# Identity and Disguise in No Name

> Theme guide for No Name by Wilkie Collins.

Characters adopt false names and appearances (e.g., Magdalen as 'Miss Bygrave,' Captain Wragge's use of 'skins') to manipulate others and pursue revenge or gain, exploring the fluidity and deception of personal identity.

## Where it surfaces

- [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/ii): Captain Wragge's evasive answers and his clerical appearance hint at deception and hidden motives.
- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/v): Magdalen's absorption in her theatrical role hints at her later capacity for disguise and deception.
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/vi): Magdalen's dual role as Lucy, with false hair, eyebrows, and complexion, showcases her natural talent for impersonation and foreshadows her later use of disguise.
- [Between the Scenes: Progress of the Story Through the Post](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/between-the-scenes-progress-of-the-story-through-the-post): Magdalen's uncharacteristic behavior—guarding a trivial card and staying awake all night—hints at a hidden resolve and the beginnings of a disguised identity.
- [I: From Norah Vanstone to Mr. Pendril](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/i-from-norah-vanstone-to-mr-pendril): Magdalen's secret copying of her father's will and her keeping of a trivial card hint at hidden intentions and a potential transformation of identity.
- [II: From Miss Garth to Mr. Pendril](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/ii-from-miss-garth-to-mr-pendril): Miss Garth recalls Magdalen's questioning of her right to bear her father's name, foreshadowing her use of an assumed name to pursue her goals.
- [III: From Magdalen to Norah (Enclosed in the Preceding Letter)](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/iii-from-magdalen-to-norah-enclosed-in-the-preceding-letter): Magdalen's decision to leave and seek her own living suggests a rejection of her given identity and a move toward assuming a new one.
- [IV: From Sergeant Bulmer (of the Detective Police) to Mr. Pendril](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/iv-from-sergeant-bulmer-of-the-detective-police-to-mr-pendril): Magdalen's use of a theatrical agent's card and her disappearance suggest a deliberate concealment of identity.
- [V: Anonymous Letter Addressed to Mr. Pendril](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/v-anonymous-letter-addressed-to-mr-pendril): The letter's handwriting is disguised, likely a man's, and the writer's identity is unknown, mirroring Magdalen's own hidden identity and the theme of disguise throughout the novel.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/i): Magdalen is in hiding, using the anonymity of York to evade her family, while Captain Wragge adopts a paternal role to gain her trust.
- [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/ii): Captain Wragge's presentation of himself as a 'moral agriculturist' while engaging in systematic swindling.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/iii): Magdalen's acting ability and the plan to escape under disguise highlight the theme of adopting false identities to navigate social and legal constraints.
- [Between the Scenes: Chronicle of Events: Preserved in Captain Wragge's Dispatch-Box](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/between-the-scenes-chronicle-of-events-preserved-in-captain-wragge-s-dispatch-box): Magdalen's talent for mimicry and disguise is central; Wragge plans a dramatic entertainment based on her ability to assume characters, and she later uses disguise to pursue her own ends.
- [Chapter I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/i): Wragge discovers Magdalen's talent for mimicry and trains her in dramatic disguise, central to their scheme.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/ii): The Entertainment and Wragge's plan to cheat the music-seller hint at themes of deception and performance.
- [Chronicle for December. First Fortnight.](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/iii): Magdalen adopts a stage name, highlighting the theme of assuming false identities for performance and concealment.
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/iv): Magdalen's performance involves rapid changes of character, mirroring her own use of disguise in her larger scheme.
- [VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/vi): Magdalen's skill in impersonating different characters, particularly an old north-country lady modeled on Miss Garth, is highlighted as a central element of the chapter.
- [Chronicle for March](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/vii): Magdalen's shift in behavior and her hidden purpose suggest a strategic adoption of a new identity to achieve her goals.
- [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/viii): Magdalen's determination to pursue inquiries under a false identity (as Miss Bygrave) is implied by her shift to new objects and her distrust of Mrs. Lecount.
- [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/ix): Magdalen's preparation to impersonate Miss Garth highlights the theme of deception and hidden identity.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/i): Magdalen prepares to adopt a false identity (the North-country lady) to gain access to Noel Vanstone, highlighting the motif of disguise.
- [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/ii): Magdalen's elaborate disguise as an elderly widow and her use of stage makeup highlight the theme of deception and hidden identity.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/iii): Magdalen's disguise as Miss Garth is central to the confrontation, as she risks exposure while pleading her own cause.
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/iv): Magdalen's masquerade as Miss Garth is exposed by Mrs. Lecount, and she later removes her disguise, reflecting the theme of shifting identities.
- [Between the Scenes: Progress of the Story Through the Post](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/between-the-scenes-progress-of-the-story-through-the-post): Magdalen instructs Captain Wragge to use an assumed name and maintain strict secrecy about their true identities.
- [From Captain Wragge to Magdalen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/ii-from-captain-wragge-to-magdalen): The mention of costumes and Wragge's offer to help Magdalen in her schemes highlights the theme of disguise and deception.
- [X: From Magdalen to Miss Garth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/x-from-magdalen-to-miss-garth): Magdalen reflects on leaving her life as a public performer and hints at a new, more calculated approach to navigating the world.
- [XI: From Magdalen to Captain Wragge](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/xi-from-magdalen-to-captain-wragge): Magdalen instructs Wragge to use an assumed name and dispose of theatrical costumes, signaling a shift from performance to real-life deception.
- [From Captain Wragge to Magdalen](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/xii-from-captain-wragge-to-magdalen): Wragge adopts the alias 'Mr. Bygrave' and constructs an elaborate false family history, instructing Magdalen and Mrs. Wragge to assume new identities.
- [The Fourth Scene](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/the-fourth-scene): Magdalen and Captain Wragge adopt the false identities of the Bygraves to infiltrate Noel Vanstone's circle.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/i): Magdalen adopts the false identity of Miss Bygrave to marry Noel Vanstone, highlighting the theme of deception and assumed roles.
- [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/ii): Miss Bygrave's true identity is hidden; Kirke wonders if she might be a Vanstone, hinting at concealed identity.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/iii): Captain Wragge plans to 'fit' Mrs. Wragge into a new identity, and Magdalen continues her role as Miss Bygrave, highlighting the theme of assumed identities.
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/iv): Magdalen's successful disguise as Miss Bygrave is tested by Mrs. Lecount's suspicion of her voice, highlighting the fragility of her false identity.
- [V](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/v): Magdalen's alias as Miss Bygrave is central to the plot, and Mrs. Lecount's attack targets this false identity.
- [Chapter VI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/vi): Magdalen's false identity as Miss Bygrave is central; Miss Garth's description and the brown alpaca dress fragment aim to expose the disguise.
- [VII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/vii): Wragge paints over Magdalen's moles to conceal her identity from Noel, directly countering Mrs. Lecount's description.
- [VIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/viii): Magdalen's continued impersonation as Miss Bygrave is central; Lecount's suspicion threatens to expose the disguise.
- [IX](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/ix): Magdalen's false identity as Miss Bygrave is central; Mrs. Lecount seeks to prove she is the same woman who terrified Noel Vanstone in Vauxhall Walk.
- [Chapter X](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/x): The alpaca dress is a clue to Magdalen's disguised identity, and Mrs. Lecount's investigation aims to expose the false identities of the Bygraves.
- [XI](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/xi): The forged letter and the use of assumed names (Bygrave) highlight the theme of false identities and the performance of roles to achieve hidden ends.
- [XII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/xii): Magdalen is acting under the false identity of Miss Bygrave, and the captain arranges to destroy traces of his own destination after the wedding.
- [XIII](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/xiii): Magdalen maintains her false identity as Miss Bygrave while purchasing the laudanum, a key part of her scheme.
- [XIV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/xiv): Magdalen continues to pose as Miss Bygrave and maintains the fiction of being twenty-one.
- [Between the Scenes: Progress of the Story Through the Post](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/between-the-scenes-progress-of-the-story-through-the-post): Magdalen's assumed identity as Miss Bygrave is central to the plot, as Norah and George Bartram note the striking resemblance, highlighting the theme of disguise.
- [From George Bartram to Noel Vanstone](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/i-from-george-bartram-to-noel-vanstone): The resemblance between Noel's wife and the missing sister raises questions of mistaken identity and hidden identities.
- [II: From Norah Vanstone to Miss Garth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/ii-from-norah-vanstone-to-miss-garth): The resemblance between Miss Bygrave and Magdalen raises suspicions of disguise or false identity, central to the unfolding mystery.
- [VI: From Mr. de Bleriot to Mrs. Lecount](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/vi-from-mr-de-bleriot-to-mrs-lecount): The investigation targets the Bygraves, who are likely using false names and appearances, underscoring the theme of deceptive identities.
- [X: From Miss Garth to Mr. Pendril](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/x-from-miss-garth-to-mr-pendril): Magdalen marries under the false name Bygrave, with Captain Wragge's assistance, to reclaim her inheritance.
- [From Mr. de Bleriot to Mrs. Lecount](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/xiii-from-mr-de-bleriot-to-mrs-lecount): The stranger's identity is unknown, and the agents deliberately mislead him, suggesting layers of deception.
- [The Fifth Scene: Baliol Cottage, Dumfries](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/the-fifth-scene): The characters' presence at Baliol Cottage suggests ongoing deception and hidden identities.
- [Chapter I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/i): Magdalen's false identity as Miss Bygrave is exposed through physical evidence and the maid's testimony.
- [III: From Mrs. Noel Vanstone to Miss Garth](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/iii-from-mrs-noel-vanstone-to-miss-garth): Magdalen's new identity as Mrs. Noel Vanstone is central; she asserts her changed status as a respectable married woman, contrasting with her former outcast self.
- [IX: From Mrs. Noel Vanstone to Mr. Loscombe](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/ix-from-mrs-noel-vanstone-to-mr-loscombe): Magdalen signs as 'Mrs. Noel Vanstone,' maintaining her assumed identity while plotting her next move.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/ii): Magdalen plans to assume a false identity as a servant to gain access to Admiral Bartram's house, highlighting the theme of disguise as a means to an end.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/i): Magdalen assumes the identity of the parlormaid Louisa, having trained for two months to perfect the role, highlighting the theme of disguise as a means to achieve her ends.
- [Chapter II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/ii): Magdalen maintains her false identity as a parlormaid, successfully deflecting the other servants' suspicion while secretly pursuing her own agenda.
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/iv): Magdalen's actions are driven by her assumed identity as Miss Bygrave, and her true purpose is hidden from the household.
- [I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/i): Magdalen is known to Kirke only by her assumed name from Aldborough; her true identity and history are hidden.
- [II](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/ii): Captain Wragge's transformation from moral agriculture to medical agriculture highlights his shifting public identity, while Magdalen's curiosity about Kirke hints at hidden connections.
- [III](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/iii): Magdalen contemplates revealing her past to Kirke, shedding her former disguises.
- [IV](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/chapters/iv): Magdalen symbolically discards her past identity by tearing up the trust, embracing a new life.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/themes/identity_and_disguise
- Themes index: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/no_name_se/themes