The Moonstone

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1868

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Prologue-Part 1, Section 1, Chapters 1-10

Part 1, Section 1, Chapters 11-23

Part 2, Section 1

Part 2, Section 2: “Contributed by Matthew Bruff, Solicitor of Gray’s Inn Square”

Part 2, Sections 4-6

Part 2, Section 7-Epilogue

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

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Discussion Questions

Background

Historical Context: Britain and India in the 19th Century

The first installment of The Moonstone was published in January 1868, about a decade after the Indian Rebellion of 1857-1858 (sometimes known as the Indian Mutiny). The British East India Company was initially formed as a trade corporation, but by 1858, the Company was effectively ruling most of modern-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh, either through direct administration, or through client kings. Imperial exploitation and a lack of awareness for the many varied and complex local cultural and religious nuances led to tension, resentment, and eventually a military uprising.

After months of military conflict, British forces defeated Indian troops. This conflict led to the dissolution of the British East India company, and Britain assumed direct control over India after the passage of the Government of India Act in 1858. This Act inaugurated the British Raj, or direct rule in India, which would last for almost a century, until the creation of two independent dominions (India and Pakistan) in 1947. In 1877, Queen Victoria was granted the title of Empress of India.

These events, as well as the vast wealth that control of Indian territory brought to Britain, meant that many Victorian English readers were fascinated by depictions of India (including often inaccurate representations of its culture and religions). Wilkie Collins, along with many other Victorian novelists and intellectuals, regularly wrote about India, incorporating related plotlines into some of his fiction.

Cultural Context: The Koh-i-Noor Diamond

The Koh-i-Noor is a large cut diamond (approximately 105 carats). It is part of the British Crown Jewels collection, and has been included in the crown of a number of English queens, including the crown of Queen Alexandra (crowned in 1902), Queen Mary (crowned in 1911), and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother, crowned in 1937). When Queen Camilla was crowned in 2023, she was crowned with the Queen Mary crown, but the diamond was not included.

While the precise origins of the diamond are not known, there are records of it being in the possession of the powerful emperors of the Mughal empire, which covered territory in South Asia, including modern India. One of the Mughal emperors displayed the diamond prominently in an ornate throne known as the Peacock Throne. The diamond was at times claimed in conflicts between different rulers and passed between several royal houses. As the power of the British East India Company grew in the 19th century, there was an increased appetite for the gem to become a British possession. In 1849, at the end of the second Anglo-Sikh War, the diamond was officially ceded to Queen Victoria. It was transported to England and officially presented to Queen Victoria on July 3, 1850.

The diamond was displayed to the British public in 1851, but crowds were largely disappointed, which led to the decision to cut the stone. This refashioning significantly reduced the size of the diamond, but rendered it considerably more glittering and brilliant. While the diamond was largely celebrated as a symbol of British imperial dominance, there were persistent rumors that the diamond was cursed. Queen Victoria herself was uneasy about the stone, especially since it had been taken from a deposed royal figure.

Collins explicitly acknowledged the influence of the Koh-i-Noor on his depiction of the Moonstone. Other writers, including Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie, would also write mystery stories with plots revolving around a stolen and potentially cursed Indian gem. Particularly in the 20th and 21st centuries, countries including India, Iran, Pakistan, and Afghanistan have all laid claim to the diamond, but the British government has maintained the position that the diamond was legally ceded and is now the legitimate property of the British crown.