Worcester is located in Massachusetts and was founded in 1722 as a town and was later made into a city in 1848. It sits at the center of Massachusetts and is often referred to as the 'heart of the Commonwealth'" ("Worcester History"). It is where the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence was in 1776 as well as the First National Women's Rights Convention in 1850 were many delegates gathered to advocate for equal rights for women. Many people say that the city was named after the UK's Battle of Worcester.

Please see the previous brief historical description of New York. Deciding to expose Ethel to civilization and her countrypeople, Lodore begins a journey back home. They stop in New York which, we soon learn, is as far as Lodore makes it before dying in a duel. Dueling had declined greatly in the Eastern United States in the 19th century, so Shelley’s choice to have Lodore’s death occur through these means seems a particularly interesting choice.

The European population in Illinois started growing in the western part of the state, near the Mississippi River. It also received settlers from the south in the late 1700s, after the Revolutionary War. It became a state in 1818. Illinois’s prairie land made it an attraction for agriculture, with immigrant farmers from Germany and Sweden settling there. There was also a lot of activity here in relation to slavery/abolition, wars with Native American tribes (like the Black Hawk War), and severe winter storms.

Like Southampton, New York was a large port city in the early 19th century. It served as a port not just for export of goods, but for immigration as well. In 1825, the Erie Canal was complete, creating a trading route through the Great Lakes. It was also a hub for activists for abolition, and was home to some stops for the Underground Railroad. This is a very brief stop for Lodore and Ethel on their way to Illinois. When they arrive, Lodore finds letters from Cornelia and Lady Santerre waiting for him, which he rips up and disregards. 

Southampton is a large and major port city in England. It experienced significant expansion during the Industrial Revolution and the Victorian Era. This is where Lodore brings Ethel after his and Cornelia’s separation. He sends a letter to Cornelia in the hopes that she will join him. Ethel and Lodore spend a short time here before departing for New York.

“Soon after mid-day, they arrived at Southampton; a small vessel was on the point of sailing for Havre, and on board this he hurried.” (124)

The capital and largest city in England, London is a very historical city. In 1831, it was the largest city in the world. As noted in the book, a box at the theater was very expensive, making it a place to be noticed and known. Similarly, Mivart’s was a hotel that was popular among the wealthy and the nobility. After their marriage, Lodore introduces his wife to society in these locations as a means of showing off his new bride to the public. There is an echo of this choice to bring a secluded woman into public society later when Lodore wishes to bring Ethel back to London.