A True Relation of the Apparition of One Mrs. Veal by Daniel Defoe
"A True Relation of the Apparition of One Mrs. Veal" by Daniel Defoe is a ghost story that presents itself in a factual manner, reflecting the cultural fascination with the supernatural during the early 18th century. The narrative revolves around Mrs. Bargrave, who experiences a visit from the apparition of her deceased friend, Mrs. Veal. This encounter occurs shortly after Mrs. Veal's death, and the two women engage in a heartfelt conversation that touches on themes of friendship, forgiveness, and the nature of suffering.
Defoe's work combines elements of personal narrative and social commentary, emphasizing the reliability of those recounting the event to bolster its authenticity. Notably, the story explores the emotional bonds between the characters and the significance of unresolved relationships at the time of death. The ghostly visit serves as a vehicle for Defoe to reflect on human connections and existential concerns, particularly the hope for future happiness despite life's hardships. Through the meticulous details provided in the account, including the mention of specific clothing, the story aims to convince readers of its truthfulness and invites them to ponder the implications of life, death, and the afterlife.
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A True Relation of the Apparition of One Mrs. Veal by Daniel Defoe
First published: 1706
Type of plot: Ghost story, frame story
Time of work: September, 1705
Locale: Canterbury, England
Principal Characters:
The narrator , of the prefaceMrs. Veal , a woman who dies and appears as a ghostMr. Veal , her brotherMrs. Bargrave , her old friend whom she visits as a ghostMrs. Bargrave's neighbor , who relates her neighbor's story
The Story
"A True Relation of the Apparition of One Mrs. Veal" is a story in two parts: a preface and a separate account. Daniel Defoe tells a ghost story, but he strives to make the story appear to be factual.
The narrator's preface describes the passage of the story in question from Mrs. Bargrave to her neighbor, to a family member of the neighbor, to a justice of the peace, to a friend of the justice of the peace, and to the narrator of the preface. The narrator of the preface insists that everyone involved in passing along the account of the apparition is trustworthy, sober, and serious. He urges readers to learn from the described events and prepare their souls for the final reckoning.
In the account that follows the preface, Mrs. Bargrave's neighbor affirms the woman's trustworthiness. The neighbor, who heard the story from Mrs. Bargrave, explains that Mrs. Bargrave, who had not seen Mrs. Veal for two and one-half years, answered a knocking at the door and met Mrs. Veal, unaware that her old friend had died on the previous day, September 7, 1705. The women had been friends for a long time and had shared their pains and sorrows, which stemmed mainly from family troubles and hardships. Mrs. Veal expressed her regret at the lapse in the friendship and sought to reaffirm the tie between the two women, pleading for forgiveness for not having maintained contact. She assured Mrs. Bargrave of the perfection of God's plan, even if misery or suffering makes the plan seem harsh. She told her old friend that future happiness would reward her for all her sufferings. Mrs. Bargrave graciously forgave Mrs. Veal for the lapse in the friendship, and a conversation between the women proceeded for an hour and forty-five minutes, with the women recalling their preferred writings, religious books including Charles Drelincourt's Book of Death (1675; a translation of Les Consolations de l'ame fidèle contre les frayeurs de la mort, 1660) and Dr. Anthony Horneck's The Happy Ascetick: Or, The Best Exercise (1681). Mrs. Veal asked Mrs. Bargrave to write to her brother Mr. Veal so that he might properly distribute some of her property.
During the encounter, the ghost of Mrs. Veal made efforts not to reveal her ghostliness to Mrs. Bargrave; she refused a kiss of greeting on the grounds that she was not well, made an excuse for not accepting a cup of tea, and avoided a farewell embrace by making her departure amid the hurried business of the nearby marketplace. Nevertheless, Mrs. Bargrave did touch the dress of her old friend, a dress of "scoured silk," and this detail, according to Mrs. Veal's cousin's wife, was known only to the dead woman and her cousin's wife. In the concluding portion of the neighbor's report on Mrs. Bargrave's statement, the neighbor presents the knowledge of the "scoured silk" as proof of the veracity of her account, and the neighbor adds that the instructions for the distribution of property corroborate Mrs. Bargrave's account, despite Mr. Veal's insistence that the rings and gold were not found in the exact places referred to in the instructions.
The neighbor cannot understand Mr. Veal's rejection of Mrs. Bargrave's statements; after all, Mrs. Bargrave has nothing to gain by making false representations and now seeks privacy rather than publicity. The charges of misrepresentation, the neighbor insists, are unfair because they create unwarranted accusations and discomfort for Mrs. Bargrave, who states that she will not "give one farthing to make anyone believe" that Mrs. Veal appeared after she was dead.