Women & Writing Style-Why I didn't like it, but women of the 1800s did

Now that I have finished reading Charlotte Temple, I numerous points I’d like to talk about.  First the painful views on women. I couldn’t help but read this story and cringe. In the second half of the novel Lucy Temple was not allowed to travel to see Charlotte (for her last living moments, I might add) because she, as a woman, was too frail to make the journey. Her sex prohibited her from seeing her daughter one last time. Charlotte also remarks how no decent women will befriend her because of her indecency and no man will take her either. When I read this, I was annoyed that one mistake has the potential to practically cast you out of society. THEN I thought that it wasn’t even truly her mistake! She was raped!

               I’d also like to discuss Susanna Rowson’s writing style. Now I will admit that I’m not incredibly familiar with popular writing styles in the late 1700s. I can, however, tell you that the asides in Rowson’s writing, whether popular or not, have not extended into today’s writings. The entire 28^th chapter is an aside for us to keep reading even though we have already discovered that Charlotte dies and La Rue gets what is coming to her. Honestly, I was not a huge fan of it…especially when the ending came over 20 pages early.

               After considering the above points, I contemplated why people the 1830s or so enjoyed the novel so much. I think that the two points that I disliked the most in the novel might have made it so desirable to the people of the time. Aspect of the female portrayals could have seemed romantic to readers. I also think that Rowson’s writing style could have made the novel more personal and insightful for the readers of the time. I also believe that the topic of a young woman traveling to meet the people of her past while she is pregnant with a “villian’s” bastard would have been quite taboo. I would say that it was at least not a common topic to be spoken of in any form of media.