Although Hannah Webster Foster names her book The Coquette, there is ambiguity as to who the true coquette in the story is. Eliza Wharton, nicknamed the coquette by Foster and the other characters in the story, does not follow the rules of coquetry. Instead, it is Major Peter Sanford who falls under the social definition of a coquette, which allows Eliza to demonstrate more masculine characteristics, as the primary feminine identity is not hers. Foster creates a reversal of gender roles in an attempt to challenge contemporary views of women in the public sphere. Foster presents Eliza as the victim to define society's rules that govern women's actions in public. Eliza's actions - activities that her female counterparts deem flirtatious - and Major Sanford's flirtatious behaviors are not reconciled but rather offer a reason why women are not allowed to pursue individual freedoms as defined by patriarchy . The freedoms Eliza covets include: sexual freedom, access to wealth and material gain, and a strong public appearance. The attack on Eliza's coquetry has nothing to do with her virtues or character but rather a cover to conceal contemporary fears regarding gender roles, heterosexuality and marriage, and especially women's agency in a changing world. The role reversals within the story create a new dynamic for gender roles, aiding Eliza in her quest for “power” in a male world. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The main role reversal in The Coquette is Eliza's understanding of male power. Eliza Wharton, along with the rest of the women in The Coquette, struggle to cope with the loss of self-definition as she attempts to maintain a balance between the space of the Republican mother and that of the rejected coquette (Richards). Even though she is by no means a republican mother, rejecting all thoughts of marriage and family, Eliza finds herself confronted with the destiny of a ruined coquette.[i] Speaking of the domestic sphere, Eliza says: "I shrink back to the idea of ​​immediately forming a connection which must confine me to the duties of domestic life… (Foster 23). “Although Eliza does not wish to be a man, she rejects the expectations of the women of her time in an attempt to gain male power. According to “Consent, Coquetry, and Consequences,” “her plot to escape the marital expectations imposed on her leads her friends to label her flirtatious.” She is not easily convinced by Boyer's overt exclamation of love nor does she seem interested when Sanford admits his feelings for her. Eliza considers “marriage to be the tomb of friendship. All old acquaintances are neglected or forgotten, and the tenderest bonds between friends are weakened or dissolved (Foster 19-20). She has no interest in marrying anyone because she values ​​her freedom and friendships with other women. According to the author of “Can Your Volatile Daughter Ever Acquire Your Wisdom? Luxury and False Ideals in La Coquette,” Laura Korobkin, “Eliza’s resistance to the constraining forces of bourgeois marriage and the conformist advice of her social cohort make her a powerful champion of personal freedom and political autonomy. » In today's society, it is often the man who rejects the social construct of marriage due to his lack of commitment and desire to be with the "guys", but Eliza makes it known that 'she won't be a motherRepublican. Boyer dabbles in the idea of ​​love and marriage, while Sanford, although accidentally in love with her, refuses to marry someone of little financial value. Eliza is the only character to control her emotions and those of those around her. It is because of her rejection of feminine norms that Eliza is considered a flirt. But by definition, it does not have the means to be so. By social definition, a coquette is "a bewitching girl" who is "happily calculated to break a husband's heart." (Anonymous)." Although the article "A Modern Coquette's Account of Herself" found in The Salem Chronicle is a satirical work, it gives a societal definition of what a coquette does The article says: “If a gentleman therefore has the slightest inclination to become both a beggar and a cuckold, he cannot in any way. case to someone more dedicated to her service” Eliza tries to better herself through marriage, but she does not try to play both Boyer and Major Sanford for this reason. suffers internally in choosing the “right” suitor Her sentimental actions of taking the time to choose the man are contradictory to the characteristics of a coquette Instead of being the republican coquette or mother, Eliza Wharton offers a short story. definition of the contemporary woman and the role of women in society. In the case of La Coquette, he is a “bewitching” man who wreaks havoc not only on Eliza’s heart, but also on her reputation and relationships. Knowing the effects a flirt has on a man, Sanford plans to beat Eliza at the sex game. He says "But I imagine this young woman is a coquette" and he plans to "avenge [his] sex, by retaliating for misdeeds, she serves as an intermediary against us (Foster 15)." Sanford was not the only man considered a coquette of his time. According to Gillian Brown's article, "there are as many male coquettish as females and they are far more pernicious pests to society, because their sphere of action is wider and they are less exposed to the censure of the world . » Lucy comments on Sanford's character by saying: "Predilection for this Major Sanford... he is a debauchee, my dear friend (Foster 21). » At that time, men were considered debauchees while coquette was reserved for flirtatious women. Although Major Sanford is considered a debauchee, he is nevertheless invited to all the parties where women want to be with him and where men envy him. According to Korobkin, "Foster clearly blames Eliza's society for allowing her apparent wealth to overcome their qualms about her character so that they fail to exclude her from their social circle." She also makes Eliza the recipient of a chorus of pointed condemnations from Sanford that dismiss him as a suitable suitor. Women were judged more harshly when they held the title of coquette than a man who held the title of debauchee. Eliza wishes to have the power of public appearance as Sanford holds, but this is lost to her due to her condemnation as a coquette. As a woman with few material resources, she is “confined to the rigid rules of prudence and thrift” while Sanford’s entire mode is dedicated to “show” and equipment” (Richards). to become deeply invested in their appearance and then were ridiculed for this obsession (Rosenman). Sanford's fanciful dress and over-extension of his wealth are what mark him as masculine, while Eliza's own attempt to appear in public is refuted. The importance of appearance is especially evident when Eliza prepares for Boyer's visit and says, "I have to start repairingmy phiz and try if I can to invent one that will look like Madame (Foster 48). » Although she tries to have a wealthy appearance, she fails and is still considered a coquette, losing not only her reputation but also her life. While Sanford takes the form of a ruined coquette saying, “I am defeated!” after planning to avoid poverty by marrying the heiress, Eliza is the one who ends up becoming a pregnant and unmarried beggar. Major Sanford's reputation and appearance give him the appeal of masculinity that Eliza covets compared to Boyer's demure and feminine demeanor. What Eliza likes about Sanford is not him but the materiality, the clothes, and the enhancement of her own image that he offers. Although Eliza rejects Boyer's advances, this gives her a more masculine power over the man, and her desire for Sanford is not just for his own being but more for the power of masculinity he holds. . When a woman was described as flirtatious, she was said to have ulterior motives, such as financial gain, for seducing the man. Eliza wants the power of wealth that men hold, but she wants it without the marriage title. Eliza's attraction to Sanford is due to her desire for the financial freedom he presents. She states in a letter to Lucy that Major Sanford has "a fortune sufficient to secure the enjoyments of all the pleasant varieties of social life... My fancy leads me for happiness to the festive places of fashionable life ( Foster 42). » It is obvious that Eliza wants Sanford's fortune for her own comfort in an attempt at material gain (Korobkin). However, it is not Eliza who preys on Sanford to enrich herself, nor does she attempt to cuckold him after his marriage. Instead, Sanford forces Eliza to become a beggar. However, according to Korobkin, Sanford's "apparent wealth and privilege are doubly deceptive: he does not have the same to offer", but because he is a man, his wealth is not in question. Due to Eliza's interest in material gain, she is considered a flirt, however her arts of seduction are not specifically aimed at materiality but rather another act of masculine power. On the other hand, men who acted promiscuously were not judged for personal gain, but had the excuse of their sexual nature on their side. Although Eliza finds pleasure in flirting with both Boyer and Major Sanders, she does not necessarily do so. therefore for financial gain, but rather simply to enjoy the pleasures of the moment due to its volatile nature. If any of Eliza's relationships are to be considered flirtatious, it would be her first engagement arranged by her parents. Her parents arrange the marriage to Mr. Haly in order to improve their daughter's financial situation. In her description of the man, Eliza says, “Mr. Haly was a man of worth; a man of real merit (Foster 1). Eliza has no real emotional attachment to the man but rather to his wallet. She has no desire to marry Mr. Haly out of love but rather out of duty. According to “Consent, Coquetry, and Consequences” by Gillian Brown, “Her consent to this “alliance” meant no “passion of love for Mr. Haly.” , only his respect for the wishes of his parents. In her submission to her parents, she represents a common constraint on feminine and filial consent (Brown.) During Mr. Haly's illness, it is Eliza who assumes the role of competent nurse. This is the only time Eliza takes on the role of Republican mother in an attempt to save the wealth. When Mr. Haly dies, she manages to escape the role of republican mother and extends her own quest for wealth into the male world (Rosenman). Although the companysupposes that she will mourn the loss of Mr. Haly, she celebrates the liberation of her “paternal roof”. Eliza exercised her personal wishes while following her parents' wishes, but she did so with a sense of chance placing a "rick" on her "future happiness." Noting “the first meeting of Mr. Haly and his declining health,” Eliza was more willing to endure the relationship with the reverend. His speculation turns out to be a success. This overt rejection of patriarchal authority gives Eliza her new power in the public world (Brown). It is Major Sanders who pursues Eliza for financial gain only to abandon her when he meets a wealthier woman. Additionally, he shows no remorse in hurting Eliza when he gets married and he shows no remorse when he cuckolds his wife who recently lost their child. In “A Modern Coquette's Account of Herself,” the author says: “I could say: My life! to a husband, at the same time I winked at another man in company and called him a “dear creature!” Sanford does just that by seducing Eliza while remaining "happily" married to his wife. Eliza's lack of conformity to a coquette or lady of the time provides a new type of role for women in society and creates the image of the modern woman, while Major Sanders' behavior is that of the masculine man of the time. Eliza takes great pleasure in playing with Major Sanford and Boyer, but she lets her own feelings get involved; thus, breaking the first rule of coquetry. In Foster's La Coquette, it is Boyer who plays the female role. Perhaps this is why Eliza's female counterparts are urging her to marry him. His virtue places above all his majestic valor and his careful thought before each action ranks him among the best women in society, perhaps even above Mrs. Richman who is the holder of feminine virtue and the image of female hope. While Sanford acts on impulse and desire, Boyer thinks about social customs and feelings. Boyer considers the woman both as an object of conquest but above all as an object of affection. Eliza doesn't concern herself with affection when dealing with either man, but mainly focuses on controlling them both. When Boyer comes to pressure Eliza to respond to the proposal, but he is afraid of losing the object of his intrigue when he finds Sanford in the garden with Eliza (Richards). When Boyer discovers Sanford and Eliza talking discreetly at his mother's house, he immediately begins to cry. Not only does he leave, but he says that Eliza has made him “the dupe of a coquettish artifice.” Because of his broken heart, he says, “I gave vent to the sensitivity of my heart, and the effeminate relief of tears materially lightened the burden that oppressed me (Foster 67). » He does not confront Eliza with the problem but instead writes a letter. explain their behavior and end the relationship. It's almost like he's too fragile to even deal with the situation (Richards). Major Sanford, however, is not concerned about Boyer's interference in his relationship with Eliza. Sanford is not threatened by Boyer's presence but rather is the most dominant man in Eliza's life. Major Sanford believes he has influence over Eliza's heart. Eliza exercises her power of sexual freedom within the framework of her relationship with Boyer. Even though she cares about the man, she still wants the power to express her sexual desire outside of a single relationship; the same power that Sanford wields in his marriage. Eliza extended her need for material luxury to sex. Failed in her attempt at marriage, Eliza enters into a sexual affair with Sanford because she associates him with her lost dream of the power of material gratification. Its. 12.