THE RIGHT
WOMAN AT THE WRONG TIME
The Female Quixote by Charlotte Lennox is a humorous, witty and insightful
novel about a beautiful young lady Arabella who sees herself as a heroine from
the French romance novels. She dreams of adventures and romance, yet never
fulfilling her desires, her destiny is led to disappointment and
disillusionment just as Don Quixote by
Miguel De Cervantes. Finally, she is trapped by social conventions following
the main female role she was trying to escape from with her demands and
rebellious acts. Lennox demonstrates tension between the artificial behavior
dictated by both contemporary and old-fashioned societies amongst the upper
class. The natural way in which Arabella wishes to behave however is being
governed strictly by old fashioned customs she learned from the French romance
novels. Though, Arabella may appear as unconventional due to her odd customs
and traditions, I strongly believe that she is the most conventional character
in the story. The key element is to understand that she is in fact following
social conventions, yet the conventions belonging to a society that is 2000
years older than her. Mack sees Arabella "Like the people around her"
she "is every bit the empiricist, reasoning from her senses, but she
functions with a different store of experience". This is experience is
"formed from the classical historical settings of seventeenth-century
French romances rather than from eighteenth-century English society"
(195). Therefore, Arabella's behavior cannot be judged or misinterpreted.
However, it must be acknowledged that she is a follower of conventions and her
only connection to the real world was through the French novels.
Arabella
may be portrayed as being an autodidact of social conventions because though
her father paid for the best education, she taught herself how to act in
society. To further analyze this, the first point which needs to be considered
is that Arabella is locked in a castle away from modern society. She is not in
touch with the real world or exposed to the new rules of behavior. Therefore,
our beautiful heroine unintentionally relied on the only source of education
she found; the French romance novels that belonged to her mother who passed
away. This may also be her only connection to the mother she never had.
Therefore, Arabella holds on to these books, firmly believes in them and
accepts every word as valuable lessons that her mother, if alive, might have
passed on. Furthermore, Arabella when meeting The Countess, immediately
connects and desires to build a relationship. I believe Arabella's sees The
Countess as a mother figure who will give her the reassurance she has longed
for. Interestingly, The Countess was also fond of Arabella and desired a close
relationship. However, for The Countess, Arabella was a mirror of her youth and
knowing that she had also been credulous of the romantic novels, felt the need
to save her from these illusive stories as she had been saved"....she
herself had when very young been deep read in Romances; and but for an early
Acquaintance with the World, and being directed to other Studies, was likely to
have been as much a Heroine as Lady Bella" (Lennox 323).
Through
this passage, the Countess believes that if she had not encountered the real
world she would have had the same absurd notions as Arabella does. Arabella innocently
believes that the seventeenth century norms of society are acceptable because
she learned these from her mother's books. Being the only possession she had
from her mother and being a woman of higher rank, Arabella could only assume to
behave as a true heroine does. Moreover, her reasoning behind strongly
believing in these novels, is due to the fact that they are indeed exciting and
adventurous romances that happened to extraordinary historical women.
Hypothetically speaking, if Arabella would have been aware of the modern rules
of conduct, in addition to having read the romance novels, and yet she would
have chosen to act in an old fashioned manner, then one may say that the
protagonist is of rebellious, unconventional and nonconforming nature. Moreover,
the Countess is an example of a Lady of higher rank who would have fallen
unconsciously into the same folly as Arabella had she not been acquainted with
the outside world. Arabella’s family, servants and acquaintances, assumed she
knew the way to behave in public, therefore when she challenged this thought,
they considered her delusional and mad.
"If
you knew more of the World, Lady Bella, said Miss Glanville pertly, you would
not be so apt to think, that young
ladies engage themselves in troublesome Adventures: Truly the Ladies that are brought up in Town are
not so ready to run away with every Man they see
(Lennox 88).
Therefore,
I ask, Is Arabella really crazy? Well "As Motooka puts it, "She does
not see armor where there is no armor; she sees the riders as they are. Yet she
interprets their appearance in such an odd way that her companions look upon
her 'as one who [is] out of her senses'" (Mack 195), just as she
"never hesitates to call things as she sees them: the gardener a prince,
the highwaymen knights, the horse races the Olympic Games" (Mack 193). The
term experience is crucial in understanding why she is viewed as a crazy woman.
Arabella's experience with society is different from her family and peers. Miss
Glanville cannot comprehend where her cousin comes from in terms of experience,
since her upbringing was based on modern social beliefs. Lennox constantly
reveals Arabella's innocence when it appears in her dialogue such as "No,
really! interrupted Arabella, innocently (88). It's important to attach this
concept of innocence to understand why Arabella falls into these
old-conventions.
Canadian
literary critic Herman Northrop Frye, says that "Tragedy involves a
movement from the ideal world to the real world, from innocence to experience,
from the mythos of summer to the mythos of winter, and therefore Frye calls
tragedy the mythos of autumn" (Tyson 222). Clearly, this novel is tragic
because The Female Quixote ends
tragically. Arabella is practically forced into marrying her cousin and the end
of her little independence and glorious youth is perpetuated by marriage.
Though it is unclear, if she was unconsciously trying to avoid this tragic
ending for her, Arabella innocence helps her transgress through the novel.
Therefore based on Frye's definition of Tragedy, Arabella's journey from
"innocence to experience" occurs when she is in touch with the real
world and is placed in real life experience.
The
turning point occurs when Arabella puts her life at risk. The moment she sees
"four Horsemen riding along the Road towards them" her
"imagination bewilder'd as it was in the Follies of Romances" and she
"plunged into the Thames, intending to swim over it, as Clelia did the
Tyber" (362-363). Though the madness of her action is debatable, her
intention was innocent. Arabella was concern in protecting her chastity,
therefore proposed to her women "What that beauteous Roman Lady perform'd
to preserve herself from violation by the impious Sextus, let us imitate to
avoid the Violence our intended Ravishers yonder come to offer us" (Lennox
363) Arabella's self-confidence, determination and strong will help her get
through most of the time imposing respect, trustworthiness and character.
Though her family and peers may find her somewhat delusional, she manages to
gain their acceptance which would describe her as a courageous woman in a male
domineering society.
The
reality is that Arabella was always forced into following rules. Her father,
for example locked her in a castle "He taught her to read and write in a
very few Months" (Lennox 6) then "the best Masters of Music and
Dancing were sent from London to attend her" (Lennox 7). Therefore,
"The Female Quixote's derision of Arabella lends extra force to its
subordination of romance, for as a female Quixote, she is already subordinate -
a subordinate character in the novel's social world, a subordinate sign in its
formal one" (Langbauer 31). Arabella is submissive to her father and is
expected to play this role with Mr. Glanville after they are married. Arabella
does rebel against her father's will to marry Glanville, but the reason behind
this idea comes from the convention "What Lady in Romance ever married the
Man that was chose for her? (Lennox 27) Though she is aware she cannot disobey
her father, she then develops an aptitude to dislike Glanville because heroines
don't marry the man that is proposed to them (Lennox 27).
Though
these attitudes are not characteristic of a submissive woman, her disobedience
towards her father and apathy towards Glanville, also take place because
Glanville doesn't follow the conventional rules of courtship. Arabella's
old-fashioned manners influenced her lack of appreciation toward this young
handsome man who was trustworthy and truly loved her.
Therefore, Arabella courageously
challenges her father's beliefs when she exclaims:
"But
if it is your absolute Command that I should marry, give me not to one who,
tho' he has the Honour to be allied
to you, has neither merited your Esteem, or my Favour, by any Action worthy of his Birth, or the
Passion he pretends to have for me" (Lennox 41).
Moreover, continues by explaining
the real challenges a lover must encounter and fulfill in order to deserve a
lady of such royal worth "Has he merited my Esteem, by his sufferings, Fidelity,
and Respect; or, by any great and generous Action, given me a Testimony of his
Love, which should oblige me to reward him with my Affection? (Lennox 41).
Evidently
Arabella strictly follows a set of norms which blind her to see Glanville for
what he truly is, "The Truth is, she had too much Discernment not to see
Mr. Glanville had a great deal of merit; his person was perfectly
handsome" (Lennox 30). Nevertheless, Glanville being an ideal bachelor for
many ladies is charmed by Arabella. Therefore one may conclude that luckily
"the unromantic Arabella turns out to be very romantic after all"
(Langbauer 33). Glanville fell in love with Arabella at first sight admiring
her beauty. However, when she spoke so eloquently and strangely, he became
fascinated with her personality and his desire grew stronger. The fact that her
views of courtship confuse Glanville, empowers her greatly to command the
relationship. Laurie Langbauer says that "Romance is "empowering not
imprisoning" and "the conventions of romance are what might give
women voice" (Gordon 500). Therefore, Arabella's conventional romantic
behavior keeps her self-righteous, and in command of her decision concerning
matters of the heart.
Arabella
was tangled in these fairy tales to an extent that she felt obliged to follow
the rules of courtship, romance, fashion, language and so on, unwilling to
break any of these conventions. Arabella followed these codes of conduct
strictly, word by word because she was looking for a brave man and therefore expected
greatness. I agree with Langbauer when she states "Arabella's excess of
behavior actually reflect what is wrong with romance. She acts the way she does
because she believes in romance and is simply acting out its conventions"
(Langbauer 29). This statement supports that Arabella's behavior is being
dictated by the conventions of romance. Moreover infers that every society has
conventions and Arabella's ridiculous over-the-top behavior exposes the ones
from the eighteenth century.
Clearly
Arabella never questions these conventions nor the heroines romantic demands or
condemnations that lead to dangerous and bloody consequences. Furthermore,
Arabella emotionally tortures Glanville "...through the profound respect
he has for me...I will voluntarily bestow it on him...as because I do not wish
his death" (Lennox 132). Arabella doesn't realize the insensitivity she is
portraying by these absurd comments. Infuriated, Miss Glanville tries to
enlighten her when she questions her outrageous statement.
You
do not wish his death Madam!...Is it such a mighty Favour, pray, not to wish
the Death of my Brother, who never
injured you? I am sure your Behaviour has been so extremely inhumane that I have repented a thousand times we
ever came to the castle (Lennox 132)
However,
Arabella ignores Miss Glanville and is convinced that her rigor has caused
Glanville a deadly illness because all heroines have this effect over their
lovers. Thus not realizing the emotional pain she is causing her family as well
as herself for denying to see Glanville. She wants to know how he is and cares
for him, but in order to see him without breaking the code, she justifies this
urge by claiming that she has the divine power to save his life (Lennox 132).
Arabella's
submissive role becomes apparent the moment her initial behavior is juxtaposed
by her adaptation to modern society after speaking with the doctor. The last
chapter is ground breaking because the doctor is the only character that is
able to question her beliefs with strong arguments that would break the magic
spell of the novels. Arabella convincingly fights to defend the importance of
the French Novels as well as her conventional romantic beliefs. Consequently,
the doctor manages to gain her attention when he mentions the most delicate
subject of all: death. When he says "I hope, Madam...with Horror in his
looks, that no Life was ever lost by your Incitement" (Lennox 381), he
enlightens her with the fear of anyone dying on her behalf "Is it
possible, cried the Doctor, that such Gentleness and Elegance should be stained
with Blood? (381). Until this point, she had never questioned the extremity,
torturous and bloody sacrifices imposed by the French novels and
"recovering herself" she says
"
I tremble indeed to think how nearly I have approached the Brink of Murder,
when I thought myself only consulting
my own Glory; but whatever I suffer, I will never more demand or instigate Vengeance, nor consider my Punctilios as
important enough to be ballanced
against life" (Lennox 381)
Though some readers may interpret
this incident sudden and unbelievable, I believe that it was unexpected, yet
realistic. Langbauer points out "what actually convinces her to give up
romance is not so much the Doctor's logic as her own shame, and it is later "Reflections
on the Absurdity of her Past Behaviour, and the Contempt and Ridicule to which
she now saw plainly she had exposed herself" which clinch her
rehabilitation" (33). Therefore I agree with this rationale behind her
quick realization of how delusional she had been. "This quixotism, critics
have agreed, is defined not only by the mistakes Arabella makes—substituting
the reality of French romances for that of eighteenth-century English
society—but also by her ability to keep making them " (Mack 193). Arabella
until the last chapter had always possessed the same fantastic ideas and had
argued her way through several mistakes. I feel for Arabella when she comes to
her realization. I picture her with the Doctor as all the dramatic events flash
through her mind, and the her surprise, when she was able to comprehend the
dangers of the conventions of courtship she treasured dearly. Though she
matures when she loses her innocence and gains experience, she is not
necessarily happy. With this
notion I support the idea that though Charlotte Lennox's is humorous and
romantic, the underlying theme is tragedy.
The
protagonist Arabella thinks of herself as a heroine who dreams of adventures
and romance, never quite fulfilling these ends disappointed and disillusioned
just as Don Quixote. Finally she is trapped by social conventions, following
the main female role she was trying to escape from with her demands and
rebellious acts. "Mrs. Lennox's desire to ridicule the French heroic
romances, and to point out their potentially harmful effects on the minds of
inexperienced readers, is seen in her earliest writings. Mockery of romance
conventions is found in 'Shallum to Hilpah'; one of the best of her 1747 Poems"(Isles 420). Evidently,
Lennox succeeds in mocking these conventions through Arabella’s character. From
my perspective she is basically saying 'this is how ridiculous we would be if
we were to follow the old-fashion traditions'. Furthermore, Langbauer states
"The Female Quixote both mocks
and lauds its heroine's quixotism and the way it ridicules romance actually
exposes the attractions of that form" (30) which supports the argument
that French Novels were attractive because it invoked a passion for romance
which had been lost in eighteenth century British society. Therefore,
Arabella's behavior was being perpetuated by the vivacity of these historical
Heroines as well as her longing for romantic affairs characteristic of young
girls.
Although
Arabella may seem nonconformist and unconventional by disregarding all the 18thcentury
social conventions, she brings suffering to her family with her stubbornness,
as well as with her condemning and self-torturous behavior. Simply because she
imposes upon her family and servants a new set of values, attitudes and
beliefs, doesn’t necessarily make her a revolutionary. She is the tragic
heroine in her own play. Arabella creates an imaginary world to cope with her
repressed desires due to the isolation and captivity imposed by her father. Heroines’
lives are maneuvered by a serious of adventures that in romance novels occur
only to them. What is interesting to note, is that the plot comes to the
protagonists in the French novels, whereas Arabella has to find these
adventures and dangerous encounters filled with imaginary lovers and fictional
ravishers. Arabella's delusive view of the world stems from her desire to be a
famous Heroine. Additionally, "Margaret Dalziel has suggested that [Unlike
Don Quixote, Arabella is also created to be the heroine of a serious love
story, a story with the conventional romantic characters, and the conventional
romantic ending]" (Langbauer 30). Arabella indeed achieves to portray the
possibilities of being a Heroine during her time. She succeeds in being an
outstanding and noticeable woman next to all the dull and plain females around
her. Though the end may be somewhat sad, Glanville does deserve her love in the
end because he stands by her during all her tortures, rejection and strange
behavior. Glanville unlike Sir George protects her and never tries to fool her
or set her up like Sir George. Glanville behaves like a man in the French
Novels who is worthy of her love. I believe that Lennox revives the passion of
love and exposes the frivolous superficial society of the eighteenth century
through Arabella's imaginative adventures. Moreover, The Female Quixote captures the quintessence of the conventions of
romance. Arabella's commitment to follow these conventions has placed her as
the perfect woman during the wrong times. Arabella is the most conventional
character throughout. Her life depends on these codes of conduct, she breathes
through them. I believe that through this novel, Lennox extravagantly exposes
the danger of romance and fiction, as well as the seriousness in which social
traditions such as "marriage" are being maneuvered.
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY
· Lennox, Charlotte. The Female
Quixote or The Adventures of Arabella. 1752. Ed. Margaret Dalziel. New
York: Oxford UP, 1989.
· Mack, Ruth. "Lennox 's Quixotic
Ethnography "Novel: A Forum on Fiction 2005, Vol. 38 Issue 2/3. PP
193-213
· Langbauer, Laurie. "Romance
Revised: Charlotte Lennox's The Female Quixote", NOVEL: A Forum on
Fiction Vol. 18, No. 1. Autumn 1984. Pub. Duke University Press.
PP.29-49
· Gordon, Scott Paul."The Space
of Romance in Lennox's Female Quixote”. Studies in English Literature,
1500-1900, Vol. 38, No. 3, Restoration and Eighteenth Century. 1998. PP
499-516
· Tyson, Lois. Critical Theory Today: A User Friendly Guide
2 Ed. August 2006. PP 221-224
