The Coquette and the Boarding School: A Norton Critical Edition

by Hannah Webster Foster, Jennifer Harris (Editor), Bryan Waterman (Editor)

Hannah Webster Foster's two major Early American works with a wealth of primary materials are now available in a Norton Critical Edition. Published anonymously in 1797, Hannah Webster Foster’s The Coquette grabbed American interest with its ripped-from-the-headlines story of sex and scandal. A steady best seller for decades, the seduction novel was passed down through generations; indeed, its heroine became better known than the book’s author. A year later, Foster’s lesser-known follow-up, The Boarding School , provided an equally compelling portrait of women at the turn of the nineteenth century in the same epistolary form. Both novels can now be read in conversation with each other in this new Norton Critical Edition based on the respective first edition texts; the author’s original spelling, punctuation, and usage are retained while obvious printer’s errors are corrected. The texts are joined with a detailed introduction to Foster’s legacy and Elizabeth Whitman’s life along with explanatory annotations and a note on the text.

“Sources and Contexts” unearths a wealth of original material about the environment the works were produced in and the real-life people who inspired them. The three sections, “On Coquetry,” “The Life and Death of Elizabeth Whitman,” and “The Nineteenth-Century Legacy,” include new and corrected transcriptions of Whitman’s letters to Ruth and Joel Barlow, an inventory of items found at Whitman’s room at her death, popular representations of Elizabeth Whitman, and unauthorized sequels to The Coquette . Seven illustrations, including three of Eliza Wharton, are included to enrich the reading experience.

“Criticism” brings together nine diverse contemporary interpretations. Contributors include Carroll Smith-Rosenberg, Claire C. Pettengill, Julia A. Stern, Gillian Brown, Jeffrey H. Richards, and Gwendolyn Audrey Foster, among others.

Chronologies of the lives of Hannah Webster Foster and Elizabeth Whitman are included along with a Selected Bibliography.

Genres: Classics

435 pages, Paperback

First published July 14, 2011

About the author

Hannah Webster Foster (September 10, 1758 – April 17, 1840) was an American novelist.

(from Wikipedia)

Reviews

[Nancy Oakes]

I'm not exactly sure why people give this book such low ratings, but I really liked it. Way off my usual beaten path, not only is it entertaining, but coming from the perspective of a woman who lived in Colonial America, it's downright eye opening.

In this edition, 263 pages belong to Foster's actual works The Coquette and The Boarding School. These are followed by a section that puts The Coquette into better perspective by examining the real-life woman (Elizabeth Whitman) upon whom Foster's main character (Eliza Wharton) is based: first, through her actual letters, then there is an account of the newspaper articles that covered this woman's death. These are followed by a small excerpt from an earlier work called The Power of Sympathy, by William Hill Brown (which I'm planning to read next) that includes a mention of Elizabeth Whitman, and a poem by "the late unfortunate Miss Whitman" herself. A third section explores Foster's "Nineteeth-Century Legacy," and finally, section four explores various scholarly works of commentary on and criticism of the two books contained in this volume.


Since there are actually two works in this one volume, you can probably imagine that I spent a bit of time writing about them. Here's the link to what I thought of this book.

Don't let the fact that it was written in 1797/1798 put you off -- both works are very readable. While the subject matter may seem tame in terms of modern standards, just go with it and get out of your time zone for a change.

recommended

[Katie Winkler · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm teaching American Literature I online for the first time in the fall. I am adapting my "Traveling the Novel" project for this class and chose "The Coquette" for the sample project I like to provide my students. This short epistolary novel was the perfect choice because Foster is the first American novelist, and she published her book in 1789.

It's interesting to note that in 1790, Jane Austen, at 14, also wrote an epistolary novel, entitled "Love and Freindship [sic]." The epistolary form was popular for these early novels, so there is probably no connection, but it is interesting to note that Austen's work lampoons overt sensibility and Foster's is more of a caveat against it.

Although many similarities can be drawn between Austen and Foster, especially the social life of the lower upper class or emerging middle class, Austen's work is distinctly British while Foster's is equally as distinctly American. It is interesting to get a woman's perspective on life in early post-revolutionary America.

The role of the tabloid press, already present in 18th Century America, is also an interesting aspect of this novel's background and is discussed in some of the essays in this Norton critical edition, which also includes some of the actually letters of Elizabeth Whitman, the real life woman on whom Foster based her tragic heroine.

The literary tour I am planning around this novel and its author is shaping up to be an interesting trip that I may just have to take for real!

[Diem · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was fantastic. I didn't want to put it down. I love the epistolary novel format because saying that makes me sound erudite and sophisticated. Also because reading other people's letters provides an interesting insight into their character while leaving much still in shadows.

A précis of the book? The world has been cruel to women.

N.B. I only read "The Coquette". If I had worlds enough and time I would read "The Boarding School".

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I always enjoy reading this again each year.

[Dan]

Hard to rate this one, given the time period (late 1700s) in which it was written. For that epoch, this story embraces female-to-female relationships, which is rare. It wouldn't pass the Bechdel test, but it'd get closer that most writing of that period. The characters are somewhat caricatures, and they serve the moralizing purpose of the epistles (even though Foster somewhat aims to humanize Eliza/Elizabeth). But overall this is an important novel historically. I didn't enjoy it all the way through, but the writing is poetic (if melodramatic), and the novel definitely has significance to the American novel and its development.

I'd only suggest this for someone specifically studying American literature and its history.

[Tyler Jenkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great classic novel about the Early American patriarchy and the double standards men and women live by. Written in an odd format, the story unfolds as a series of letters sent back and forth between the characters of the novel. An excellent read!

[Vanessa]

even though the ending is horrific, this was kind of fun to read. will now forever use the word “rake” instead of f-boy in my vernacular for the rest of my life.

[Zoe · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the Coquette was a lovely book that entered the mind of a young woman who was lead astray not just by a devious, manipulative, and dishonorable man with a bad reputation, Eliza Wharton (who is based off the real life person of Elizabeth Whitman who died tragically at childbirth without friends or family by her side due to her not being married but pregnant at the same time) reveals the turmoil that society has inflicted on her and other young women alike.

Because of the high standards that women were held up to, Eliza struggled to find a way to make her voice heard through letters. Written in the epistolary form, Foster uncovers the confusion of romance in a series of letters from Eliza, her correspondence, friends, and the two suitors.

I recommend the Coquette as 8/10, but the Boarding School, however, is entirely different.

While dealing with the same material, the Boarding School is a lot duller than the Coquette. The Boarding School attempts to teach young women about the proper decorum of manners that they should posses in order to be the perfect lady. A good read but wouldn't read again.

Would recommend the Boarding School as 4/10.

[Brittany · Rating 3 out of 5]

Technically, I've only read The Coquette, but I do plan on reading The Boarding School sometime down the line. I liked The Coquette, but it wasn't the greatest thing I've ever read. I would reread it sometime down the line. I give it 3 out of 5 stars.

[skella · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the Coquette even if at times it was hard to follow. But it was an interesting read.