Emily is the protagonist of The Mysteries of Udolpho, Emily is a beautiful, intelligent, and imaginative young woman. She embodies the ideal heroine in her modesty, virtue, and love for nature. At the beginning of the novel, Emily is sheltered and naive, safely ensconced in a loving home with loving parents. As the plot advances, Emily loses first her mother, and then her father, a set of events which leaves her orphaned and at the mercy of insensitive relatives. This change in circumstances tests Emily and forces her to negotiate the world as a vulnerable single woman, rather than a child. Emily endures the neglect of her aunt, Madame Cheron, the parting from her true love Valancourt, and the cruelty of her step-uncle Montoni to emerge as a character who balances her sensitivity with fortitude. Showing her courage and presence of mind, Emily refuses to marry Count Morano, stands up to Montoni, and stays steadfast in her devotion to Valancourt. At the end of the novel, she escapes the Montonis, reunites with Valancourt, and returns to La Vallee.

Emily’s journey resembles the classic arc of the hero, in that she encounters a peril and learns from it to evolve.