The History of Charlotte Temple
Date
1814
Credits
- Susanna Haswell Rowson Author
Format
- Book 880
Type of Work
- Archive 227
Printers
Publishers
Media
- paper 1703
Techniques
- printing 670
The History of Charlotte Temple by Susanna Haswell Rowson is considered the first American bestseller. The titular character, Charlotte, is a 15-year-old English schoolgirl. In this cautionary tale, she leaves her prestigious boarding school after being seduced by a British army officer named John Montraville. In the 18th century, seduction novels were very popular and this one in particular went through over 200 editions. According to Raptis Rare Books, Rowson took the novel's success as an opportunity to protest “the sexual double standard that ruined the lives of women like Charlotte”.
1814 edition pictured (original release was 1794)