Charlotte Temple · Chapter
VII: Natural Sense of Propriety Inherent in the Female Bosom explained
Charlotte returns from an evening outing with Mademoiselle La Rue, feeling uneasy about the impropriety of their actions.
What happens
Charlotte returns from an evening outing with Mademoiselle La Rue, feeling uneasy about the impropriety of their actions. La Rue manipulates Charlotte's guilt and curiosity, persuading her to read a letter from Montraville despite her initial resistance. By playing on Charlotte's emotions and fears, La Rue successfully arranges a secret meeting for the following evening.
Themes in this chapter
Seduction and Betrayal
Mademoiselle La Rue's manipulation of Charlotte's innocence and her role in arranging the secret meeting exemplify the seduction and betrayal theme, as she exploits Charlotte's trust for her own purposes.
Female Virtue and Fall
Charlotte's internal conflict between her mother's teachings and her own curiosity, culminating in her decision to read the letter and meet Montraville, illustrates the precariousness of female virtue.
Friendship and Deception
La Rue's feigned friendship and emotional manipulation deceive Charlotte, highlighting the theme of deception disguised as friendship.
Characters to notice
- Charlotte Temple
Charlotte struggles with her sense of propriety after the evening's events, but is ultimately persuaded by La Rue to read Montraville's letter and agree to a secret meeting.
- Mademoiselle La Rue
La Rue manipulates Charlotte's guilt and curiosity, using feigned tears and emotional appeals to overcome Charlotte's scruples and arrange a clandestine correspondence with Montraville.
- Montraville
Montraville is the subject of Charlotte's conflicted feelings; his letter, delivered by La Rue, awakens new emotions in Charlotte and leads to the planned meeting.
- Madame Du Pont
Madame Du Pont is the governess whose authority Charlotte fears; Charlotte worries that Madame Du Pont will discover their unauthorized outing.
Key passages
“I can not think we have done exactly right in going out this evening, mademoiselle”
Charlotte expresses regret and unease about their unauthorized outing.
This opening line establishes Charlotte's initial sense of propriety and guilt.
“when once a woman has stifled the sense of shame in her own bosom... she grows hardened in guilt, and will spare no pains to bring down innocence and beauty to the shocking level with herself”
The narrator warns that a woman who has lost her own virtue will actively corrupt others.
This authorial aside condemns La Rue's actions and underscores the moral danger Charlotte faces.