I.

Hannah W. Foster’s The Coquette, brings about many a question about the historical ‘place’ enforced upon women of the given century. Poking at the boundary lines of the ‘traditional’, male dominated narrative of the world, by giving Eliza Wharton, and in a way Elizabeth Whitman, a public voice in the form of the written word. In turn, enabling the words of the marginalized to gain literary appeal, opening up the safe box to the inner world of feminine society. Allowing the author, to give an individual, authentic representation of the protagonists’ inner most feelings, ideologies, wants, and desires–  as opposed to a warped, ‘adapted’ view through the mouths of their husbands.

The overall tone of the modern ideology of love brought forth by Eliza Wharton is overwhelming. A tone so commonly thrown away to the excuse of the ‘unsavory coquetry’ of misunderstanding imbued by the pressures of their current society. We tend to find inklings of understanding, wading through the forced preference of her friends. One such example can be made of Eliza’s closest friend and epistolary muse, Lucy Freeman.

Lucy, while playing into her surrounding’s expectations of her, seems to also carry a notion of concern outside of the ‘concrete’ ideologies of female ‘appropriateness.’ Knowing Eliza above all, she is aware of the flattery that may tend to draw her affection, especially in the ways of Major Sanford.

Despite Lucy’s natural dislike for him, as is associated throughout her society, she manages to move around it and apply some breakdown of thoughtful analysis associated with the narratives expressed by Eliza in their correspondence. Hence citing in the observation that, “I do not find, in all your conversations with him that one word about marriage drops from his lips. This is mysterious?” (Foster, 57)  Therefore, inciting a question of true authenticity of his ‘courting’ of her. A question that moves further from the doomed ideology of marriage, but instead to that of male seriousness.

Yes, Sanford carries a reputation, so speculation among the narrower of minds is hard to avoid, however, if all his signs read true, it gives an authentic reason for speculation.

Even if Lucy’s speech is flawed by the restrictive rhetoric of judgment, there is a very modern sentiment, that has continually rung true in all circumstances of romance, “Let not the noble qualities, so lavishly bestowed upon her, be thus unworthily sacrificed!” (Foster, 58)

Or more commonly relayed in modern vernacular, as coined by Stephen Chbosky in his 1999 novel, as well as his 2012 film adaptation, The Perks of Being a Wallflower —   “We accept the love we think we deserve.” (Chbosky, 24)

Chbosky, as a modern author, is able to give a more understood voice to this plea by Lucy. Lucy, even if society deemed her suspicious, gives a timeless ode to care.

Lucy, much like Chbosky’s protagonist, Charlie, wants only to see Eliza taken care of and supported. She wants nothing but a promise of lifelong love for her dearest friend, and with knowledge of Sanford’s past escapades, that possibility, if she were to choose him, would be obsolete.

She mourns, like Charlie mourns, for the women who have been destroyed by men who did not deserve their greatest love and qualities. And in a century much tied to husbandry, as Lucy’s and Eliza’s is, the humiliation at the hand of a man void of morals can mean the complete destruction of a woman’s character within their society.

Much like Charlie’s dismay in his sister allowing her boyfriend to strike her physically without a retaliation of ending their connection, but instead furthering it. Wanting a man to treat his sister kindly and respectfully, as opposed to one that uses physical violence to emit submission and cruelty.

Lucy and Charlie reflect the most crucial advice one could ever relay to one they care about. Even if the latter may not be able to see that they deserve the world, they will do anything to try and help them see that light. That, for all that they are and the wonderful qualities they possess, they do not deserve to fall for the tricks or accept and make excuses for repugnant and treacherous behavior targeted towards them, by said “lover”.

One deserves only to settle for someone who truly loves them, not a fatal shadow of one.