PENGUIN READERS
Teacher s notes LEVEL 6
Teacher Support Programme
The Woman in White
starts his new job, teaching art to two half sisters, Laura
Wilkie Collins
Fairlie and Marian, whose parents are both dead. He falls
in love with Laura, who closely resembles the woman in
white , but Laura marries another man, as she promised
to her father. She is unhappy, as her husband is interested
only in her money. He also has a terrible secret that the
woman in white knows. He and his sinister friend plot
to steal Laura s money by substituting the woman in
white for Laura. But Laura s husband dies in a fire trying
to eliminate the traces of his forgery. Laura and Walter
reunite and get married.
PART 1
Chapter 1: One night Walter meets a strange woman
dressed all in white. They talk together and Walter is very
About the author
much surprised to hear the woman talking about the place
Wilkie (William) Collins can be described as the author
and the family he is on his way to see. Before he can ask
of the first full-length detective stories in English. Born in
her any questions, she disappears.
London in 1824, he was the son of a landscape painter.
He was educated at private schools, but received his real
Chapter 2: Walter goes to Cumberland. At Limmeridge
education on a two-year tour of Italy with his family. He
House he meets his pupils, Marian and Laura, who
trained as a lawyer, but became a full-time writer in his
are half-sisters. Walter notices that Laura resembles the
early twenties. During the 1860s, with the publication
woman in white very much. He tells Marian about the
of novels of mystery, suspense and crime, he became
strange woman. She is keen to help him solve the mystery.
a household name. Of these novels, The Woman in
Chapter 3: Walter enjoys his life at Limmeridge House.
White (1860) and The Moonstone (1868) were the most
He falls in love with Laura and makes friends with
successful, and are still widely read today.
Marian. But Marian advises him to leave Limmeridge
Collins was very highly thought of by contemporary
House, because Laura is engaged to baronet Sir Percival
critics and his books were widely read in both America
Glyde, who is coming soon. Laura receives an anonymous
and Europe. The famous British author Charles Dickens
warning against her future marriage, and Walter
was his friend and mentor, and like Dickens, Collins was
remembers the woman in white talking about some
a tireless social campaigner. After 1870, Collins s novels
wicked and cruel baronet. He thinks the warning letter
concentrated more on social issues such as prostitution
is from that woman.
and vivisection than on good story-telling.
Chapter 4: Walter goes to the churchyard to see the
Collins suffered from gout, and was addicted to opium for
strange woman who was seen there. They meet and she
the last twenty-seven years of his life (at the time, opium
gives him her name, Anne Catherick, and that she has
was considered to be a safe painkiller). Collins s private life
escaped from the asylum where Sir Percival shut her up.
was unconventional: he had two mistresses and married
Then she gets frightened and runs away.
neither of them, although he had three children by one,
Chapter 5: Before Walter goes away, he and Marian go
Martha Rudd. He died in 1889.
to the village to find Anne Catherick to talk to her. When
they arrive, they find that Anne has already gone.
Summary
Chapter 6: Mr Gilmore, the family lawyer, comes to
Late one night on a lonely road a young art teacher, Walter
draw up the marriage settlement. He sends a copy of the
Hartright, meets a strange woman dressed all in white.
warning letter to Sir Percival asking for an explanation.
They talk together and Walter is puzzled by the fact that
Walter leaves Limmeridge House. Laura is very unhappy
the woman knows a member of the family he is about to
as she is in love with Walter.
start work with. Walter goes to Limmeridge House and
c Pearson Education Limited 2008 The Woman in White - Teacher s notes 1 of 5
PENGUIN READERS
Teacher s notes LEVEL 6
Teacher Support Programme
The Woman in White
Chapter 7: Sir Percival Glyde comes to Limmeridge there. But Anne never appears. Sir Percival reads Anne s
House and explains that Anne s mother used to be his note to Laura and becomes frustrated.
loyal servant. To thank her, he paid for her daughter Anne,
Chapter 6: Marian eavesdrops on Sir Percival and Count
who has mental problems, to be placed in an asylum.
Fosco plotting to obtain Laura s money in the event of her
Marian writes a letter to Mrs Catherick and receives
death. Count Fosco asks about the woman he has seen
confirmation that this is true. After that Laura agrees
with Laura in the boathouse. Sir Percival explains it is
to marry Sir Percival, as she does not want to break her
Anne Catherick and says that by coincidence, she looks
promise to her late father.
as if his wife would look after a long illness.
Chapter 8: When discussing the marriage settlement, Sir
Chapter 7: When spying on Sir Percival and Count
Percival insists on having his wife s money in case of her
Fosco, Marian becomes so terribly ill and is bedridden.
death. Mr Gilmore does not like the idea. As Laura is not
Sir Percival closes up Blackwater Park, and Count Fosco
twenty-one yet, he visits her uncle, Mr Fairlie, to discuss
moves to London. Laura is told that he has taken Marian
it. But Mr Fairlie agrees to Sir Percival s claims.
with him and she also leaves for London. But Marian is
Chapter 9: Walter leaves for Central America for eighteen still at Blackwater Park. She had been moved to another
months. Laura s wedding date is decided 22 December room.
in four weeks time. Sir Percival tries to find Anne
Chapter 8: Lady Glyde arrives at Count Fosco s house.
Catherick, but she is gone. Sir Percival and Laura get
She looks very frightened and very ill. The next day she
married and leave for Italy.
dies. Lady Glyde s body is sent to Limmeridge and buried
in her mother s grave.
PART 2
Chapter 9: Walter Hartright returns to Britain, where he
Chapter 1: Six months later Marian comes to Blackwater
learns about Laura s death. He goes to Limmeridge to visit
Park, Sir Percival s house, where she learns that Mrs
Laura s grave, as he still loves her. But in the churchyard he
Catherick has secretly visited to find out any news about
meets Marian, and the still very much alive, Laura.
her daughter. Marian decides to visit Mrs Catherick.
Chapter 2: Sir Percival and Laura come from Italy with
PART 3
Count Fosco, Sir Percival s friend. Laura is very unhappy,
Chapter 1: Marian, Laura and Walter rent a small flat
it s clear now that her husband married her for her money
in London. Marian tells Walter their story. After she
only. To clear out his debts he needs to obtain his wife s
recovered from her illness, she learned that Laura had
money. Marian overhears a conversation and tells Laura
died of a heart problem. Anne Catherick had been found
about it.
and put in the asylum again. Her mental problems got
Chapter 3: Sir Percival learns about Mrs Catherick s visit worse and she thinks she is Lady Glyde. Marian went to
which makes him very angry. He tries to make Laura sign the asylum and found Laura there. She helped Laura to
some document about her money but fails. Outraged, escape, and they went to Limmeridge, where they met
Sir Percival leaves Blackwater Park. Walter.
Chapter 4: Marian and Laura go to an old boathouse Chapter 2: Laura says that Count Fosco met her in
and see a strange figure. They become frightened and go London and took her to some place to meet her sister.
home, but someone is following them, and it is not Count There he gave her a cup of strange tea, she fainted and
Fosco. Laura goes to the boathouse again and meets Anne recovered in the asylum. Using their similar appearance
Catherick there. Anne tells her she wrote the warning and Sir Percival and Count Fosco placed Laura in the asylum
followed her last time. She also says she know a terrible as Anne Catherick, and moved Anne to Count Fosco s
secret about Sir Percival. Suddenly she gets frightened and house, where she died as Lady Glyde.
runs away without revealling the secret.
Chapter 3: Walter wants to find out Sir Percival s secret
Chapter 5: Sir Percival comes back. Count Fosco, who so he can use it to destroy him and goes to see Mrs
has seen Laura s meeting with Anne, tells him about the Catherick. At the end of a difficult conversation, she tells
meeting, and they go to the boathouse to wait for Anne him to go to the church and look at the book of marriage
records.
c Pearson Education Limited 2008 The Woman in White - Teacher s notes 2 of 5
PENGUIN READERS
Teacher s notes LEVEL 6
Teacher Support Programme
The Woman in White
Chapter 4: Walter goes to the church and finds that Genre: Written in 1860, The Woman in White is one of
the entry for Sir Percival s parents marriage is a forgery the most successful examples of the novel of sensation .
his parents never married, which means that he is not This genre of fiction first started in the 1860s and was
a baronet and has no legal rights for Blackwater Park. characterized by stories of mystery and crime sinister
Moreover, he can be sent to prison. secrets that were slowly uncovered, in an atmosphere of
great suspense. Even though the events were often unlikely
Chapter 5: Sir Percival understands he is in danger and
and sensational, they took place in everyday settings of the
comes to the church to destroy the forged page. He
time, and this created a feeling of greater realism. Wilkie
accidentally starts a fire, gets trapped inside and dies.
Collins was a master of this genre.
Chapter 6: Sir Percival s death is officially recognized
Modern detective novel: The novel of sensation gave
as death by accident. Walter receives a note from Mrs
rise to the modern detective novel. Indeed, in The Woman
Catherick explaining the extraordinary resemblance of
in White, Walter Hartright and Marian act as amateur
Laura and Anne they are half-sister, and have the same
detectives. The Moonstone (1868), Collins s other huge
father.
success, is even more of a detective story.
Chapter 7: Walter comes back to London. He tells
Heroes and heroines: Novels of this kind generally
Marian the whole story, but they decide to tell Laura
have a hero, a heroine and a villain. In The Woman in
only about her husband s death. Walter and Laura get
White, there are two heroines and two villains. Laura,
married. Walter brings Laura to Limmeridge House where
the woman Walter loves, is the type of woman popular
he explains what has happened. She is legally recognized
with Englishmen in the nineteenth century. She is very
as being alive, and after her uncle s death, inherits
beautiful, very feminine, and very inactive; she does
Limmeridge House.
almost nothing. Laura s sister, Marian, on the other hand,
Background and themes is extremely clever, practical and active; she takes care of
Laura. She is also ugly. The novel demonstrates the strong
Where the story came from: The plot of The Woman in
tendency of men in nineteenth century England to see
White, although very exciting, seems unlikely: a woman is
desirable women as very feminine and passive.
robbed of her money when her identity is confused with
another woman who looks like her. It is now known that Villains: The two villains in The Woman in White are Sir
Collins found the basic plot for The Woman in White in a Percival Glyde, Laura s husband, and his friend, Count
book of French crimes which he bought from a bookstall Fosco. Sir Percival, although evil, is not as clever as
in Paris. This book, Recueil des Causes Celebres, by Maurice Count Fosco. It is Count Fosco who thinks up the plan
Mejan, gave an account of a sensational lawsuit which was that substitutes the woman in white for Laura, and it is
strikingly similar to the events in Collins s novel. There are he who carries out the plan. This adds complexity and
even similarities between the people in the lawsuit and the interest to the story; and what fun it is to have two villains
main characters in the novel. rather than one!
Similarly, the dramatic meeting of the hero Walter Suspense: When Wilkie Collins wrote The Woman in
Hartright with the woman in white at night on a lonely White, he was at the height of his writing ability. The
road, also had a basis in real life. The famous English plot is detailed and carefully worked out. The creation of
painter, John Millais, tells the story of how he and Collins suspense is extremely skillful. The book was first written in
were walking in North London one evening, when they serial form and consequently chapters often end on a note
heard a scream in a garden nearby. A young and beautiful of suspense. The author uses the new and experimental
woman in a long white dress came running towards them, technique of different characters telling the story at
begging for help. Collins followed her and did not return different points. This is a superb way of creating greater
that night. The woman s name was Caroline Graves and interest, and Collins brilliantly creates an atmosphere of
Collins subsequently lived with her for many years. fear. It is no surprise that the novel remains so popular
today.
c Pearson Education Limited 2008 The Woman in White - Teacher s notes 3 of 5
PENGUIN READERS
Teacher s notes LEVEL 6
Teacher Support Programme
The Woman in White
12 Write: Ask students to write an entry for Laura s diary
Discussion activities
about Walter s departure. Is she upset? Is she sad? What
PART 1
does she think and hope?
Chapters 1 3
Chapters 7 9
Before reading
Before reading
1 Guess and discuss: Have students look at the cover
13 Discuss: Ask students to discuss these questions:
of the book and discuss the following: What genre is
What do you think Walter is going to do after he leaves
this book? Why do you think so?
Limmeridge House? Do you think he was right to leave?
2 Discuss: Collins s novels are called novels of
Why/Why not?
sensation. Ask students to discuss this: What do you
imagine are the main features of his novels?
While reading
14 Role play: In pairs, students plan and act out the
While reading
conversation between Sir Percival and Mr Gilmore
3 Discuss: Have students discuss the following
about the anonymous letter Laura received. Student A
questions: What s Mr Fairlie s attitude towards the
is Sir Percival and explains why Anne was put in an
girls? How do you think it will influence their lives?
asylum. Student B is Mr Gilmore and asks Sir Percival
questions.
After reading
15 Write: Ask students to imagine they are Marian.
4 Discuss: Put students into small groups, and ask
Write a letter to Mrs Catherick asking for the
them to answer the following:
information to prove Sir Percival s explanations.
In each chapter, one or two strange things happen. Say
Dear Mrs Catherick,
what these strange things are. Is there an explanation for
I am writing you to ask you about &
these events? If so, what is the explanation or what might
I hope to hear from you soon.
it be?
Warm regards,
5 Write: Ask students to imagine they are Walter
Marian Halcombe
Hartright. They write a letter to his mother describing
his life at Limmeridge House.
After reading
16 Discuss: Have students discuss the following: What
Chapters 4 6
ideas did Sir Percival s lawyer s note give to Mr Gilmore?
Before reading
17 Research and discuss: Laura s marriage is an
6 Guess: Will Walter and Marian find the woman in
arranged marriage in other words, a marriage
white ?
where the parents choose the marriage partner for
In pairs, students write five ideas for what might
their son or daughter. Have students do research on
happen in the next chapters. Have them compare
arranged marriages on the Internet. What are the
their ideas in small groups.
advantages and disadvantages of arranged marriages?
While reading Do you agree with the idea of arranged marriages?
7 Check: In groups, students check their ideas from 18 Research: Ask students to find out and write about
activity 6. Who was most close to the book? the position of women in Britain in the nineteenth
8 Role play: In pairs, students plan and act out the century. What role did a marriage settlement play in
conversation about local news between the farmer s their lives?
wife and Anne Catherick. Student A is the farmer s
PART 2
wife and tells Anne Catherick about the local news.
Chapters 1 4
Student B is Anne Catherick who looks pale and sad.
While reading
After reading
19 Discuss: Have students discuss the following: Why do
9 Discuss: Have students discuss the following
you think Count Fosco came to the Blackwater Park?
questions: What is your opinion of the Woman in White
What role will he play in the story?
so far? Do you think she is mad? Give reasons for your
20 Discuss: Have students discuss the following: What
opinions.
do you think Sir Percival s terrible secret could be?
10 Group work: In small groups students decide on
an illustration for each chapter. The picture must
After reading
illustrate the most important event in the chapter.
21 Group work: In small groups, students write one
Each group then describes their illustration to the
sentence about each of the following characters. Each
class.
group then reads their sentences out to the class and
11 Role play: Imagine Walter and Laura express
the class votes for the sentence that best describes each
their true feelings for each other before they part.
character:
In pairs, students plan and act out their conversation.
Laura, Marian, Sir Percival Glyde, Count Fosco,
Student A is Walter and Student B is Laura.
Walter Hartright
c Pearson Education Limited 2008 The Woman in White - Teacher s notes 4 of 5
PENGUIN READERS
Teacher s notes LEVEL 6
Teacher Support Programme
The Woman in White
22 Discuss: Ask students to think about the following: 32 Write: Have students write an explanation of what
How do you feel about the book so far? Give reasons for Sir Percival and Count Fosco did to Laura, Marian
your feelings. and Anne Catherick. Do you think Sir Percival and
23 Write: Have students imagine they are Laura. Count Fosco are bad people? Why/Why not?
Students write a letter to Walter in which Laura
Chapters 4 7
describes her present life and tells him her true
Before reading
feelings towards him and Sir Percival.
33 Guess: Have students guess the following: What do
Chapters 5 9
you think will happen to Sir Percival? Will his secret be
While reading made public?
24 Write: Get students to see what happened in the
While reading
Blackwater Park through Count Fosco s eyes and
34 Check: Have students check their answers to the
write them down.
questions from activity 33.
After reading 35 Write: Ask students to imagine they are Walter. Write
25 Discuss: Ask students to discuss the following: In a message to Marian describing his first meeting with
your opinion, what is the main motive of the following Mrs Catherick.
characters? In other words, what is it that makes them do
After reading
the things they do?
36 Write: Have students imagine they are Mr Gilmore.
Marian, Laura, Sir Percival, Count Fosco
Write a letter to Mr Fairlie informing him that Laura
26 Discuss: Have students discuss this: Both Sir Percival
is alive and is coming to Limmeridge House.
and Count Fosco are wicked men. Which man do you
37 Group work: In small groups, students tell the story
think is worse? Give reasons for your opinion.
of these chapters from the point of view of the
27 Group work: In small groups, students discuss
following characters. Each student takes it in turns to
the following question: What do you think is the
say one sentence.
most dramatic moment in each of these chapters? Then
a Marian
they put the dramatic moments in order from most
b Laura
dramatic to least dramatic and compare their order to
c Walter
other groups, giving reasons for their order.
Extra activities
PART 3
38 Project: In groups, students work on the following:
Chapters 1 3
What does this book tell us about the morals of the
Before reading
nineteenth century? Compare the social situation of those
28 Guess: In small groups, students write three questions
days with the present one. What has changed? Do you
they would like to know about what really happened
think the changes are for the better? Why/Why not?
and why Laura was alive and standing in front of her
Present your findings in a book or magazine format.
own grave.
39 Discuss and group work: Collins s advice to other
writers was: Make em laugh, make em cry, make
After reading
em wait. ( em = them, i.e. the readers)
29 Check: Ask students to answer the questions they
In small groups, students discuss how Collins does
wrote for activity 28.
this in The Woman in White. Students can look
30 Role play: Each student chooses one of the characters
through the book to find examples. Then have a
from the book. Have students walk around the class
whole-class discussion about it.
asking each other yes/no questions. They can ask up
to five questions each. The other students must guess
Vocabulary activities
who they are.
For the Word List and vocabulary activities, go to
31 Discuss and write: In small groups, students discuss
www.penguinreaders.com.
whether or not they agree with the following
statement, giving reasons for their opinion. After
discussion, ask them to write one or two paragraphs
about it.
Marian is the real heroine of The Woman in White.
c Pearson Education Limited 2008 The Woman in White - Teacher s notes 5 of 5
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