PLOT SUMMARY
FIRST EPOCH
The author begins the story with a Preamble, in which he tells the reader that the story will
be told be several different narrators in much the same way that different witnesses give testimony
in a court case. The first to speak is Walter Hartright, a 28-year-old drawing teacher. He tells
of going to visit his mother and sister at Hampstead, where he encounters an old friend, Professor
Pesca, a teacher of Italian who, out of gratitude toward the nation that gave him refuge, seeks to
become as English in his behavior and fashion as possible. Years earlier, Hartright had saved him
from drowning, earning his everlasting gratitude in the process. On this day, Pesca excitedly tells
the family of a job opportunity that he has secured for Walter teaching drawing to two young
ladies at Limmeridge House in Cumberland. Walter is inexplicably hesitant to take the job, but
does so after hearing the entreaties of his family and friend.
He leaves Hampstead after midnight and begins to walk back to London. On the way, he
is suddenly approached by a woman dressed all in white. She is clearly afraid, and asks for his
help. He offers to do anything he can, and the two walk toward London, saying little as they
travel. Walter does discover that she grew up in Cumberland and has fond memories of
Limmeridge and the Fairlie family. When they reach London, he hails a cab for her and sends
her off. Soon two men come by looking for the same woman, and insist that she has escaped from
their asylum. Hearing these words, Walter wonders whether he has assisted a flight from unjust
imprisonment or allowed a poor madwoman to escape safe confinement, especially since he had
detected no signs of madness in the woman.
He leaves for Cumberland the next day and, after some misadventures on the railroad,
arrives at Limmeridge the following night, where he is shown immediately to his room without
meeting any of the family. The next morning, he comes down to breakfast where he meets a
young woman with a lovely figure but an ugly face, swarthy with the hint of a mustache. She is
clearly intelligent and open. Her name is Marian Halcombe; she is the companion and dearest
friend of her half-sister Laura Fairlie, and Laura’s uncle, the current occupant of Limmeridge, is
the brother of her late stepfather (Laura’s father). She acquaints Walter with the inhabitants of
the house, informing him that Laura is very rich but that she has nothing, that Laura is musically
gifted but that she can’t play a note, and that neither of them can draw with any skill whatsoever.
During their conversation, Walter tells her about his encounter with the mysterious Woman in
White and of her connection with Limmeridge, and Marian is immediately intrigued, so much so
that she offers to go through her mother’s old letters to see if they contain any information that
would allow her to identify the woman.
Walter is then summoned to the room
PLOT SUMMARY
FIRST EPOCH
The author begins the story with a Preamble, in which he tells the reader that the story will
be told be several different narrators in much the same way that different witnesses give testimony
in a court case. The first to speak is Walter Hartright, a 28-year-old drawing teacher. He tells
of going to visit his mother and sister at Hampstead, where he encounters an old friend, Professor
Pesca, a teacher of Italian who, out of gratitude toward the nation that gave him refuge, seeks to
become as English in his behavior and fashion as possible. Years earlier, Hartright had saved him
from drowning, earning his everlasting gratitude in the process. On this day, Pesca excitedly tells
the family of a job opportunity that he has secured for Walter teaching drawing to two young
ladies at Limmeridge House in Cumberland. Walter is inexplicably hesitant to take the job, but
does so after hearing the entreaties of his family and friend.
He leaves Hampstead after midnight and begins to walk back to London. On the way, he
is suddenly approached by a woman dressed all in white. She is clearly afraid, and asks for his
help. He offers to do anything he can, and the two walk toward London, saying little as they
travel. Walter does discover that she grew up in Cumberland and has fond memories of
Limmeridge and the Fairlie family. When they reach London, he hails a cab for her and sends
her off. Soon two men come by looking for the same woman, and insist that she has escaped from
their asylum. Hearing these words, Walter wonders whether he has assisted a flight from unjust
imprisonment or allowed a poor madwoman to escape safe confinement, especially since he had
detected no signs of madness in the woman.
He leaves for Cumberland the next day and, after some misadventures on the railroad,
arrives at Limmeridge the following night, where he is shown immediately to his room without
meeting any of the family. The next morning, he comes down to breakfast where he meets a
young woman with a lovely figure but an ugly face, swarthy with the hint of a mustache. She is
clearly intelligent and open. Her name is Marian Halcombe; she is the companion and dearest
friend of her half-sister Laura Fairlie, and Laura’s uncle, the current occupant of Limmeridge, is
the brother of her late stepfather (Laura’s father). She acquaints Walter with the inhabitants of
the house, informing him that Laura is very rich but that she has nothing, that Laura is musically
gifted but that she can’t play a note, and that neither of them can draw with any skill whatsoever.
During their conversation, Walter tells her about his encounter with the mysterious Woman in
White and of her connection with Limmeridge, and Marian is immediately intrigued, so much so
that she offers to go through her mother’s old letters to see if they contain any information that
would allow her to identify the woman.
Walter is then summoned to the room
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