Essay Instructions: This paper will put an additional 20 pages onto my senior thesis. Which I began writing and pasted below. The basis of this bigger research paper is Rowson's Charlotte Temple. My advisor suggests I utilize Tyler's play, The Contrast to compare and contrast the fashion they bring an American identity to the audience. Most of the paper should be based on Charlotte Temple with touches of the The Contrast. I will send you an Outline and Annotated bibliography to help you put it together. My advisor has seen this, so to whatever parameters you can accommodate the two attachments would be much appreciated. It should also help. My thesis is supposed to be 25 something pages. I started writing the first four pages. I will need you to tack on 20 pages on top of my first four pasted below. Thank you.
My thesis statement is shown in the outline.doc
but just in case there's trouble: The early sentimental novel, specifically Susanna Rowson’s Charlotte Temple, serves as an essential element in the formation of an American female identity, and plays a pivotal role in the evolution of the modern feminist movement.
& the first four pages I typed and will need 20 of your pages on top of this is below.
Thanks
Charlotte Temple's Pivotal Role in Establishing an American Female Identity
Charlotte Temple by Susanna Rowson is a bitter, melancholy tale of morals, and young love. It also includes the malevolent evils perpetrated by heartless individuals that corrupt such wholesome ideals. Rowson repeatedly exalts the power of family, chastity and religion throughout her story. They are keystones of the healthy development of a young person according to the author, and must be protected at every moment, particularly the virgin heart, once corrupted, almost invariably begins to spiral into vice and destruction. Amidst the art of manipulation, the characters of Belcour and Mademoiselle La Rue both reveal that the Rowson does not discriminate between the sexes. Both genders, regardless of social inequality, are highly capable of destroying what most individuals consider sacred, for personal gain or interest. However, as well illustrated in this piece, the exploitation of woman has become an American pastime. Rape, seduction, prostitution, and deception have rooted themselves in the traditional view of what the ladies in question should come to expect. Albeit, the ensuing circumstances faced by females throughout their life are far more common and relentless than those of males today. In Rowson's work, Charlotte continually demonstrates that this is no simple task for parents to accomplish. Despite her pure upbringing, Charlotte is nonetheless slowly turned from the path of righteousness by the subtle romancing techniques used by Montraville. Every time Montraville makes an advance on Charlotte, the young girl harkens back to her moral upbringing. She collects her thoughts, plans out the proper response to the situation, yet just as she is about to follow her instincts, the uncontrollable emotions of love, lust and foolish youthful obsession take over and turn her away from her once strong moral compass.
Rowson was a British-American novelist, poet, playwright, and educator. Her novel titled Charlotte Temple speaks of a cautionary tale, intended “for the perusal of the young and thoughtless of the fair sex.” As the author continues to articulate the basis of her novel in the preface, ”this Tale of Truth is designed; and I could wish my fair readers to consider as not merely the effusion of fancy, but as a reality” (Rowson, 5). She urges her audience to seize an opportunity of enlightenment through this testimony, and not to trek too far from the path of righteousness, as it is littered with traps and tribulations designed to break down even the most benevolent of individuals. Despite being written in the midst of America's infancy, Rowson is keen to establish the colloquial male-female relationship dynamic that is evident within society today. Since the dawn of time, every male's genealogical code has it written to become providers; as they demonstrate survival and replication value, women are left to choose a companion or fend for themselves. Under more scrutiny in the public eye, society has developed in a manner less felicitous towards women. Rowson not only made notice of a generation with her work Charlotte Temple, but alerted a precolonial nation; therefore, setting forth the foundation for an American female identity to surface.
Originally published in England 1791; Rowson's Charlotte Temple did not receive much praise. Moreover, after accumulating a poor response, Charlotte Temple was then redistributed in America in 1794. Where conversely, not only was it part of America's foremost novels, it became America's first best selling novel. Thusly, serving as a monumental staple to a country whose identity was on the horizon. Rowson's tenure on United States soil played a vital role in American history. The “one nation under God” on the brink of rapid expansion and pre-industrialization embraced her rich language with open arms.
For the most noble of women, like Charlotte, life is often perceived as a series of tests designed to determine who deserves the title of a loyal courtship and fine suitor. However, the way in which they are supposed to respond accordingly, to the spectrum of dangers and temptations poured on by the fashionable elite, is varied. The early sentimental novel, specifically Sussanna Rowson's Charlotte Temple, serves as an essential element in the formation of an American female identity, and plays a pivotal role in the evolution of the modern feminist movement. This New World presented before women is a little more than a narrow corridor lined with the most brutal of devices designed to break the individual's resolve. Their journey, therefore, will survey the path and pace in which a republic of women would soon represent the United States of America.
In order to obtain a greater understanding, why the American Woman has become what she is today, it is necessary to acknowledge the fact that the colonial days for women are much different from the norm exhibited today. A woman's lifestyle, - “what their work and play” was accustomed, “how they thought and felt” through the “joys and the sorrows of their every-day existence” (Holiday) is in representation of the roots of the American female's characterization. This approach in coordination with Rowson's Charlotte Temple, which released relative to the timeframe in concentration, will better illustrate the issue at hand. Throughout mankind, individuals normally occupied gender roles in relation to their sex. Men began to adopt dominate qualities that would place themselves into masculine gender roles. As women would qualify themselves into society by embodying more feminine qualities, placing themselves into female gender roles. Therefore, males would better suit themselves as providers demonstrate more domineering qualities. While women would embody and represent nurturing traits vital for exhibiting their potential of child rearing. A woman's daily routine in society during the 18th century was strenuous and overlooked. Not because all of the males work load was far more difficult, but because it what was at least expected of the woman of this time. Unless of wealth, a woman's agenda usually consisted of household chores. Not like family errands of today, where a trip to the laundromat, grocery and convenient store are a day's work. These duties could include tending to animals, gardens, cooking without electricity, cleaning, hard labor, etc. Women, ran down more like family mules for their hardships rather than recognized as household pillars, it is evident their bitter course is further understood today.
For Rowson, writing Charlotte Temple was her premonition for what she anticipates human bias to become. For woman today, they do not find it much as an obligation to occupy more submissive roles within the workplace or at home. However, this evolution within the human dynamic does not happen over night, but over instances. Mademoiselle La Rue frequently comments on the flighty nature of Charlotte's heart when she says, “You are a strange girl. .. You never know your own mind two minutes at a time” (Rowson, 34). This rampant uncertainty, and seemingly random kind of decision making are precisely what Charlotte's parents are aware of. Montraville's well demonstrated persistence broadcasted through charming gestures serves as a catalyst for Charlotte's demeanor in disarray. Throughout his various attempts, Montraville eventually swoons Charlotte away from her comfort zones. This an ongoing example of courtship (or seduction) put into trial and error, demonstrated today. Charlotte's parents know that young people are prone to sudden, passionate swings in sentiment and logic. Also, that individuals of an insidious nature are able to take advantage of these shortcomings in reasoning. They have done everything in their capacity to appoint an arsenal of countermeasures within their daughter, but when seduced by a charming individual such as Montraville, and when emotionally infiltrated by such lecherous, selfish individuals such as Belcour and La Rue, even the most stout of heart can be manipulated and broken.
