Previous
Letter 29
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Coquette, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Women and Society
Sex and Virtue
Marriage and Social Mobility
Friendship
Summary
Analysis
Eliza writes to Lucy and informs her that she has “renounced [Sanford] entirely.” In compliance with her friends wishes, Eliza told Sanford on his last visit that his pursuit of her must “for ever cease,” and after much objection, Sanford left town to take possession of his new home in Eliza’s own native city. While Eliza has “terminated the affair” with Sanford, she is rather disappointed. “His liberal fortune was extremely alluring to me,” Eliza writes, “who, you know, have been hitherto confined to the rigid rules of prudence and economy, not to say, necessity in my finances.”
Foster has implied that Eliza’s father was a preacher like Boyer, and as such, Eliza has never enjoyed wealth or luxury. She saw Sanford as a way to realize this dream and rise to a higher class standing, but it appears as though she will now become a preacher’s wife, a particularly daunting idea to Eliza no doubt. Sanford, however, has no intention of giving up, even though Eliza has “terminated the affair.” He is, after all, moving to Eliza’s hometown, which is a particularly bold move.
Themes
