My automatic response to the novel was humour. Compared to other novels I have read in this time era, Fantomina was quite “risque”. My second response was, how dumb can a man be not to know that he was sleeping with the same woman over and over. Yes, there may have not been electricity or significant light sourse, but come on, how many women can he pass off as having the same marking on her arm. Really Beauplasir? You couldn’t tell?
My favorite aspect of the novel was that finally, a woman has the upper hand. At long last, after many stories of submissive women, and controlling, overbearing men, a woman steps up and says “Hey, I can out-smart you!” What a great moment in my mind. Haywood, was the first author (which I have encountered to date), that has set forth with this kind of intention. I am sure that in its time, Fantomina story “ruffled a lot of feathers”, but that is what is so captivating about the novel. While reading, I found myself repeating in my head that these actions were not in a time where women tricking men would have been regarded as clever. It would have been looked down upon greatly and the female in question and I can imagine Haywood felt many of these looks after the story was published. Regardless, she has made many a woman in the 21st century proud. If only she could have known how people in these times would look at her novel differently, although, judging by her story, I think she may have had an idea!
Such a range of responses from the class to this text! I think you have reacted to a strong, if masked, current: that of female empowerment.
Comment by Miriam Jones — October 20, 2009 @ 4:17 am