Plot Summary
The Woman In White
By Stephen Bray
Introduction
The Woman In White is perhaps the most 'haunting' of Collins' works, and established his literary credentials. For more than a decade it was a best-seller, and it still sells well today, Unlike the works of, for example, Poe where the plot unfolds via the story of how the 'detective' solves a crime, Collins invents a new structure for 'The Woman In White'.
Using a series of accounts by different characters written in the style of legal affidavits, witness statements, and diaries the reader becomes both the judge and the jury to the proceedings as they unfold.
A word of caution: only read the woman in white full plot summary if you really must know the plot prior to reading the Book.
The First Epoch
Walter Hartright a professional water colourist and teacher of the craft is walking home across Hampstead Heath. He is a troubled man, because he will shortly be setting out into the world, far from his widowed mother and his sister for the first time, and not without some foreboding.
As the shadows darken he feels upon his shoulder a hand, and on turning he is astonished to see a woman dressed from head to foot in white. She seems lost, certainly she asks him for directions, and after securing his word that he won't interfere with her she agrees to accompany him across the Heath to a more inhabited place where she may hire a cab.
In their brief conversation the woman mentions Limmeridge House, which is to be Hartright's destination, for he has been engaged to teach two ladies the art of water colour painting on a handsome contract.
After Hartright has seen the mysterious woman away in a hired cab he overhears two men talking with a policeman. They are looking for an escapee from a private mental asylum.
Some days later Hartright arrives at Limmeridge House. The owner Mr. Fairlie is either extremely self-centred, or a hypochondriac, or both. He devotes himself exclusively to his collection of art and is served in his own quarters, by a personal servant. In the whole of his stay at Limmeridge House, it seems that Hartright only meets with him once, in order to discuss his duties.
Squire Fairlie is the guardian of his niece Laura, an heiress of some considerable fortune. Her stepsister companion Marian Halcombe is a little older, much confident but is penniless. Both women are wonderfully graceful and well formed, but Miss Halcombe is distinguished by somewhat masculine features, which Hartright finds off-putting. Miss Fairlie is by his account beautiful with turquoise blue eyes. She proves to be a sensitive soul and wishes to impress him as a painter. He falls in love with her.
Soon Hartright is telling Marian Halcombe the story of his meeting with the woman in white upon Hampstead Heath. She reads her stepmother's letters where there is mentioned a reference to a child named Anne Catherick, who bears an incredible resemblance to Laura.
Three months pass rapidly, but Laura is already betrothed to Sir Percival Glyde a baronet at her father's wish. Glyde is several years her senior. When it has become clear to Miss Halcombe that Hartright and Laura are in love she tells Hartright that he must leave. Glyde is due in a few days, as is the family lawyer Mr. Gilmore.
Hartright realises that a future with Laura Fairlie is an impossibility, because of their different stations in life. Before he leave however an antonymous letter arrives addressed to Laura Fairlie. It warns her against marrying a nobleman, and describes Glyde's physical appearance accurately.
Mysteriously, a pupil at the local school claims to have seen a ghost. It is clear to Hartright and Marian Halcombe however, that he is misguided in his assumption, and has instead probably seen Anne Catherick in her white clothing hovering near the grave of Mrs Fairlie, Laura's mother.
That evening Hartright waits near the grave, where his suspicions are confirmed. Not only does he meet with Anne Catherick, but also Mrs Clements, who knew her as a child and has now taken her in. They are staying at a farm nearby.
Marian Halcombe and Walter Hartright visit the farm the next day, but by this time Anne Catherick and Mrs Clements have left for an unknown destination.
Hartright now leaves the story for several chapters. Firstly he goes to London to arrange his affairs, and then via Liverpool to Central America, where he takes up a post as official artist on an exploration of the region. We know little of his adventures, except there are hints later in the book that he has fought with local tribesmen, and also suffered illness, deprivation and shipwreck.
Miss Halcombe shares the content of the letter with Vincent Gilmore, the family lawyer. Gilmore sees nothing 'strange' about it. He believes Glyde to be a man of good character. But he does take the precaution of writing to Anne Catherick's mother, (at Glyde's suggestion), and receives a curt reply explaining that Anne was confined to the asylum with her explicit knowledge and consent.
Laura attempts to encourage Glyde to release her from the engagement, because in her heart she loves another. But Glyde won't hear of it and using adroit diplomatic skill he manages to hold Laura to the marriage. The date for this is fixed so that it will occur before she attains her majority, and therefore may administer her own fortune ~ it will thus pass into Glyde's control with the marriage.
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