Lady Rose’s Daughter · Question
How does Lady Rose’s Daughter develop the theme of Moral Judgment and Hypocrisy?
Answer
Lady Rose’s Daughter by Mary Augusta Ward develops Moral Judgment and Hypocrisy across the chapters the companion marks for this theme.
Society's harsh judgment of Lady Rose's scandalous past contrasts with the hypocrisy of those who condemn her, while characters like the Duke and Lady Henry use morality as a weapon against those they resent.
Lady Henry condemns Julie's deceit while herself having participated in fabricating Julie's background, exposing societal hypocrisy.
Lady Henry's concern about others feeling insulted if they knew Julie's mother broke the seventh commandment, while she herself is not morally outraged.
Lady Henry judges Julie harshly for the gathering, while Julie points out the hypocrisy of her treatment.
Evidence in the book
- II
Lady Henry condemns Julie's deceit while herself having participated in fabricating Julie's background, exposing societal hypocrisy.
- Chapter VI
Lady Henry's concern about others feeling insulted if they knew Julie's mother broke the seventh commandment, while she herself is not morally outraged.
- IX
Lady Henry judges Julie harshly for the gathering, while Julie points out the hypocrisy of her treatment.
- Chapter XII
Lady Henry's judgment of Julie is seen as harsh and hypocritical by the circle, who believe Julie has been wronged.
- XIII
The chapter presents a moral evaluation of Warkworth, contrasting his heroic military deeds with his discreditable private life and treatment of his family. Delafield struggles with this judgment, reserving his final verdict.
- XIV
The characters' judgments of Julie based on her past and the social hypocrisy surrounding her situation are central to the chapter.
- XIX
Delafield acts as a moral judge, believing he has the right to prevent Julie from meeting Warkworth, while Julie rejects his standards, accusing him of tyranny in the name of values she does not share.
- Chapter XX
Julie's internal turmoil reflects the theme of moral judgment, as she fears the revelation of her near-elopement would cut her off from the 'straight-living, law-abiding world,' contrasting her own actions with the social norms represented by Lord Lackington's deathbed piety.
