Charlotte Temple - Susanna Haswell Rowson

. .

Résumé :
Charlotte Temple is the story of the titular young woman who becomes entangled in a love affair with a lieutenant in the British army. Encouraged by her wayward teacher, Mademoiselle La Rue, Charlotte leaves behind her boarding school and absconds to America along with her seducer, lieutenant Montraville, and his friend Belcour. Far from her home in England, Charlotte?s notions of purity, romance, and familial devotion are quickly brought into stark conflict as she experiences the pain of misplaced trust and betrayal on the unfamiliar shores of New York. The novel, first published in 1791, quickly became a bestseller, and remained the best-selling novel in American literature until it was unseated in 1851 by Uncle Tom?s Cabin.

Biographie:
Susanna Haswell was born in 1762 in Portsmouth, England to Royal Navy Lieutenant William Haswell and his first wife, Susanna Musgrave, who died within days of Susanna's birth. While stationed in Boston her father remarried to Rachel Woodward and started a second family, and after his ship returned to Portsmouth and was decommissioned, he obtained an appointment as a Boston customs officer, bringing his daughter and a servant with him to Massachusetts. On arrival in January 1767, their ship grounded on Lovells Island in Boston Harbor, the crew and passengers being rescued from the wreck days later. They lived at Nantasket (now Hull), where family friend James Otis took a special interest in Susanna's education. At the outbreak of the American Revolution, Lieutenant Haswell was placed under house arrest, and subsequently the family was moved inland, to Hingham and Abington, Massachusetts. In 1778, his failing health led to a prisoner exchange, and the family was sent via Halifax, Nova Scotia to England, eventually settling near Kingston upon Hull. Their American property was confiscated and they lived in relative poverty, being forced to sell the Portsmouth property left Susanna by her grandfather in order to support the family....

Sommaire:
Charlotte Temple by Susanna Haswell Rowson is a poignant narrative that explores the complexities of youthful indiscretion, societal expectations, and the consequences of impulsive decisions. The story centers around Charlotte Temple, a young and impressionable girl attending a boarding school in Chichester. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she encounters Montraville, a charming lieutenant in the army. Despite her initial reservations and the guidance of her governess, Charlotte is swayed by Montraville's attentions and the manipulations of Mademoiselle La Rue, a teacher with questionable morals. As Charlotte becomes entangled in a clandestine relationship, she grapples with the conflict between her burgeoning feelings and the values instilled by her family. The narrative delves into the themes of parental influence and the societal pressures faced by young women. Charlotte's parents, Mr. and Mrs. Temple, embody the virtues of contentment and familial love, planning a surprise celebration for Charlotte's birthday, unaware of the emotional turmoil she is experiencing. The story also highlights the stark contrast between genuine affection and the superficial allure of wealth and status, as seen in the subplot involving Temple's father and Miss Weatherby. Rowson's tale serves as a cautionary story, illustrating the potential pitfalls of romantic entanglements that lack the foundation of mutual respect and understanding. The novel underscores the importance of adhering to one's principles and the potential consequences of deviating from them. Through Charlotte's journey, Rowson paints a vivid picture of the societal norms of the time and the challenges faced by women in navigating their personal desires and societal expectations....