Villette

Lucy Snowe, age 13, visits the home of her godmother, Mrs. Bretton. At the same time, a friend of Mrs. Bretton asks the lady to watch his 7-year-old daughter, Polly, who has just lost her mother. Little Polly soon develops a deep devotion to Mrs. Bretton’s 16-year-old son, John Graham, who showers Polly with attention until her father returns for her. Ten years later, a family tragedy forces Lucy Snowe to seek employment in Belgium. After arriving in the small town of Villette, Lucy finds work as a teacher at Madame Beck's boarding school for girls. Lucy thrives, despite Madame Beck's constant surveillance of the staff and students. Dr. John, a handsome British physician, frequently visits the school due to his infatuation with the 17-year-old student/coquette Ginevra. After Dr. John discovers Ginevra's unworthiness, his brotherly instincts turn his attention to Lucy, and the two become good friends. Soon, Lucy realizes that Dr. John is actually John Graham Bretton, the son of Lucy’s godmother. One night, when John and Lucy go to a play, John saves a young woman from being trampled in a theater fire. John and the girl soon discover that they know each other — the young woman is Polly, whom John has not seen since she was a child. The two renew their friendship, which quickly blossoms into love. Meanwhile, Lucy has several encounters with the shadowy figure of a nun, which may be the ghost of a nun buried alive for breaking her vow of chastity. Lucy also finds herself growing close to fiery schoolmaster Monsieur Paul, who has also witnessed the apparition. Because of their own selfish plans for him, Paul's family struggles to keep him away from Lucy. The family finally succeeds by forcing Paul to oversee some of their business dealings in the West Indies. Before his departure, Paul declares his love for Lucy and arranges for her to live independently as the headmistress of her own small girls' school. Three years later on his voyage home, Paul’s ship encounters a violent storm. Will he return to Lucy, or will she be left alone in the world?