Charlotte Temple Critical Analysis

from Charlotte Temple

Susanna Rowson does a great job of depicting the innocence and ignorance of a young woman in Charlotte Temple. Although, she does a greater job of showing the tactics people will use to achieve what they have set their mind to. The title of this work leads you to believe it will be about a character named Charlotte. While it is about her, I understand the story to be more about two other characters, Montreville, a lieutenant in the army, and Mademoiselle LaRue, a teacher at the school Charlotte attends. Though Charlotte maintains a strong role throughout the work, Rowson states in her preface, “…but conscious that I wrote with a mind anxious for the happiness of that sex whose morals and conduct have so powerful an influence on mankind in general…” (Rowson 1362). With this statement Rowson, I believe, is implying that she will venture to disclose the extent people will go to in order to gain what they desire. Montreville and Mademoiselle LaRue, time and time again during the novel, are doing all they can to manipulate Charlotte into doing what they want of her. This is why I believe Charlotte not to be the main character of this story, but simply a “puppet”.

Montreville in chapter one states, “I never think of the future…but am determined to make the most of the present…” (Rowson 1363). This comment made by Montreville shows he doesn’t care who he may hurt or what the consequences of his actions may bring. What’s best for him is all he is thinking of. He is first able to see Charlotte when she and Mademoiselle are walking in the field. There he slips a note into her hand, and money into Mademoiselles hand bribing her to bring Charlotte out again the next night. Mademoiselle LaRue is supposed to be a guide to Charlotte, so by accepting this payment and bringing her out the following night she shows her willingness to do things she knows to be wrong as long as she is getting something in return. Mademoiselle knows she has power over Charlotte, as an authority figure, and uses this to manipulate her regularly.

Charlotte is constantly talking herself out of doing these things she knows to be wrong, but as long as Montreville and Mademoiselle LaRue are with her she is canned into doing them. For example, when Mademoiselle talks Charlotte into reading Montreville’s letter even though she has told her she didn’t want to. She does this by making it look as if there is something wrong with Charlotte for not wanting to read the letter. She then proceeds to make light of Montreville’s looks causing Charlotte to defend and think of him, thus leading to her read the letter. After reading it Charlotte was convinced to go see him and decides she must end it with him. Of course Montreville does not let this happen saying they must meet only once more and that “I will live on that hope till we meet again.” (Rowson 1369).

Charlotte ends up meeting with Montreville one week longer, and is then asked to marry him. She rejects him twice because she knows it will break her parent’s heart, but Mademoiselle and Montreville talk her back into it each time. Charlotte ends up leaving