trying to force him upon Emily. Montoni soon discovers that Count Morano is not as wealthy as he thought, and takes Emily and her aunt to his remote castle of Udolpho.

The castle is mysterious. Emily often stays in her room for her own safety, but she befriends a servant, Annette. Count Morano attempts to kidnap Emily from Udolpho but fails; he is discovered by Montoni as he tries to escape and Montoni wounds him while chasing him away. Months pass, and Montoni threatens Cheron with violence as he tries to force her to sign over her estate to him. Cheron refuses but dies shortly after of a severe illness, caused by her husband’s harsh treatment of her, and Emily inherits the estate.

Bandits attack the castle one night and in the confusion Emily, Annette, and others manage to make an escape. Montoni is captured and dies. Emily returns to her aunt’s estate, eager to see Valancourt again, and spends time with the family of the Count De Villefort. The Count informs Emily that Valancourt has been corrupted and lost his money to gambling, horrifying Emily and breaking their union.

Emily unravels another mystery surrounding the death of the Marchioness De Villeroi, a young woman who lived at De Villefort’s house and whose portrait she found amongst her father’s belongings. She learns that the Marchioness was her father’s sister, who was murdered by her own husband.

Valancourt returns to prove his worth and the two get married and live together modestly and happily.