Dorval, or The Speculator, by Sarah (Sally) Wood



Dorval, or the Speculator by Sarah Sayward Barrell Keating Wood, first published in 1801. Printed by Nutting and Whitelock at the Ledger Press for the author.

The book is set in New England, shortly after the Revolutionary War and tells the story of Aurelia Morley, the only daughter of Colonel Morley, a hero of the war. The family are comfortably off, until they fall into the scheming hands of the eponymous Dorval. The author uses the real Yazoo land speculation fraud in Georgia as a backdrop. Colonel Morley is promised wealth beyond his dreams by Dorval, purchasing vast amounts of land in Georgia for a little over a dollar an acre, but borrowing money to do so, certain of selling the land at a substantial profit. When Georgia reformers overturned the Act which allowed the sales, Colonel Morley was left severely in debt, leading to misery for the family and also their friends, the Dunbars.

Dorval is not satisfied with financial ruin for the family. He is in love with Aurelia, but she rejected him, becoming engaged to Burlington, a talented lawyer with little wealth. Dorval disguises himself as a fortune teller to 'warn' Aurelia against Burlington. He then devises a plan to separate the lovers, and have each believe the other is false. Her friend, Elizabeth Dunbar, unwittingly was part of Dorval's plan, and she ends up in a mental asylum. 

Aurelia, her family and friends lurch from one disaster to another, with Dorval forever scheming to better himself at their expense. He is a scoundrel, with no redeeming features, who thinks nothing of forgery, fraud, bigamy and even murder. A family secret comes to light, however, that helps things change for the better in Aurelia's case.

Although Sarah Wood is an American writer, using American topics in her story, the style is similar to that of Ann Radcliffe. Aurelia can be compared to Emily in The Mysteries of Udolpho (1794). Both are young women of virtue and tenderness, devoted to their fathers and of seemingly high intelligence, yet they are both duped by a scheming male. Although Aurelia is a supporter of the American feminist Judith Sargent Murray (1751-1820), in general, like Emily in Udolpho, she must passively rely on men to save her.

Gothic Rating:

Isolated setting:

Brooding atmosphere:                             ðŸ•±

Mental Illness:                                          🕱

Religious reference:                                 🕱

Supernatural elements:

Murder:                                                     ðŸ•±

Family secret:                                           🕱

Genius/madness:

Doomed love:                                          ðŸ•±


Dorval by Sarah Wood has a Gothic rating of:       ðŸ•±ðŸ•±ðŸ•±ðŸ•±ðŸ•±ðŸ•±





 

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