50 pages • 1 hour read
Charlotte LennoxThe Female Quixote
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1752A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
The Danger and Allure of Escapism
Delusion plays a central role in The Female Quixote, most notably through the protagonist’s belief that the French romance novels she loves reflect reality. This is a product of her tragic youth, as Arabella constructs an alternative reality to mediate her trauma. Whether dealing with her parents’ death or her relative isolation, the world of French romances provides her with an escape that she accepts as reality. The absurdity of her situation masks a fundamental tragedy of her alienation, but she is not aware of her delusion. Arabella genuinely believes that this is the way the world works, because she needs to believe this to cope. This delusion is a problem, as it destroys relationships and reputations, even putting her in danger. Regardless of these threats, however, her delusion is bulletproof, and the other characters cannot find any way to argue her out of it. The irony of her belief that these books reflect reality is hinted at in the novel: They were written long after the historical events that they claim to portray and flatten and distort history. As such, Arabella is not only incorrect in believing that the world operates according to the principles set out in her historical novels; she is mistaken in believing that they represent an accurate depiction of any society at any time. They are entirely fictional, yet she considers them to be fact because she is desperate to believe in a world that rewards good and punishes evil.
Even though every character recognizes that Arabella is deluded, her delusion is infectious. This is evident in how the characters who spend the most time with her gradually begin to act according to her beliefs. From Mr. Glanville’s fighting duels in her honor to Miss Glanville’s wearing a disguise to trick Sir George, the other characters’ behavior begins to resemble the actions of the heroes in Arabella’s novels. Despite this gradual change, the characters are not willing to acknowledge their investment in her worldview. Mr. Glanville is annoyed by Arabella’s delusion because he sees her as his responsibility as his betrothed. He rejects her terms of reality and tries to offer her different ones, but he ultimately finds himself thinking in similar patterns. He buys into her fantasy while convincing himself he is acting sensibly. He is so overwhelmed by Arabella’s delusion that he cannot recognize the extent to which he is buying into it. This culminates in him stabbing his rival and standing vigil during her sickness, accidentally playing the role of the heroic knight Arabella always wanted him to be. By internalizing her beliefs, he satisfies her desires by accident.
Just at the point when Arabella becomes the heroine she always imagined—chased by a group of dangerous men—she finds someone who cures her. After nearly drowning, Arabella is primed to come back to reality, seeing the danger that her worldview has put her in. The doctor succeeds in treating her delusion where others have failed because he is sincere and sympathetic enough to debate the topic with her as an equal. He does not believe that her delusion makes her a fool, so she is willing to accept him as a good-faith debater. He helps her deconstruct the reality that she has built in her mind to shield her from negative emotions. This process is aided by her recognition of Mr. Glanville’s heroism. Now that she has him as a sincere and generous romantic partner, she no longer needs the comfort of her delusion and can let it go.
Language’s Ability to Connect and Separate
Arabella’s passion for romance novels allows her to live in a different reality, and it makes her seem out of sync with her society. To those around her, she seems to be speaking a different language entirely, one they struggle to understand. Her love of romantic novels and her belief that the world is like a romantic plot are expressed through the language she uses, as indicated by her long lectures on the meaning of love and honor. These meanings differ considerably from how her peers understand the concepts. To Arabella, subjects such as duty, honor, and love are not just words to be tossed around lightly. They have considerable meaning; when she uses these words, they have a heft and significance that is lacking in contemporary use. Arabella seems like she is speaking a different language because these words do not mean the same thing to her. The novel presents a semiotic alienation that distances Arabella from those closest to her. The other characters are then presented with the challenge of trying to communicate with someone to whom language is not settled or agreed upon.
Sir George tries to speak Arabella’s language, but he manipulates it for his own ends. He has read the same novels and can repeat the same words to good effect, but he fails just as much as everyone else to penetrate Arabella’s delusion. At Arabella’s request, Sir George tells his life story, filled with fabrications. The language he uses is precision-engineered to appeal to Arabella, with romantic tropes and stylistic flourishes littered throughout. He tries so hard to appeal to her through language, but he fails to recognize the true meaning of love and honor, and Arabella dismantles him with ease. She rebukes him more strongly than anyone else, an ironic twist in which he is punished for trying to use her own language against her.
Later in the novel, the Countess connects with Arabella much more successfully. She has no ulterior motive other than being Arabella’s friend, and she shares a genuine passion for Arabella’s beloved romantic novels (though she has moved beyond them). The friendship between the Countess and Arabella flourishes immediately because they speak the same language. Not only are they able to use the same words, but they have a shared understanding of what these words mean. This shows how honesty and respect are integral to successful communication. This flurry of mutual intelligibility is, however, short-lived, and Arabella is left alone with no one who truly understands the nuances of her language.
At the end of the novel, the doctor undoes Arabella’s delusion through the use of language and rhetoric. For the first time, someone is ready to take her ideas seriously and not treat her like a child. This shows how communication does not necessarily rely on mutual agreement; people can have different ideas, but they can understand each other if they communicate respectfully. The dialogue between Arabella and the doctor is the longest conversation in the novel because it is between two sincere conversationalists who are debating the intricacies of language and literature. This conversation is abstract and elevated, allowing each party to come to terms with a shared meaning of the subject they are discussing. The doctor does not try to seduce or disarm Arabella with language. Instead, he speaks to her as if she were an adult, and in doing so, he ushers her out of her delusion. Language provides more of a cure than anything. By the end of the conversation, Arabella has essentially learned a new language. Integrating herself into the broader society has its rewards, not least of which is her marriage to Mr. Glanville. More importantly, she is finally communicating with those around her using the same shared language.
Chivalry Is Dead, but Duty Is Not
Mr. Glanville has a sense of duty separate from Arabella’s romantic conceptions of duty. According to the late Marquis and Sir Charles, he is expected to marry Arabella. This expectation is an expression of duty, especially when so many people consider Arabella to be a delusional (though beautiful and charming) person. This is not too much of a problem for Mr. Glanville, as he loves her and feels a duty to her as well as his father and uncle. While he accepts his responsibility, pledging himself to her, her worldview makes his job difficult. Even when she banishes him from her presence or acts absurdly, he never truly abandons his duty to her. Occasionally, her behavior infuriates him. At other times, it delights him. Though he may not believe in chivalry, he devotes himself to Arabella with the duty and diligence of a knight.
Miss Glanville also has a duty to her family. She dislikes Arabella but still accepts her father’s ruling that she needs to be kind and considerate toward Arabella since they are cousins. This reflects her role as a dutiful daughter in a patriarchal society. She obliges by taking Arabella to social events. Miss Glanville provides Arabella with an insight into the feminine side of society that the other characters cannot, enacting a loosely defined sense of duty as a woman. At the same time, this facetious enactment of duty is based on her desire to publicly embarrass Arabella; she only does her duty when it aligns with her own needs. Despite her cynical efforts to make a spectacle of Arabella, however, Miss Glanville never succeeds. Arabella is immune to social embarrassment, while Miss Glanville is never willing to go far enough in her efforts to undermine her cousin, because she feels a duty to her family. This sense of obligation confines Miss Glanville and, ultimately, helps to foster a stronger relationship with her cousin.
Throughout the novel, Sir Charles maintains a duty to the truth. He punctures her delusions whenever he can, unthinkingly contravening her assertions with outbursts of disbelief. He does the same during Sir George’s long, fictional account of his life, interrupting frequently to ensure that everyone in the room is well aware of the story’s absurdity. His inability to tolerate such absurd lies underscores his commitment to the truth. His niece’s delusions place him in a difficult position, as he wants his son to marry her but worries about how her strange views will affect the family. He also has a duty to his brother’s memory, as the Marquis’s wish was for Arabella to marry Mr. Glanville. Sir Charles cannot help being charmed by Arabella, even after she mistakes his concern for romantic overtures. Sir Charles’s failure to deal with Arabella’s problems shows that he does not take her seriously. He may have a duty to the truth and his family, but he struggles because he does not treat Arabella with respect. In this respect, he contrasts deeply with the doctor, who is driven by his duty to his patient’s care. Along with his honest communication and respect for Arabella, this duty gives him the patience to work with her and help her see the light.
