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Loading... The history of Miss Betsy Thoughtlessby Eliza Fowler Haywood (otherwise under Eliza Haywood)
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will love Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. 1   Wombat | Apr 7, 2009 |   no reviews | add a review
Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0192824902, Paperback)A lively, pretty young orphan with a large fortune, Miss Betsy Thoughtless is courted by several eligible suitors. Enjoying their adoration, she dallies with their affections and postpones marriage. Her flirtatiousness, however, alienates the right man, and scares her guardian into marrying her off to a brutish husband. This is one of the first novels (1751) to depict a heroine questioning the sexual double standard and institution of marriage. This is the only edition in print of this provocative story of sexual politics.(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:17 -0400) The first test round has been closed. Visit the Open Shelves Classification group for details. |
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Wikipedia in English (1)
Other reviewers have commented that those who like Austen will like BETSY THOUGHTLESS. For me, what was so interesting was to think about how DIFFERENT this book is from Austen, particularly regarding gender roles and discussions of sex. Written in 1751, a time before domestic ideology became the dominant cultural code, BETSY THOUGHTLESS is far more open about discussing sex, pregnancy, adultery, and desire than Austen was -- Betsy's brother has a mistress; Betsy's friend gets pregnant and has a baby, and Betsy forgives her; Betsy's true love has casual sex with a woman after he is disappointed by Betsy's rudeness to him, and we're not supposed to think him contemptuous for such an action. Betsy herself worries at one point that if she lets her love escort her home, she won't be able to contain her desire for him. Fascinating!