Charlotte Temple - Ideas of Love Essay -- essays papers

Charlotte Temple - Ideas of Love In the eighteenth century, when Charlotte Temple was written, societys ideasabout women, sack out, and obligations were extremely incompatible from viewsheld in the 20th century. Women did not ware many rights, and societymade them think that their place in life was to marry well. They werenot supposed to have desires or hopes for an amazing kind of love. Theywere merely supposed to marry the man who their families int quited themto marry, and live their lives being a dutiful wife and mother. Lovehad a similar essence in the 1700s. It was not looked at as beingessential to a relationship convenience and social status was more master(prenominal) than love in an 18th century marriage. Finally, socialobligations were almost completely opposite then to what they are now. As opposed to 20th century obligations to the self, education, andwealth, the 18th century focused more on social status and family, andnot so many individual(prenominal) or indep endent obligations. (Eighteenth) InCharlotte Temple, a radical idea concerning a breakdown of social norms,and a restructuring of important obligations was presented. Familialand social responsibilities seemed to take a backseat to Charlottes(and other characters) independent and individualised lives. For this reason,Charlotte Temple was a revolutionary novel that gave people in the 18thcentury a new way of looking at life. It emphasized love and emotions,while disregarding normal cultural ideas. In the beginning of the novel, familial or social obligations weretold through the stories of Mr. Temple, Charlotte, and La Rue. Thenarrator remarked that Mr. Temples fellow was made completelywretched by marrying a disagreeable woman, wh... ...iserable and alone. The dickens women began Charlotte Temple in the same fashion lookingfor independence and self-worth. However, then endings of the two womenwere different. It seemed as if the narrator is saying if one neverleaves or eve n returns to social obligations, the end result will behappiness. If one denies obligations, then the end result will bemisery. This novel, however radical it was regarding the risks ofsocial and familial obligations for personal attribution, basicallystated at the end that the one who does adheres to obligations will behappy in the end. So, in conclusion, Charlotte Temple did break downsocial norms by presenting the idea that people could have resistednormal social obligations to pursue personal happiness. However, itwas not so radical as to say that one would have been happy if theydenied their duties.