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LITR 4326 Early American Literature Model Assignments |
Final Exam Essays 2016 Sample answers for 2d. Most challenging or inspiring idea or content in the course + resolution. |
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Michael Bradshaw
Charlotte Temple:
Breaking Boundaries by Reinforcing Them
Charlotte Temple, by Susanna
Rowson was the first bestselling novel by an American author, and remained the
bestselling novel until Harriet Beecher Stowe wrote
Uncle Tom’s Cabin. On the surface
this would seem revolutionary; the first American bestseller was a woman.
However, the revolution comes to a halt once the book is opened.
Charlotte Temple is a cautionary tale
about what happens to women who try to disobey the conventions of society.
The title character is a schoolgirl who is seduced by the soldier John
Montraville, and leaves with him to America. Montraville never marries her, and
she is kept as Montraville’s mistress. Montraville is convinced that Charlotte
has been unfaithful, and abandons her, pregnant and penniless in a foreign
country. She reaches out to her family, and her father comes to America to
retrieve her. Charlotte becomes ill and dies shortly after childbirth,
requesting that her father care for her child.
The novel is a blatant cautionary tale for women, with the innocent
Charlotte being seduced by not only Montraville, but by
Mademoiselle La Rue, her French teacher
and a “fallen woman” who elopes with Montraville’s friend Belcour and travels
with them to America, only to leave Belcour for the wealthier Colonel Crayton.
La Rue perhaps more so than Montraville and even Belcour is responsible for
Charlotte leaving her family for America. She is the one who passes
Montraville’s love letter to Charlotte. She convinces Charlotte to go with
Montraville as La Rue herself elopes with Belcour. She denies Charlotte aid when
Charlotte comes to the Crayton household which it could be argued leads to
Charlotte’s death. Whenever Charlotte made a decision which made her life worse,
La Rue was in her ear. The message is clear that associating with “fallen women”
will lead virtuous girls astray.
Charlotte Temple also teaches
that women without strong morals will face severe consequences for their
actions. Charlotte’s rash actions lead to her death, despite the best efforts of
her father. Instead of returning home the instant she discovered that
Montraville wouldn’t marry her, she stayed in America becoming his mistress. She
lost any status she previously had and no one was there to help her until it was
too late. The aforementioned La Rue
spent much time as the wealthy wife of Colonel Crayton, and afraid of losing her
status, shunned her former friend. When next the readers meet La Rue, she is
alone and homeless in the same position that she left Charlotte. Like Charlotte,
she also died despite the efforts of Mr. Temple. Mademoiselle La Rue’s behavior
is objectively worse than Charlotte’s, but both suffer the same fate. The
message is clear; women who deviate from the norm are considered as having
lesser moral character, and will be punished for it.
To contrast the downfall of his daughter, the story of Mr. Temple and
Mrs. Temple is told. He is a virtuous man who chose to live a modest life with a
woman he loved. She is a loving and devoted wife and mother, and also a good
daughter who cares for her father. They live a quiet, happy life until their
daughter abandons them. When Mrs.
Temple finds out about Charlotte’s disappearance, she faints with grief
prompting an aside from the author. “Then once
more read over the sorrows of poor Mrs. Temple, and remember, the mother whom
you so dearly love and venerate [respect] will
feel the same, when you, forgetful of the respect due to your maker and
yourself, forsake the paths of virtue for those of vice and folly,” (14.22). It
is blatant moralizing. Do you want to break your mother’s heart? The Temples
resolve that they would forgive Charlotte if she returned, and Mr. Temple
journeys to America to retrieve her when she writes for help. They even attempt
to help La Rue when they meet her years later. They are the model of how people
should live, and the juxtaposition to the loose morals of the younger women.
It is interesting to note, that in marrying Mrs. Temple, Mr. Temple was
disobeying the wishes of his father, yet was only punished with estrangement
from his family. He lost money by not marrying who his father chose, but he is
happy. He essentially did the same as Charlotte, yet he is rewarded, and
Charlotte dies. This reinforces the stereotype that men are to take charge of
their own fortunes, yet women are to be obedient.
Susanna Rowlson became the first American bestseller, but she did not
write a novel to tear down the status quo. Indeed,
Charlotte Temple is a cautionary tale
about the dangers of women who struck out on their own. It reinforced the
dominant culture’s view that women should be beholden to their families, and
then to her husbands. It was a successful seller because it gave readers what
they were expecting. It is a mirror for the views of its time.
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