Charlotte Temple

by Susanna Rowson, Rowson, Rowson Mrs. 1762-1824

Book Overview

An instant bestseller when it was published in America, the sentimental novel Charlotte Temple speaks to the popularity of the genre--and the public thirst for fiction--from the early national period and beyond. This Norton Critical Edition is based on the first American edition of 1794; the author's original spellings have been maintained. It is accompanied by a detailed introduction, explanatory annotations, and A Note on the Text.

An unusually...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0393925382
• ISBN13: 9780393925388
• Release Date: August 2010
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Length: 560 Pages
• Weight: 1.21 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 5.1" x 8.3"
• Grade Range: Grades 9 to 12

Customer Reviews

Charlotte Temple

A wonderful novel that really takes you back to the time of when people were to wed for wealth and social status.

A great read

The other reviews have already covered the synopsis, so I'll just give my opinion. I'm an avid reader of non-fiction, rarely venture into the fray of fiction novels. But this is one that I was certainly glad to have read. The story was impassioned and emotional - the character of Charlotte Temple was quickly developed, giving me a real sense of empathy to her plight. With every downfall, I felt her pain and remorse.The asides from Rowson to the reader were charming. While the values she extols are not the same as a modern Western reader's, one must appreciate the context in which it was written, and appreciate it further for its uniquenesss.In sum, I'd highly recommend this book to anyone looking for an easy, passionate tale of tragedy. Great book.

Underestimated in its own time

This book wasn't given much attention by literary critics until more recently, when voices from outside the standard canon were finally reviewed. Charlotte Temple is more complex than at first meets the idea, and yet the reader breezes through the reading. It is a great book for a discussion group, as there are many aspects of this book that can be discussed just as deeply as Hemingway or Steinbeck. I recommend giving Susanna Rowson a try.

Underestimated in its own time

This book wasn't given much attention by literary critics until more recently, when voices from outside the standard canon were finally reviewed. Charlotte Temple is more complex than at first meets the eye, and yet the reader breezes through the reading. It is a great book for a discussion group, as there are many aspects of this book that can be discussed just as deeply as Hemingway or Steinbeck. I recommend giving Susanna Rowson a try.

An intriguing landmark from American literary history

"Charlotte Temple" is a sentimental, moralistic 18th century novel by Susanna Rowson, an English-born author who lived much of her life in the United States. According to Cathy N. Davidson (who wrote the introduction to the Oxford edition), "Charlotte" was "America's first best-selling novel in the early years of the Republic." According to the book's bibliographic notes, it was first published in 1791, with the first American edition appearing in 1794.The book tells the story of an innocent young English schoolgirl who becomes involved in romantic intrigue. She eventually winds up in the vicinity of New York City; thus, the novel has an interesting theme of a foreigner coming to America. The book's plot reminds me of a contemporary soap opera, but with a much more judgmental and religious tone. The characters are, on the whole, cardboard stereotypes. The book is full of female hysterics, male villainy, cruelty, dangerous passion, and heartbreak.Rowson fills her book with asides to the reader, and, ironically, I found this ongoing conversation to be more interesting than the melodramatic plot. Many of the asides are preachy, such as this example: "Oh my dear girls [...] listen not to the voice of love, unless sanctioned by parental approbriation" (chapter VI). But as the book goes on, Rowson begins to anticipate objections from possible readers, and some of her asides are witty and quite entertaining.Ultimately, "Charlotte" is not a great piece of literature as a novel, but as a sort of metafictional exercise, it's quite intriguing. It's especially interesting when read in comparison with such self-referent 20th century novels as Ernest Hemingway's "The Torrents of Spring" or Kurt Vonnegut's "Breakfast of Champions." Also, the book's presentation of 18th century femininity and sexuality is an interesting precursor to 19th century books like Harriet Beecher Stowe's "Uncle Tom's Cabin." "Charlotte" may try the patience of contemporary readers on certain levels, but I believe it to be a literary milestone that is still oddly relevant.