The societal structure of 18th-century London was based on rigid class hierarchies. In Burney's novel Evelina, the main character is born as a nameless illegitimate child because her father refuses to accept her. This places Evelina at a particularly difficult intersection in London's social structure. Evelina has little knowledge of the extent of social conduct in London and has no name or claimed heritage to offer as a dowry. In the context of 18th-century London, this was a difficult situation for a young, unmarried woman. Yet Burney uses Evelina's illegitimate status to reveal both the arbitrary nature of London's societal expectations and the hypocritical members of society who impose but fail to meet them. I will not respect them. Despite Evelina's naivety, she is arguably considered the individual best suited to navigate the complexities of social mores and rituals. With this in mind, it is important to critically ask whether Burney challenges class hierarchies, class hypocrisy, or both. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Burney analyzes 18th-century class structures and societal behaviors in two ways: She presents Evelina as ignorant but capable. Despite Evelina's rural upbringing before her trip to London, she possesses a self-awareness that is lacking in the majority of the novel's characters. Upon her arrival in London, Evelina finds herself overwhelmed by the foreign behavior to which she realizes she must conform. Often Evelina gets stuck in sticky situations without Barron 2 knowing how to proceed. This manifests when she attends a ball for the first time and has to navigate expected gender dynamics that she has no experience with. At these gatherings it was considered impolite to refuse a man and then accept the hand of another. But without knowing it, Evelina naturally refuses the hand of the first man who asks her to dance, Mr. Lovel, who offends her with his audacity and his overconfidence. Evelina recounts: “A short time later, a young man, who had been looking at us for some time with a sort of careless impertinence, approached me on tiptoe; he had a frozen smile on his face and his outfit was so chic that I really thought he even wanted people to look at him; and yet he was very ugly” (Evelina 21). Burney here demonstrates a nuance in Evelina's characterization. Evelina has few behavioral references to base her judgments on Mr. Lovel, and yet she recognizes the unpleasant aura he exudes. By situating Mr. Lovel, an unattractive character with excessive behavior, as the experienced individual in London mores, Burney accentuates the hypocrisy of the cultural framework. Furthermore, by showing that Evelina is aware of this unpleasant nature, Burney suggests that there are appropriate manners that should be recognized: being genuine, respectful, and non-condescending. Evelina recognizes and follows these behaviors without any knowledge of London formalities. Furthermore, the characterization of Evelina as well-mannered in the context of said formalities reveals their arbitrary nature. The fact that Burney criticizes London society but praises the sensitivity of characters like Evelina and Lord Orville, or their awareness of the emotions and behaviors of others, suggests a complex perspective. Burney does not want to reject societal values ​​of respect and politeness, but rejects arbitrary customs and criticizes hypocritical individuals. It could be said that..