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Walter Hartright, a young art teacher, encounters and gives directions to a mysterious and distressed woman dressed entirely in white, lost in London; he is later informed by policemen that she has escaped from an asylum.
While walking home from Hampstead on his last evening in London, Hartright meets a mysterious woman dressed in white, apparently in deep distress. He helps her on her way but later learns that she has escaped from an asylum. The next day he travels north to Limmeridge House.
The woman in white shows a sudden agitation when Walter explains about his new job, but also speaks with love about Mrs. Fairlie, the late owner of Limmeridge House. Walter helps the strange woman to catch a cab, only to encounter two men looking for a “woman in white," who has escaped from a mental asylum.
The title The Woman in White refers to the startling late-night appearance of the mysteriously insane woman Anne Catherick—clad entirely in white. However, the title may also refer to Laura Fairlie, Walter Hartright's romantic interest, who also dresses frequently in white.
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The plot of The Woman in White revolves around power relations between men and women in society at large and particularly within marriage. The central mystery leads back to the circumstances of Sir Percival’s parents’ relationship and ripples outward into his abusive treatment of his wife and Anne Catherick .
Get ready to explore The Woman in White and its meaning. Our full analysis and study guide provides an even deeper dive with character analysis and quotes explained to help you discover the complexity and beauty of this book.
